Much like Chandler Bing’s iconic and mysterious monotonous job and career pivot in FRIENDS, this author’s journey transitioned from a paycheck-to-paycheck corporate job to a freelance career, and eventually, to becoming a published author. At the relaunch of M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women’s literary initiative ‘Author Speak’ on Tuesday, the alumna returned not just as a content creator, but as a newly published author to talk about her debut book, The Freelancer’s Mindset.
Organised by the college’s library and NDLI Club in association with The New Indian Express, under the aegis of Pegasus, the student book club, the event marked the beginning of a new chapter of Author Speak, renewed for this academic year. At this edition, second-year Journalism student Smriti S engaged Meenakshi in an open, honest dialogue about her journey from burnt out life to finding balance in career and life.
Satyabama Oppili, head of the Journalism Programme, offered her felicitation with warmth and humour: “It’s indeed a moment of pride to have you (Meenakshi) here, not just because you are an alumnus, but because you are now an author.” Referring to the contrast between Meenakshi’s carefree student years and the structure of her book, she remarked, “What surprises me is that such serious freelancing advice is coming from someone whose attitude has always been, ‘Life is not a serious affair.’”
The Freelancer’s Mindset, which took a year and a half to complete, is Meenakshi’s attempt to demystify the world of freelancing — a guide shaped by lived experiences. Choosing freelancing was a deliberate decision, not a last resort. Burnt out after two years in a corporate job, she turned to freelancing, a path she had explored during her college days. Her parents, recognising her earlier passion, encouraged the switch.
She spoke about the importance of professionalism in freelancing — from email etiquette and invoicing to client contracts and boundary-setting. She stressed that a successful freelance career demands more than creative skill; it requires consistency, clarity, and a strong mindset. A passage from the book, read aloud by Satyabama, struck a chord with the audience: “The higher the price, the higher your quality of leads and results will be.You need to break free from your mental prison and let your value shine.”
While the publishing industry and creative careers reel under the weight of artificial intelligence, Meenakshi offered a grounded perspective that cut through the hype. Addressing a question on AI’s influence in content creation, she said, “I believe AI is great at giving information, but the voice and the tone — that only you can bring in.” Her advice to freelancers: “AI is a tool. It should be used as a collaborator, not a competitor.”
She reframed AI from being a looming presence to a partner in process — capable of offering suggestions, but not stealing the soul of the work. “Let’s say I have writer’s block or I want a structure for something. If I key in a prompt into ChatGPT, I would get a couple of ideas. I might then pick and choose from that and craft it in my own way.”
In the closing remarks, Dr Jayalakshmi, head of the English Department, said, “It’s inspiring to see how she dealt with everything from ghosting clients to difficult conversations — and still kept at it.” She added with a smile, “Seeing the brave attitude and resilience in our students makes me think — maybe I should freelance too.”