Several years ago, my freelance articles published by national magazines qualified me to attend a new, three-day, summer conference for professional writers being held in Chicago. I looked forward to the opportunity although it was a little scary for this country gal to hobnob with big city folks.
After the first intense day of writing workshops and five-minute, one-on-one meetings with magazine editors, a few of us stopped in the hotel bar after dinner. Although, the women would have had a few gray hairs if it wasn’t for Miss Clairol, they began reminiscing about college escapades. I had nothing to add to the conversation–I’d never attended college. I’m sure they didn’t intend to intimidate me, but they did. I didn’t sleep well that night. By morning, I’d decided I didn’t belong. After breakfast, I found the leader of the conference and made an excuse that my husband needed me at home to care for our developmentally different daughter.
During the following year, I continued to submit magazine articles and did some soul searching. While flipping through one of those catalogs that came in the mail once in a while, I saw a Popeye tee shirt proclaiming, “I ‘yam what I ‘yam.” I never liked the old sea dog’s cartoons while I was growing up but, not to make Olive Oyl jealous, suddenly, he was my hero. His catchphrase spoke to me.
From talking with others, I realized nobody writes the same as somebody else. We all have different experiences, which shape our approach to articles.
The next summer, I received an invitation to the second conference for professional writers and attended with “I ‘yam what I ‘yam” firmly in mind. I made some useful, professional contacts with editors and some new writer friends.
How have you strengthen your self-confidence?