Living up to the image of a writing consultant

Whenever I tell someone that I am a writing consultant, they say "oh, so you must be a great writer then". It is a natural and very likely reaction. Even our Bedford guide states somewhere that student writing consultants represent the cream of writers in colleges. Such idea is further hammered into my head when Dr. Essid stated with undisguised enthusiasm and pride that our nationally recognized online writing resource was made by undergrad writing consultants, a feat that many graduate writing consultants from other schools could not have accomplished. Undoubtedly such idea and reaction instill great pride and motivation in us as aspiring consultants. However, it also raises a fear in me: Am I good enough for the task?

I hope that I am not alone in this experience. It is prestigious to be labeled as a good writer and having people come to you for help. Yet at the same time you are in constant danger of not living up to such expectation. Students think you have some superhuman powers of turning their trash papers into A papers, and your boss radiates a constant reminder: "You are one of the best, so I expect serious shit from you". Let not forget the fact that we are also students, meaning we have our own writing assignments. This gives rise to my question: Are we supposed to get the best grade possible in every writing assignment, just because we are writing consultants? Of course we have the right to say "no", for we above anyone else understand the arbitrary nature of college writing assignments and the different expectations of teachers. Yet to an outsider it looks like a lame excuse. "How can you correct my paper if you didn't get an A on yours?", they would say. Because of this my recent writing assignments are getting more serious, not because the work has increased, but because the emphasis I place on it now that I am a trainee. I hope to hear your opinion on this matter.