Category: Volume 2 Issue 2

It’s Criticism Day! Whether it be for a writing workshop, meeting with an important client, or the day of a deadline on a creative project, we are all familiar with public critiques. Some find them helpful, but a vast majority find them excruciating. That’s unsurprising, as the actual definition of criticism is, “the act of passing judgement as to the merits of anything.” Yikes! As English Majors, it can be easy to get caught up in semantics. However, do not fret! It does not have to be as scary as it sounds.

Philanthropy is not just for the elites. Donations and voluntary contributions are intrinsic to the American tradition of charity. Professional Writing Majors who desire to make the world a little bit better can attain this goal through the written word as a grant writer. A writer’s ability to persuade through a convincing argument and developed research can secure the funding that is necessary to support a philanthropic cause.

Continue reading “Philanthropy through Writing”

Some companies are so familiar to us that we can recognize them even without seeing their name. For some it’s distinctive lettering, others use shapes, and some use a particular picture as a logo. For example, consider Disney’s font, the emblem for Mercedes, or the Starbucks mermaid. These companies all make or sell different kinds of products, but they have one important thing in common: recognition. Professional writers, whether freelance, job seeking, or already working, can set themselves apart by studying the tactics used by these kinds of companies to further their own careers.

Continue reading “You Are Your Company”

People are naturally drawn to subjects they have a personal connection to. They want to know what is going on in their fields of interest. Professional writers, for example, use knowledge of their audience to improve the content they create. Ensnaring your reader’s attention throughout the entirety of a text is a valuable skill. If an author knows his or her target audience, research will help them understand what specific information should be included in their work to draw the reader in. For more ways to be mindful of your audience check out The Ladders article on knowing your audience.
Any article can improve from edits that cater to a specific reader. For example, imagine you work for a newspaper in Georgia. You want to write about an interesting group of people living in Georgia who consider mud a food group and eat it daily. How can you tailor this article to hold the attention of the reader through its completion? You could try reading the text through the eyes of the reader. The reader of a Georgia newspaper will most likely be a Georgia native. So they might be thinking as they read, “Where in Georgia is this happening? Are there actually any benefits to eating mud? I wonder if my crazy aunt eats mud and that’s why she’s so crazy.” The writer should strive to consider these poignant questions and give as much relevant information as possible to help answer them. This improves the reading experience.
Professional writers can’t afford to be selfish when it comes to their writing. They should always look at their work from their readers’ point of view. Moreover, they should be willing to revise it until it seems satisfactory of their targeted audience. A professional writer must dwell in research, asking themselves questions along the way. Who will be interested in this topic? How can I make my text interesting? How can I word this in a clear and concise fashion? The complicated, yet attainable answers to questions like these can make or break the success of the work you publish.

Robert Conditt III

The gap between knowledge gained and its application for income can be a challenge for some. This is especially true for those in the field of professional writing. Where and how do we take the skills that we have honed and apply them to earning a living? This quandary stems from the larger question: What is it that professional writers do? The answer of course is they write. And, if you are looking to make a living through writing, it is important to know where to market your writing and how to sell your work.

Continue reading “The Writer’s Market: A Valuable Resource for the Beginning Writer”