Being an Odyssey Editor-in-Chief is amazing, wonderful, frustrating, disheartening and uplifting all at the same time. There are days where the stars align, and there are days where they don't. There are days that I feel ready to conquer anything yet nothing at the same time.
To truly understand the mind of an EIC is a challenge because to be quite honest sometimes we don't even understand our own minds. After all, spending five minutes deliberating which word sounds better in a headline isn't everyone's idea of a good time.
We spend a majority of our time glued to our laptops writing in some capacity, so what better way to talk about the things we wish our writers knew than through writing.
1. We don't set goals just for fun.
We don't just set monthly team goals for our own amusement. We set these goals because we truly believe that our team can hit them, and it's disappointing when they don't take it seriously. We believe in our team so much that we create stretch goals that we want to hit to show how amazing our team is and how we can step up to the plate to be a powerhouse community.
2. We don't change headlines or cover photos just to be mean.
When we make a change to your cover photo or headline it's not because we're mean and want to take away from what you have to say. In fact, it's the exact opposite. We make these changes because we know what you have to say is important, and we want to make sure it is amplified on the largest-scale possible. Sometimes, in order to reach the largest audience, we have to rebrand something to avoid your article tanking before it's even published.
3. When we tell you to share it's because we want your voice to be heard.
We aren't trying to be annoying by constantly emphasizing the importance of sharing. What we are trying to do is to help you get your article in front of the right audience. You took the time to write your article, so now it's time to get it out there. A lot of people can write, but not everyone can promote their content. As EICs, we're here to help you with this step so that hundreds and thousands and millions of people can read what you have to say, relate to it and so you can make an impact.
4. Deadlines do matter.
You can't just walk into your classroom and tell your professor that you didn't feel like turning in your assignment that day and still expect to get full credit. Similarly, you can't expect to hand in your article late and have it published on time. We set deadlines so that all of the editors have ample time to work with and look at your content, not just to disrupt your day.redit. Similarly, you can't expect to hand in your article late and have it published on time. We set deadlines so that all of the editors have ample time to work with and look at your content, not just to disrupt your day.
5. Communication is key.
We may be editors, but we aren't mind readers. We don't know if something is going on in your life making it hard for you to submit unless you tell us. If you need an extension one week--no problem, but don't tell us after the deadline that you need an extension. Communication is all about being proactive so that we can modify our workflow and your workflow to meet your needs.
6. The Creator Development Program is amazing, and when we recommend that you do it, you should.
The Creator Development Program is an amazing opportunity. Even as EICs we do CDP to help develop our skills as creators and editors. You get one on one time with a professional, need I say anything else?
7. We love you, and because of that, we're going to be tough on you.
Yes, we realize that we're tough, and we realize that we don't always say what you want to hear. It's not our job to always tell you exactly what you want to hear, it's our job to help you improve and reach your goals--whatever those may be. When we get tough on you, it's because we care and know you're capable of more.
Being an EIC is a lot of work, but it's also really rewarding watching creators grow and develop as writers and people. This is just a small snapshot into the mind of an EIC. Who knows--maybe one day it'll be you in this position.
