Dorothy Dix (1861–1951,) born Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer, was an American journalist and advice columnist renowned for her syndicated column, Dorothy Dix Talks, where she offered guidance on relationships and personal matters.
Born in Woodstock, Tennessee, Gilmer embarked on her writing journey by crafting stories that portrayed local life in her native Tennessee. In 1896, her writing caught the eye of Eliza P. Nicholson, the owner of the New Orleans Picayune, leading to a reporter position. Taking on the pseudonym Dorothy Dix, she launched a successful Sunday advice column, Sunday Salad. As her career soared, she assumed roles as the editor of the women’s department and assistant editor.
In 1901, Dix accepted a lucrative offer from William Randolph Hearst to join the New York Journal. There, she continued her thrice-weekly column, Dorothy Dix Talks, while simultaneously covering sensational stories. This marked a pivotal phase in her career, blending success in advice writing with sensational journalism.
In 1917, Dix transitioned to the Wheeler Syndicate to focus entirely on her column, publishing six times a week. Half of her columns featured real letters from readers seeking advice. At the height of her popularity, she received over 2,000 letters weekly. Gilmer relocated her column to the Ledger Syndicate in 1923 and later to the Bell Syndicate in 1933. By 1940, her column graced 273 newspapers, reaching approximately 60 million readers in the United States and beyond. She continued writing her column until the onset of World War II. She also campaigned for women’s suffrage and the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.
Gilmer’s literary contributions extended beyond her columns, encompassing books such as Mirandy (1914,) Hearts à la Mode (1915,) Mirandy Exhorts (1922,) My Trip Around the World (1924,) and, based on her column, Dorothy Dix, Her Book (1926) and How to Win and Hold a Husband (1939.)
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Dorothy Dix
You never saw a very busy person who was unhappy.
—Dorothy Dix
Topics: Unhappiness, One liners
In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impressed that there must be something for me to do.
—Dorothy Dix
Topics: Action, Service
Confession is always weakness. The grave soul keeps its own secrets, and takes its own punishment in silence.
—Dorothy Dix
Topics: Honesty, Weakness
The jealous bring down the curse they fear upon their own heads.
—Dorothy Dix
Topics: Jealousy
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