Volume 4 Issue 2 – MEMORANDUM

Blogging: My New Favorite Pastime

picture of a blog — “Living SILsationally” blog

Blogging: My New Favorite Pastime

By Silvia Pettway

Blogging has become a very close companion of mine over the past few years. As an English major whose entire academic career has been consumed with formal essays and 10-12 page research papers, I can admit that it is refreshing to write and research certain interests of mine that do not revolve around passing a class.

Blogging has given me the freedom to not only explore and write about other avenues that interest me, but it has also given me the ability to reach other individuals that have similar hobbies, ideas and interests as I do.

What is blogging and how did it become so widely regarded as another outlet for writers, journalists and pretty much anybody who has something to say? I see blogging as an open diary, where you get to express yourself without the limits of privacy.

As a lifestyle blogger, I can honestly say that I truly don’t know how the concept of blogging turned into something so massive in the world of media, but this new medium has influenced millions of individuals around the world. There are many different genres of blogging that can pique anyone’s interest. Lifestyle, travel, fashion, politics, beauty and the news are just a few of the outlets that welcome the style of blogging.

I believe for any writer, it is important to reserve time each day to simply write. It doesn’t have to be a profound piece of work, nor does it have to be something small. Writing anything encourages the creative flow and allows us to release the thoughts that have consumed our minds throughout the day. I try to post on my lifestyle blog, “Living SILsationally” as often as I can. And when I can’t post, I at least write ideas that I would like to explore on my blog.

Technology has undoubtedly taken over our world in every aspect. Blogging is proof of this. In 2008, the news blogging journal, the Guardian released an article about “The World’s 50 most powerful blogs” and at the top of this list was the widely popular political blog journal the Huffington Post.

Before illustrating the highlights of the Huffington Post, the authors of the article describe how bloggers are typically seen as the underdogs in comparison to mainstream media.

Hearing news on television has a profoundly different effect than reading a blogger’s latest post that gives their opinion of what the news has reported. Blogging garners emotions and expresses thought; most of the time, their followers agree with how they feel. This makes sense because in order for a blog site to have followers, there has to be a similarity in interest, or else the followers would not visit the site.

In the professional writing world, there isn’t much room for expressing emotions, and opinionated thoughts conflict with the facts that news brings. So blogging is a great way for writers in the professional world to talk about about the interests that they love without the rules and regulations that limit their writing and ideas.

An advantage to blogging is that it can become a stepping stone for journalists to advance in their careers as professional writers. The Next Web writes about Shane Evans, the Deputy editor of Goal.com, a soccer blog. Evans states that “in today’s information-based society, where everything is at your fingertips […] people are basically teaching themselves how to be journalists. Gone are the days when you need a degree to show how credible you are as a writer. If your blog gets a ton of hits and you have thousands of followers on Twitter, you get taken seriously.”

Of course, there are many ways for an individual to express themselves, but I believe that blogging allows more room for connecting with others, which is great for us introverts that have a difficult time opening up our lives to others.

Blogging creates opportunities for networking in the professional field as well, which is an especially important asset for professional writers. With blogging, the viewers of your blog get to see more of your personality become vividly expressed. If the right potential employer views your blog and enjoys what they see, then they may be more willing to welcome you on board as a member of the staff.

The progression of this new form of media is exciting and unique for the world of writers. I know I’ve certainly enjoyed writing as SILsationally as I can.

The Introverted Tutor: Introversion as an Asset

The Introverted Tutor: Seeing Introversion as an Asset

By Nicola Larson

Even though the name of the class was Tutoring Writing, it still came as a shock when Dr. Wells announced that everyone would have to tutor in the University Writing Center. I have always seen my introverted personality as a handicap that I needed to overcome. This self-perception was only reinforced at the thought of tutoring other students in the UWC.

What I learned through this experience, however, was that my introverted personality correlates well with essential methods of tutoring.

In a tutoring session, it is invaluable to listen more and talk less. The introvert can more easily fulfill the role of the listener because he or she is likely to do this in everyday situations. It is easy to point out all of the mistakes in a student’s essay. What is more difficult is getting the student to open up and begin talking about the thought process that went into the writing of their paper.

An essential function of a tutor is to teach the student how to find their recurring mistakes and learn how to fix them in the future. The student will more easily be able to self-correct if the tutor acts as a guide to lead them through the mistakes rather than fixing them for the student.

One of the first things a tutor-in-training learns is that higher-order concerns should be addressed before lower-order concerns. An example of a higher-order concern would be the thesis of the paper. A lower-order concern would be issues such as spelling and punctuation.

An introvert who tends to put more thought in before speaking can process the overarching ideas of the paper before addressing the smaller issues. It can be very difficult to push grammatical errors aside to focus on the overall content and organization of an essay. However, this becomes a little easier for an introvert who is accustomed to analyzing more thoroughly before making a judgment.

Most students who go to the UWC feel nervous about their tutoring session. Exposing one’s written work to criticism can make anyone feel vulnerable, but an introvert will be able to mindfully approach each session in a way that caters to the insecurities of the student.

An introverted tutor has the ability to relate to these feelings of insecurity because it is likely he or she has felt the same way in the past. The tutor can steer the tutoring session in a positive direction by offering constructive feedback to the student in a way that is sensitive to the student’s apprehension.

Jessica Robbins is a tutor for UAB Student-Athlete Support Services. She also considers her personality more introverted than extroverted, yet it has not kept her from becoming a successful tutor for the last eight months. She had similar concerns as myself when she first began her tutoring job.

When I asked Jessica if she was intimidated when she first began tutoring student-athletes she responded, “Most definitely. I was scared that I would freeze up and explain something in a totally ineffective way to a student. I was also worried that because my students are athletes, they would be very overbearing and not take well to someone like me who tends to be more quiet and not as outgoing.”

Eight months later Jessica is much more confident in her tutoring abilities. She is able to acknowledge the fact that her introverted personality is actually very beneficial in tutoring sessions.

Jessica recognizes the importance of placing all of the focus on her student-athletes, admitting “It is easy for me to focus on them because as an introvert, I naturally do not like for the attention to be on me.”

The most difficult aspect of tutoring for Jessica is being assertive when the student-athlete is unresponsive. I can attest to the fact that being assertive is one of the things I have struggled with most throughout my life.

Those who are extroverted are likely more comfortable with being assertive, and there are obviously many other strengths that characterize an extrovert. However, tutoring sessions are great opportunities for introverts to practice honing those communication skills innate to extroverts.

The introvert is more than capable of being a successful tutor and possesses several attributes which offer significant value in tutoring sessions.

By emphasizing the positive qualities of introverts, I am hoping that all personality types, whether introverted, extroverted or somewhere in between, will be inspired to change the way they think about their own personality in relation to tutoring.

In the Flow: Navigating the Changing World of Professional Writing

student working at desktop — Student working at a desktop

In the Flow: Navigating the Changing World of Professional Writing

By Theodore Rowe

At first glance, the differences between the New York Times and Buzzfeed are evident: one has the appearance of a serious publication with headlines referring to events of international political theater; the other entertains with allusions to pop culture and memes. But are the two really that far apart?

Buzzfeed now has a team of journalists that interview high-level politicians—including the President—while breaking stories before more traditional sources. Meanwhile, the New York Times has sniped some of Buzzfeed’s reporting strategies, as readers can now find “listicles” integrated into older sections of the paper.

News no longer exists in its own sphere, separated from the sorts of entertaining articles sought by those online.

Additionally, the Internet, encompassing a larger network of social media, blogs, and so on, encourages massive amounts of competition between who receives attention.

What does this influx of new media mean for professional writers? Is the contemporary field of writing favorable for the professional writer and, if not, how do they push back?

Professional writing obviously extends into a number of various areas, but this essay will focus on a specific company’s “voice” in order to express an ideal. Not only do differing businesses require a variety of voices, the brand itself may necessitate numerous voices within the organization.

Thus, professional writers should expect to create a specific voice depending on what is being written. For instance, an article regarding a new restaurant near a promoted apartment complex can be more playful if the restaurant is family-friendly as opposed to something more elegant, assuming the restaurant is of a higher quality.

The example is unambiguous, but imagine juggling varying social strata in a single article. Think of the overarching audience: who is the key reader? From there, attempt to either localize or highlight details depending on the article. Buzzfeed must connect to a larger audience, so the target articles attempt to include a massive group of people via pop culture, social issues, etc. An article for a company’s blog does well to include communal elements of the surrounding city.

Attempts to frame a particular voice for a blog can run into issues of authorial erasure. The issue comes from churning out material that does not have a sense of personality behind it. These days, websites like Buzzfeed are so popularized that they merit parodies, thus a sense of individuality is unique in carrying a brand. Obviously guidelines must be adhered to, but an injection of humor by the author, even if it seems like “too much,” can be good.

Working on your own interests manifests a more interesting article, while also signaling that you have a voice that is unique from the company guidelines. A strong voice is as necessary as experience in establishing credentials to show employers.

Maneuvering from one writing job to another is a daunting task. Professional writers should expect to assume any position that is offered. Careers in journalism have become much more fluid than they used to be, meaning that one might be hired to write material that engages a multitude of audiences. Thus, the professional writer should be sensitive to contemporary political events with the ability to engagage culturally or with an adaptation to the latest technology.

Finally, professional writers should not feel restricted by the free-form world of writing jobs that exist. I do not necessarily think that jumping between assignments from different companies is pragmatic—instead, this constant freelance maneuvering is more a means of survival.

However, the sorts of shifts one must make in order to put food on the table allows for a specific working of style in developing a unique, professional voice.

Companies are attempting to brand themselves now more so than ever; language helps develop the company’s ideology.

There might exist a greater question of morality for the professional writer: when language holds such persuasive power (perhaps more intimately on an individual-to-individual basis than ever before), how should it be aligned and how should it be used?

Busting a Writing Center Myth

The University Writing Center, courtesy of UAB Image Gallery

Busting a Writing Center Myth

By Anna Sims

The simple words “peer review” is enough to inspire dread in students. They come to class biting their nails. They pass their papers around with warnings and apologies. However, the fear of feedback is unnecessary.

The opportunity to have a fellow student critique your work before it gets to the professor is invaluable. At UAB, we have the University Writing Center that offers face-to-face tutoring to undergraduates and graduates.

Students can schedule sessions for 30 or 60 minutes and bring papers at any stage, from drafts to finished products. The center currently offers tutoring from English graduate students.

However, there exists a myth that the Writing Center is meant for freshman students struggling in English Composition, or visiting the Writing Center is an admission of failure.

According to the 2016 UWC newsletter, 35 percent of those who visited the Writing Center were upperclassmen, and an additional 23 percent were graduate students. This leaves only 42 percent of the breakdown to freshman clients. The highest percentage of clients by category, therefore, were upperclassmen students.

Making an appointment with the Writing Center does not indicate an acceptance of failure but rather an investment in success.

No matter your stage of the writing process, your major or your class standing, I see the following four points as the most important results of visiting the UWC.

Verbalizing Thoughts

By speaking your thoughts out of your head, you can untangle them. A great way to identify flaws with your argument is to explain your thoughts to another person. In that situation, you are forced to think about your peer’s immediate reaction to your thoughts, which helps you evaluate your argument more critically.

Also, by hearing your thoughts spoken out loud, you may draw connections that you had not realized when your argument sat stagnant on a map in your head. Verbalizing thoughts transforms them from the abstract to the real.

Having a graduate student who has previously been in your undergrad shoes listen, critique and support your ideas helps foster awareness of public reaction to your work.

Receiving Peer Feedback

The tutors at the Writing Center have been in your shoes; let them offer you wisdom that they wish they had been offered. Similarly to how you can identify flaws or links in your argument when you speak it aloud, peers can find flaws or links in your argument that you had not seen.

Seeking feedback means that the student wants to improve the final product. While there is a considerable number of freshman students who visit the Writing Center, this more reflects on those students’ desires to understand the writing process and how to succeed in a new writing environment.

Seeking feedback requires confidence. One student indicated that, “it was great to come and talk to someone about my ideas and get great tips, advice and comments.”

Collaboration

The workplace in which many Professional Writing students will find themselves will likely be a collaborative environment. Bouncing ideas off one another allows a company to produce quality content, products or services. Practicing collaboration by visiting the Writing Center provides students with a better idea of what they will encounter in the workplace.

Writing feels more personal than other schoolwork, so students may be afraid to have their work critiqued. However, the tutor wants the student to succeed. When teachers give grades for papers and deduct points for errors, it may seem like punishment for poor writing. This misconception is often carried over to tutor-student scenario, causing the student to feel that the tutor is picking apart their work and looking for failure. However, the entire process at the UWC is a collaborative effort that improves not one specific piece but the entire writing process of the student.

Increased Confidence

Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Identifying a need for guidance demonstrates self-awareness, investment in individual potential, intellectual confidence and maturity.

Visiting the Writing Center may feel like admitting defeat, but nobody is above asking for help. Being able to ask questions means that a student has evaluated his or her writing, identified pitfalls and has decided that the piece deserves to be carried out to its full potential. Understanding the strengths of the piece and knowing that the student has taken the necessary steps to improve weaknesses allows the student to turn it in with confidence in the result.

Writing in the Scientific Community

writing scientific formulas — Image courtesy of Adobe Stock

Writing in the Scientific Community

By Stephanie Thomas

Science writing is a field of journalism that aims to communicate the world of science through forms of popular media such as blogs, magazines and journals. Science writing is broad and can cover topics ranging from genetics, to artificial intelligence, to environmentalism.

Writing of this type is dynamic and multifaceted, and most writers are specialized in a specific field. Whether it’s producing a trade publication or a technical journal, this kind of writing is essential to society because it helps translate abstract and complex findings into lay terms for the general public.

When we think about writing, most of us don’t immediately jump to science writing. Instead, we think about writing blogs, articles, grants, business documents or presentations. But science writing can involve these types of writing, too. The science writer (like any other) must find their niche—be it public, academic or business-oriented.

But there is a totally different facet of science writing: scientific writing. Scientific writing is different because it is a strict form of technical writing performed by scientists for their peers in the world of academic research. Its rules on grammar, format and structure are strictly enforced. For example, every scientific paper has to have a minimum of five main sections: abstract, introduction, methods, results and discussion. However, many scientists tend to struggle with this stage of their work.

Why? Because they’re not writers. And often enough, their papers are filled with complex terminology and technical jargon. Scientists struggle with writing because they aren’t taught how to communicate complex theoretical findings into everyday language.

Most scientific publications aren’t written with the average reader in mind. Furthermore, this writing is sometimes difficult for other scientists to read. When researchers want to go further with their work (and publish their findings), professional writing skills become incredibly valuable.

The most brilliant of findings can be swept under the rug if they are not communicated properly. All science tends to build on previous findings—and effective reporting is a key component in this process.

Many research results and scientific breakthroughs simply aren’t made accessible for the general public. Often, this is because of ineffective writing and the lack of proper translation. Cue the science-savvy writer.

Familiarizing Yourself with the Broader Contexts

Most professional writers are uninformed about this writing style and the opportunities therein. Why don’t we hear more about the possibilities for professional writers in these areas of science? Why isn’t anyone talking about the communication issues going on in small academic research circles?

Well, it’s because the majority of people in these environments don’t leave these circles. There is a huge gap between them and the public. And it’s up to writers of a certain breed to help close it.

While the overall goal of scientific writing is to communicate precise scientific findings and figures, good writing is still evident. Papers that follow a narrative structure and are interesting to read have a greater chance of being shared outside of academic circles and reaching the rest of society. Good science is worthless if it’s not communicated properly.

If you’re interested in science journalism, the nice thing about getting involved is that it’s quite egalitarian. Most publications accept open submissions for article ideas. Search through the websites for “submission guidelines” or even contact editors directly.

If you want to get a feel for how academic writing works in the world of science, start by reading science blogs in your area of interest. Follow your favorite writers and familiarize yourself with their citations and sources. Or do your own research. Most interesting articles have abstracts available online and are easily located.

Many professional writers have gone on to specialize in writing and editing for scientists within a specific field—such as medicine, psychology, astrophysics or ecology. Writers who work with (and within) scientific communities help bridge the divide between the world of scientific discovery and the general public.

A specialized science writer can cover a range of topics within their specific field of interest. For instance, as an environmental writer you could can write on alternative theories for climate change education. Or, write an article on the psychological benefits of urban forest projects. You could even help popularize new innovations created to aid endangered populations.

Writing in the sciences readily ties in to a vast landscape of sociopolitical issues. It is the vehicle by which new information, theories and findings are incorporated into society. The best science writers are tough, informed critics who never forget the greater importance of their task. Just as with any writing, science writing is diverse and expansive. It’s all about finding your niche.

How Do Professional Writers Impact Our Entertainment?

How Do Professional Writers Impact Our Entertainment?

By Brett Hurst

Professional writers have been influencing the public for a long time. Journalists and bloggers encourage people to either participate in or skip out on what they are reviewing. Whether you’re reading a book or restaurant review, critics use professional writing to persuade and motivate society.

Let’s say there is a movie out in theaters that you’re interested in, but you don’t want to pay the ridiculous ticket prices for a film that might not be worth it. What are your options? You can go to many professional outlets to read movie reviews. Some of these outlets include the New York Times and Rotten Tomatoes.

Movies that are nominated for awards, like the Oscars, have higher ratings than sequels to certain genres of movies, like horror and comedy. Professional writers know exactly what to say about the film to either make their audience love or hate it.

Even if people don’t go directly to the New York Times or Rotten Tomatoes, they still come in contact with some form of professional writing review. Usually, during the trailer for a movie, a line of commentary might be included in an effort to persuade viewers to watch the film.

Even though what your friends say on social media is not considered professional writing, it still influences the decision to watch the movie. Your best friend could post their thoughts on a movie, which might dissuade you from watching the film. A person can completely disagree with what a film critic says about a movie, but will still be influenced by what their friends are saying on social media.

How do professional writers engage their audiences? There is a pattern with every film review that professional writers tend to follow. The review usually opens with an introduction of what the movie is about and who the director is. Then, the critic will either praise the film or vilify it.

Throughout the review, the writer comments on the actors and the content of the movie. Is it fresh? Has it already been done? What are its strengths? How can the film improve? The answers to these questions are ultimately what make up a review, which is what inspires a person to decide to watch it. Of course, everyone will have their own opinion about the movies they watch, but critics are not here to tell you how to feel.

Critics are here to help people for many reasons. One main reason is to help people decide whether they want to watch the film or not. Their work is a friendly suggestion along with helpful tips. In the end, it may be useful if you just read one review for a movie that you are going to see. It may help you in ways that you never thought of.

Aside from professional writers creating movie reviews, they also tap into the world of literature, music and food. Some questions that all critics share include: How does their review make an impact? What are some of the things that professional writers use to help to create an overall trend? What are the things that people look for in their entertainment?

Based on a Twitter poll that asked: “Do you read reviews on movies before you watch them,” ten people voted no, and two people voted yes. One reason why people may be hesitant to read reviews is because they are often subjective.

Even though there is a lack of attention that people give to critics, it is always good to know that they are available for the public to use. Occasionally, it can be beneficial to check out a review—it may help you save money and skip out on a movie that is not worth a trip to the theater.

Finding Your Niche: Hidden Careers for Professional Writers

girl with thought bubbles — Finding your niche

By Elizabeth Slatsky

Professional writing brings game-changing opportunities to English majors. PW classes equip students to take the skills they learned in their literature and creative writing classes and bend them to match a certain career field that is right for them.

Almost every organization needs writers. Because of the wonderful flexibility of professional writing, there are numerous jobs out there for a writer who is willing to branch out into other fields of study. You simply has to find where your fit in; you have to find your unique niche.

What do I mean by finding your unique niche? People are usually interested in a wide range of different topics and skills. Your niche is a place where writing and another interest intersect to form a career that will be the perfect match for you. Below I have provided three job examples. Each is different, yet they all incorporate English into other experiences and interests.

Customer Experience Manager

Did you enjoy working as a barista at a local coffee shop in college? Do you have a thing for customer service? Toby’s Estate [now Partners Coffee], a coffee shop located in Brooklyn, New York, is looking for a Customer Experience Manger. These managers take care of the overall experience of customers as well as the staff. Toby’s Estate’s job ad mentions that these managers do a variety of different jobs including handling “complaints and customer feedback” and organizing “social media requirements for Marketing and tak[ing] photos.” A previous job you enjoyed in a certain field is just one way to lead to a future career.

English assignments prepare students to appeal to multiple audiences since professors often have different standards and preferences. Professional Writing is no exception and, in fact, exemplifies this ability. Regarding the example above, someone who has worked in a coffee shop or a similar environment can combine the variety of skills they learned on the job with their college experience to get a job that is just right for them.

Advertising Art Director

Do you enjoy art and writing? Advertising Art Directors channel their artistic side as well as the different skills gained from four years of writing experience. Amazon’s job advertisement requested a portfolio that “demonstrates big, campaignable thinking that can extend into any medium.”

An English major who is experienced in different forms of art would have the perfect portfolio for this job. This career is an example of someone who might take a hobby or a minor in a specific field and turn it into something they can do for the rest of their life.

Though English classes give students a general idea of how to appeal to different audiences, professional writing classes provide students with a more precise understanding of editorial concepts. For instance, Digital Document Design, a class at UAB, focuses on developing documents and learning programs. Additionally, someone talented in art or graphic design would find themselves better prepared for such fields.

Communications Director

Are you passionate about a nonprofit organization? Active in your faith community? Then something similar to a Communications Director at Ingleside Baptist Church in Georgia could be an option. A communications director is in charge of all the organization’s communications with those outside of their organization. This could be on social media or through emails. The job ad stated having a passion for their ministry and possessing “excellent written and verbal communication skills” was important. This is an example of how to channel a passion for a certain belief or nonprofit into a potential career.

Community outreach can be as competitive as marketing a product to a specific group of people. Good writers are needed to create successful content that will appeal to the church’s intended audience. However, these organizations also need people passionate and knowledgeable about their work to f ill these positions. Here is where a writer interested in the organization’s work could shine in a job application.

These are only a few of the possibilities for English majors. So go explore the internet! Your dream job could be right under your nose.

Alumni Spotlight: Sydnei Wheat

Sydnei Wheat and her colleagues — Sydnei Wheat (right) and her colleagues

Alumni Spotlight: Sydnei Wheat

By Danielle Ivey

UAB alumna Sydnei Wheat was a Professional Writing student at UAB. She was the first winner of the Outstanding Professional Writing Student Award in 2016, for her research paper concerning the visual representations of transgender women.

Sydnei specifically covered Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner, magazine covers (and articles) and how both visuals and narratives can perpetuate longstanding racial myths and discourse surrounding women. After her internship with Good Grit Magazine and during her time at UAB, she has gone on to the University of West Georgia to work as a Library Assistant in their research library.

MEMORANDUM recently caught up with Sydnei (pictured above), to learn about her experiences.

Why did you choose Professional Writing, and what were your favorite experiences as a Professional Writing Student?

Honestly, my initial decision to go into Professional Writing stemmed largely from wanting increased job opportunities than actual interest in the concentration. I was previously in Creative Writing—from my freshman to mid-junior years—and while I loved the courses and the various prose, short stories and poems that I wrote (I did after all, aspire to be a writer/editor), it just didn’t feel like it was enough for me.

After taking all the classes in the concentration and engaging in so much awesome interdisciplinary work, I fell in love with the major. Coding websites, filming and editing videos, designing promotional/advertising materials, even studying the human psyche and how Professional Writers have a hand in influencing all of that and still getting to write? To me, it was the best major ever!

What was your goal after graduation? How did you prepare for starting out in the professional world?

I always (and still do) want to be a book editor, but opportunities in the book publishing industry in Birmingham are slim to none. But the magazine publishing industry is thriving in Birmingham. And so in order to gain hands-on experience, Dr. Ryan—who is the Internship Director for the English department—set me up with a magazine editorial internship.

While I did enjoy my time at Good Grit Magazine along with learning about how magazines work, my love for books and working with them didn’t go away. I decided to continue to pursue a career in which I could work around books whether through librarianship or publishing. If I’m lucky I might even be able to do both!

Honestly, I think the best way to prepare for the real world is to not put your eggs all into one basket. Meaning: always have another career option for yourself. I have always wanted to be a book editor, but I also knew that that might not be as feasible a dream as I wanted it to be.

When I got a student job on campus in the research library in my junior year, I fell in love with the environment and knew that librarianship could be another option for me. I’m happy to say that with my new job I am now on the track to further advance that dream with a MLIS (Masters in Library and Information Science) education that will be fully paid for.

The Professional Writing concentration and the English major itself was a natural precursor to library and information studies. Dissemination of information is the main foundation of both fields and I find that they complement each other well. I even wrote an article on it for the digital MEMORANDUM site.

Tell me a little bit about the job that you have now: what is your role, what do you like the most about your job, and what are the most difficult parts of your job?

I just recently accepted a job offer from the University of West Georgia to work as a Library Assistant in their research library. In fact, as I’m writing this, I’ll be completing my first official week at my new job!

I work in the circulation department, so the most difficult part of my job is actually talking to people, because that’s not my strong point. But the other employees are patient with me and answer all of my questions even if I asked them a thousand times already.

What I like most about my job is the fact that I’m surrounded by so much information and I can actually use my academic/research skills and knowledge to help patrons locate items and even make suggestions on reading or reference materials.

From Bar to Brewery: Alumni Interview with Jay Haywood

By Lexi Waldon

Jay Haywood, a graduate from UAB with a BA in English-Professional Writing, has built his career by maneuvering through the restaurant and bar business since the day he graduated high school. He made his way from restaurant gigs and bar-backing jobs to becoming a Sales Representative for Cahaba Brewery here in Birmingham.

Because there are only two members on the sales team for this swiftly growing company, Jay’s responsibilities lie beyond those of a typical sales rep. With his service industry experience and his professional writing skills, Jay proved himself to be pretty useful to a newly established brewery in a town where many competitors have already made their mark. To learn more about Jay and his line of work, MEMORANDUM met up with him on his own turf.

Jay began his journey in Columbus, Georgia where he began working various restaurant jobs after high school. At the age of 24, he decided to move to Birmingham and begin his college career at UAB.

With a major in Secondary Education and a concentration in English, he found himself enrolled in a few Professional Writing courses and became increasingly involved with the program. After establishing a relationship with one of his professors within the PW program, he decided to shift directions and begin working towards a degree in Professional Writing.

While earning his degree, he continued working restaurant jobs to stay afloat—all the while making connections and building long-lasting professional relationships.

During the beginning of his senior year at UAB, an old friend from a previous job called him up and asked if he’d be interested in running the bar at a new brewery in town—Cahaba Brewery. This put Jay’s foot in the door of a fresh company with a quickly increasing demand.

For the remainder of his time in school and the beginnings of his time at Cahaba, he began to push the company to host events and create an online presence for itself. Once the company realized the impact of social media in today’s society, its presence became imperative. The company saw the need for this and Jay saw the opportunity to fulfill it, so he began curating online content and creating a social media following for the brand.

As the online following grew, so did the sales, thus creating a new job position for Jay as a sales representative and professional social media guru.

Jay plans events, books bands and food trucks, posts on Facebook and Instagram, updates the website, writes press releases and coordinates with distributors and graphic designers to make sure the concept of the brand remains intact.

Jay calls sales meetings, meets clients, coordinates donations for non-profit events and hosts tastings at restaurants in the state. He’s the guy shaking your hand at the end of a meeting, the guy sitting behind the computer screen booking the band for the next event and the person making sure the food truck shows up for “Good Lil’ Wednesday,” a charity fundraiser Cahaba hosts every Wednesday night for a local nonprofit organization.

He stays in contact with those who drink the beer and makes sure that the people creating it understand how crucial it is to keep Cahaba Blonde in stock. He reaches out to the other breweries and restaurants in town, making sure not to host any specials on the same night as them.

When asked how he stays in the know with the community and the customers, he says, “Because most of my work is done outside of these walls, I get to experience the people of our brand and feel more connected to our customers. It feels very close knit that way.”

Because Jay is still fairly new to this position, he is eager to learn more and create more. He is always thinking of new ways to engage with the community, whether it be through planning new events, promoting a new beer on social media or helping a nonprofit put on an event of their own. These things not only drive customers directly to the Brewery itself, but allow the personality of the brand to be experienced, which is one of Jay’s priorities when it comes to his work.

Swing by Cahaba to see how professional writing and beer can come together to form a unique and exciting career.

Alumna Spotlight Interview: Allison Underwood

By Natalie Pagan

Allison Underwood, a UAB graduate, sat down with me to discuss how the Professional Writing program can help students reach their career goals. Underwood currently works at Good Grit Magazine here in Birmingham, Alabama as a digital media coordinator. Good Grit focuses on an elegant and progressive reflection of southern heritage.

Underwood said, “I’ve lived here my whole life, but it wasn’t until I started working with Good Grit that I fell in love with the South. Good Grit brings the Southerner out of the box—there’s a place for everyone here!” This August will mark Underwood’s two years of employment at this magazine.

Underwood started off at Good Grit working as a paid intern before becoming a part-time staff member and currently the person in charge of running digital and social media. Some of the job activities include posting on social media sites such as Facebook, managing social profiles, emailing newsletters and creating graphics for profiles. Underwood mentioned having taken UAB’s Digital Media Capstone course, which brought about the unpaid internship. This allowed them to receive a job offer to be a part-time employee at Good Grit Magazine.

I asked about the experience that Underwood had prior to working at Good Grit. They gave credit to a professional writing background and how the degree has helped thus far. Underwood mentioned that they are thankful for having been introduced to the major early enough to pursue and finish the degree. Underwood went on to promote the degree by saying, “A person who chooses this major can do whatever they want with it.” Underwood listed technical writing, teaching, social media and coding as a few of the jobs that are relevant in the professional field.

The interviewee explained that in their particular job, there is not only writing involved, but coding, designing and editing documents. Although Underwood does not code for Good Grit Magazine, they have done some coding as a freelancer.

During the interview, Underwood explained that the required courses for their Bachelor’s degree provided an opportunity to gain the experience needed for the job at Good Grit Magazine.

Because the internship was geared primarily towards digital media, they were able to use what was learned throughout courses such as Developing Digital Documents to better analyze the material that was going to be distributed or posted onto the internet.

This course allowed them to learn how to compare different font choices, colors and proximities on different documents, making sure that the magazine is sent out looking its absolute best. This course allowed Underwood to become familiar with programs such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop which many magazine companies work with, including Good Grit.

Although these skills have helped Underwood reach a stellar career goal, Underwood admits that they have also made it difficult to not feel the need to analyze every document or advertisement they see. Underwood unabashedly stated, “I’ll look at a billboard and think about what I would change to fix it.”

As someone currently taking the Developing Digital Documents course, I had to agree with Underwood that nothing can possibly look the same once you’ve figured out all of the tricks of document design. The interviewee agreed and said that this was in fact the gift and the curse of learning all of these skills. “Once you know how to do it correctly, you notice that the rest of the world does not.”

The interviewee strongly encouraged current English majors to look into the professional writing program. Underwood is the proof that with the right experience and education, your dream job can be the one that you land and thrive at.

Days after interviewing Underwood, they have just obtained a new position at Good Grit Magazine. While keeping most of the same responsibilities, Underwood’s new position now includes managing interns, gift guides, developing campaigns for magazine subscriptions and curating sponsored content.

While still being actively involved in scheduling Facebook, Instagram and the email campaign, Underwood has begun delegating a lot of these responsibilities and tasks to interns to be able to focus on the bigger picture. Good Grit is always looking for hard-working students to fill internship roles.

On behalf of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, we wish Underwood the best of luck in continuing to further their career.