I looked up the word ‘submission’ in my dictionary. It told me it means an action of humility or servility. I put the word ‘submission’ into my computers thesaurus. It gave me synonyms of obedience and compliance.

For every article I write, I put all my effort and all my writing skill into it. Then I proof it and get it all ready to e-mail out. The last thing I do is write the word ‘submission’ in the subject line. Sometimes I also write ‘I would like to submit...’ or ‘I am submitting...’ in the body of the e-mail.

And something in the back of my mind screams out at me. ‘But I don’t want to submit. I am not submissive. I take action, I am aggressive, I am an achiever. I do not want to go into submission!’

How is a writer supposed to keep their sanity when they are forced to write this over and over again? I write it so often I don’t even notice the meaning of it anymore. But I am sure it is one of those things my subconscious is absorbing every day.

And slowly all my spirit is draining away.

I became a writer because I wanted to be in control. I wanted to create something special for other people to read. I did not want my success determined by anyone else.

But I find my fate determined by the many editors I must submit to. Give in to, be obedient to.

They say that writers are a strange lot. Full of angst and weirdness and maybe just a little craziness. I am sure I wasn’t like that when I started. I am sure it happened on the journey.

I have a theory that editors created the word ‘submission’ to drain us writers of our energy. Maybe to make up for the fact that the editor stands at the top of the publication but it is the writers that make it worthwhile.

I believe a writer has to have more guts than anyone else I can think of. Writing is a personal thing. To put that out there for everyone to see, and to have to cope with constant rejection. A writer has to be a special person. They have to be strong.

And they do not need to add to their problems by constantly telling their subconscious they are submissive.

I am considering a world-wide campaign to replace the word ‘submission’ with ‘contribution.’

Contribution will send a little message to our subconscious that we are worth something, we are offering something valuable, we are achieving something. We are, in a word, contributing!

Next time you write that query or send in that article think about it for a second. And make the decision not to submit, but to contribute.

You might be surprised at the difference. You might just find your energy and spirit growing, not depleting.

It is all about positive thinking.

Isobel Michelle is a freelance writer based in Australia. After years of freelancing she now manages her own business, providing a range of services based on her writing skills. This includes two newsletters for women in business, a poetry writing service and an online proofing service. She continues to freelance occasionally, focusing on writing fiction and writing on the subjects of small business, women in business and career articles. 

Her email: mishelh@ozemail.com.au  

Her website: www.womenonwork.com  

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