Career – Page 2 – MEMORANDUM

Professional Writing Within Creative Writing: An Interview with Tina Braziel

By Sam Baine

The writing field offers a multitude of paths for English students to take, but it’s at the intersection of these paths that make a writing career so interesting. Professional writing may conjure up ideas of strict rules and a lack of creative control, but UAB alumna Tina Braziel knows that isn’t the case.

After receiving her Masters in English, Braziel taught at UAB as an English professor for a total of seven years. But she “wanted more instruction and time to write,” so she decided to get her M.F.A as well. Between her degrees, it was the Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop that really drew her back to UAB. Now she works as the director of the three-week long workshop, which offers high schoolers the opportunity to work closely with published writers.

The intensive summer program is aimed at those who are interested in creative writing careers. Braziel uses several different methods to reach out to students; she has had to craft an online presence, post on bulletin boards and draft letters and informational cards for teachers. So, while the focus of her career may lie in creative writing, Braziel uses elements of professional writing to represent her ideas.

Braziel also relies on document design “to make clear what is advertised [and] what the classes will offer.” This is especially useful when building a creative platform, as there can be no creative publication without the traditional markers of technical writing like web design and copyediting.

She must also use professional skills for effective communication when it comes to engaging and recruiting students who aren’t considering college, keeping in touch with other faculty members to expand upon enrichment activities and contacting guest speakers and field trip sites.

Braziel’s work isn’t finished with the end of the workshop, though, as she immediately begins prepping for the next one: drafting donation and thank you letters or sending out copies of The Writer’s Block. She uses professional writing to accurately portray the workshop’s purpose and solidify its logistics so everything runs smoothly.

Outside of the workshop setting, professional writing has benefitted Braziel’s creative pursuits. She uses the same learned techniques—like drafting, critiquing, and revising—to promote her own work. Her poetry has been published in many acclaimed journals and her first poetry chapbook was published by Porkbelly Press in 2016. While Braziel never imagined that technical skills would be so closely related to creative work, she has come to find that this intersection is what makes her creative pieces possible.

However, she says that “the process of getting to that point takes more than just creative skill.” Through the ordeal of submitting (and revising and resubmitting) manuscripts, cover letters and pitch letters, creative writing doesn’t get to speak for itself. Writers must do a lot of additional work “to develop a creative style while honing writing skills,” whether that be applying for residencies and fellowships, accurately marketing yourself or pitching your publication.

There is a fine line to balancing creativity with the technical skills necessary to work throughout multiple genres and platforms. Braziel has worked hard to hone a personal professional language, a valuable skill she highly advises for other writers.

Braziel was recently announced as the winner of the 2017 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry through the Fresno State Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing, which awarded her with the publication of her debut full-length book, Known by Salt, through Anhinga Press.

Advice from a Professional Writing Storyteller

Advice from a Professional Writing Storyteller

By Laura Jane Crocker

Professional writers are often labelled as having a certain skillset. Usually, this would imply a background in document design, editing or technical writing, among other things. However, there are plenty of ways that creative writers may find themselves in a career that requires professional writing. Making this transition may not be as uncommon as one would think, and for Brett Bralley, a writer on UAB’s University Relations team, focusing on professional writing has led to a successful career that combines her creative background with practical communication skills.

Bralley studied journalism at the University of Alabama, and her career eventually led to UAB. She works on the content team, which is in charge of creating and editing copies for university initiatives.

“I write a wide variety of content,” Bralley explains. “Sometimes it’s a shorter, dynamic copy for a brochure or a website landing page. And sometimes it’s an in-depth feature for UAB Magazine. All of it is focused on telling the stories of students, faculty, staff and friends of UAB.” Although the art of storytelling is more frequently attributed to creative writing, professional writers like Bralley are often tasked with achieving this goal with limited word counts, focused target audiences and design in mind.

With a creative writing perspective, Bralley has been able to approach the challenges of a professional writing career from a unique angle. “My background in journalism prepared me for almost every aspect of this job. I learned editorial judgement, story structure, how to interview sources, how to always consider my reader, the importance of accuracy and attention to detail, and—of course—how to tell a story in meaningful, effective way,” she says. Together, Bralley and her coworkers implement a diverse set of skills that are fundamental to professional writing.

As opposed to writing careers that focus on churning out content, Bralley is often tasked with considering design. Depending on the project, the design may be created around a copy that has been written, or the content may need to fit a specific layout, and that’s where Bralley must use her judgement to create captivating copies.

“Good writing can be all for naught if the design isn’t there,” Bralley says. “The presentation of the work has the power to entice the reader and make them want to dive into your content. A clean, legible font, a lovely layout and the right medium for sharing your work is paramount to creating quality content.”

But the process is not as strict as one might think. Often, professional writers must be in touch with their creative side to ensure that content is engaging for their audience—this requires Bralley to be adaptable. She explains, “A fun part of my job is that I’m doing all kinds of writing, so I get to exercise all sorts of skills. When I’m writing for a professional audience, whether by crafting an internal newsletter or putting together an email for a source, I think about the most informative and simple way to connect. I want to keep it engaging, but I also want to get the point across quickly.”

When asked if she had any recommendations for young professional writers, Bralley says, “Write as much as you can! Build your portfolio with a variety of work. Take classes or workshops to learn new skills. Connect with a mentor who can give you advice and help you along. When someone edits your work, review those edits and see how you can improve. The more you work at it, the better a writer you can be! And when it comes time to show off your work, don’t be shy.”

Interview with UAB Alum Emily Wiginton

By Nora Krall

Emily (Em) Wiginton graduated from UAB in 2017 with an English degree and a concentration in Professional Writing. Emily was raised on a farm in rural Alabama and spent her college years working at the public radio station 90.3 WBHM. During her time at UAB, she was President of the Professional Writing club. Post graduation, Emily is located in North Carolina at UNC Chapel Hill and lives with her partner and their cat Jiji. Emily is a queer writer, artist, and communicator who loves traveling, Korean food, and video games.

1. What made you want to major in professional writing?

I initially went into Professional Writing because I was interested in a practical application of English, but also because I was terrified to talk to anyone. As an incoming freshman, I thought that Professional Writing sounded like a field that wouldn’t require a lot of communication with other people, but boy, was I wrong. PW ended up making me a much stronger communicator—and a better writer to boot.

2. How is your degree useful to you?

A lot of my job involves sharing and explaining critical information between Women’s Health organizations across the globe, and PW really helped me learn how to consider my audience when communicating to certain groups. I also self-publish autobiographical comic zines on the side, and learning how to use software like Illustrator and InDesign to design and print my own materials is still something I use literally every day.

3. What was your goal after you graduated from UAB and how did English/PW help you get there?

My goal after graduation was basically just to get a job—any job. A lot of PW focuses heavily on professional development, so by the time I graduated, I had a fully developed LinkedIn, a gorgeous resume, and a working knowledge of how to apply for positions or market myself in the industry using sites like Indeed. I also learned how to make a web-based portfolio (emilyrosewiginton.wordpress.com) through my PW classes, and having a website really gave me an edge in interviews.

4. What was your thesis on?

For my thesis, I created a sample email newsletter for the UAB-based PW publication, Memorandum, along with a user guide that could be used in both print and PDF formats. The user guide ended up being something I took to job interviews with me as an example of my skillset—people really like it when you have a tangible example of work you’ve done, especially one that combines writing, design, and self-publishing.

5. How did you get to UNC?

I got into UNC by working a few temp jobs when I first moved here. I can’t stress enough what a useful tool this was for breaking into the job market. The best advice I can give for recent grads is to apply to as many temp pools as you can get your hands on. There are tons out there, especially around Universities, and often for communications and writing-related positions. I was at the Department of Music here at UNC, then landed a permanent position at the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Research Evidence in Sexual and Reproductive Health (WHO CC for short).

6. What are you doing at UNC now with your English/PW degree?

Here at the WHO CC, my official job title is Public Communications Coordinator, which means that I’m not only the front-facing person for our offices, but also serve as a connecting point between us and other Women’s Health Organizations around the world. We work to develop programs that apply implementation science to Women’s Health research, with a larger goal of ensuring reproductive health and justice for all. It’s challenging work, but honestly a dream job for me. As a queer, gender-nonconforming woman, I have a huge passion for reproductive justice in a global health context, and am so grateful to be working in a position that directly contributes to that.

7. What do you want to do in the future? Are you getting another degree?

My dream for the future is admittedly little less career/academia-focused. I mentioned earlier that I illustrate and self-publish comics in my spare time, and I’d love to get more serious about that while still maintaining a day job similar to what I do now. I’m so grateful to have such an amazing career, but my real joys in life come from making art, traveling with my partner, and pursuing my hobbies. However, I feel super fortunate that I can work in a position that matches up with my political and ethical convictions.

8. How did your undergraduate experience at UAB help get you to where you are today?

Professional Writing equipped me with the skills I needed to find a job pretty quickly after college, as well as the skills to pursue the things I wanted to do outside of a professional setting. Above all, however, PW helped me grow into a confident and effective communicator and leader. Professional writing is curriculum that teaches people how to write for certain audiences, interface with contemporary discourses and find work in a complicated job market which is more vital than ever, and I’m thankful that it was part of my education.

In Conclusion

Emily’s professional writing degree has propelled her into the job market seamlessly and with it, she acquired her dream job. The professional writing concentration offers skills that are necessary for most every major and vital to any job. Emily’s work post-graduation is proof of effective communication skills at work and has made the transition into the job market a rather easy one. A degree in professional writing gives you a skillset that is useful and relevant in any job.

Freelancing Tips for Professional Writers

Woman working on a computer, courtesy of UAB Image Gallery

By: Mallorie Turner

Over the past few years, the option of being a freelancer has grown in popularity. As the freelance economy increases, the possibility for professional writers to enter the independent workforce appear more appealing. The allure of freelancing stems from a desire to be your own boss, make your own rules and never risk being laid off without financial compensation. I am a professional writer who sees freelancing as a nirvana amidst the apocalyptic job market that currently wages in America.

I was recently contracted to write articles for a local newspaper, marking the first time I have ever done this type of work. Having steady opportunities to be contracted by larger entities is not as common as one would think in the freelancing market. I was unsure of what was involved in creating my own independent writing business, but I have compiled a list of the most important aspects that went into beginning a stable one. Sharing this list will hopefully convince other writers to transform their freelancing dreams into reality.

The Cons of Freelancing

It goes without saying that you will have to work long hours as a freelance writer; 40+ hour work weeks with the possibility of late payments. However, these obstacles can be said of many other jobs.

The biggest issue potential freelance writers should consider boils down to clientele and the fact that difficult interactions can occur. Freelancers from every profession report working with clients who have foregone paying them, insulted them or changed the specs of a project so much that most of the completed work had to be scrapped.

Be discerning when choosing which clients to work for. This does not equate to being discriminatory—you are merely evaluating who will better respect you as an employee.

Imagine being contracted to produce a technical document for a small business. You complete the assignment in full even with the contractor’s overzealous content changes and odd business practices. Now you come to find that the contractor will not surrender your paycheck for reasons undisclosed. Remember to be polite in these situations and send out invoices as soon as possible to prioritize your payment. Courtesy always goes a long way and you will retain professionalism if you take the high road.

Use Your Resources to Network

The great thing about living in the cyber-age is having an endless amount of employment resources available at your fingertips. However, the best websites are not always easy to identify.

A few reliable websites for freelance writers are: Freelancer.com, Upwork.com and LinkedIn Jobs. You can also network through these websites, which can benefit future business ventures.

Websites like these have the option to filter search results for users who want to apply for remote job opportunities. Working remotely is another cool part of being a freelance writer, as long as you are not easily sidetracked by your surroundings. Most remote work is done at home, a place where you can be distracted by a number of things.

Social media is a powerful tool as well, so do not be afraid to reach out to other freelance writers for their insight and advice.

Never Stop Learning Your Craft

Whether you are a graduate with a professional concentration or are still working towards your degree, never stop learning how to write. Honing your talents as a professional writer does not end once you earn your degree.

Consider giving yourself projects of your own to complete. This will give you opportunities to master skills like document designing, proofreading, editing and writing for popular periodicals.

The added bonus is putting these projects into a portfolio and advertising your skillsets to potential employers. For freelance writers, portfolios are great for stepping into a full-time business.

Do Not Let Failures Define Your Freelancing Experience

As with any endeavor, encountering failures as a freelance writer are inevitable. There will be rejection when pitching concepts to potential employers. Some opportunities may not pay enough for the amount of work needed to finish the project.

Do not lose faith in yourself as a professional. Remember that freelancing is a legitimate occupation. You would not give up when issues arise at a full-time job, so know how to brave through them on your own time. Your failures only make for a stronger business in the end.

From Student to Professional: Words of Wisdom from Alumnus Hunter Freeman

Hunter Freeman, Program Coordinator at the UAB Women and Infants Center

By: Skylar Summers

During their time at UAB, many students will wonder what their degree could offer them after graduation. Though every program at UAB provides an array of marketable skillsets, I had the opportunity to hear from Hunter Freeman, a former Professional Writing student who is thriving in his new career as a Program Coordinator at the UAB Women and Infants Center.

Freeman emphasized that his connections at UAB were helpful in his hiring process. Dr. Wells, director of the University Writing Center and a Professional Writing and first year composition professor, emailed him about the position. Freeman added that although university connections might not launch one into their main career, they are especially valuable right after graduation, and can alleviate many concerns current students may have.

I also inquired about his experience at UAB, specifically as a Professional Writing major. He told me that course work is very important, elaborating that everything he did in Dr. Bacha’s class has been relevant. Going into specifics about how he landed his current position, Freeman told me, “I wrote an essay for Dr. McComiskey’s Creative Writing course and posted it on my portfolio that I made in Dr. Bacha’s class.”

A few months later, he was applying for a job. Freeman told me that Dr. Carlo, his current boss, looked through his portfolio, read his essay, and told him, “that alone proved I could do research, write persuasively, and organize my ideas.” After a series of interviews, Freeman landed the position as a Program Coordinator.

As we discussed further about skills learned at UAB, Freeman mentioned internships and working as a student. He told me that he worked in the Writing Center as a tutor; he met with students, corrected their writing and explained why certain things had to change. When he elaborated on his current job, which involves reading manuscripts, making edits, and explaining why those edits were made, the parallels became clear. He told me that knowing how to write is important, but the skills that he cultivated at UAB have also been useful.

Freeman went on to tell me about other professional writing skills that are unique to his experience: graphic design, web design, video production, database management and project management. Each helped make him marketable as an employee.

Freeman spoke specifically about Professional Writing versus other concentrations, including the HTML skillset he acquired throughout his courses. He said, “Those other majors are great, but I think Professional Writing is the best of the program because you really get the opportunity to diversify your skill set. Every professional writer can write an essay, but not every literature major knows some HTML.” He then added that, while the world is still full of those who believe English majors can only become teachers, it’s very possible to market yourself in an interview to prove you have the skills to do a wide variety of jobs.

Freeman then gave some interesting insight into his current jobs at the UAB Women and Infants Center and as a freelancer for the Addiction Prevention Coalition. Admitting that no job is exempt from monotony, including his current position, Freeman acknowledged that a lot of his job is typing memos, though he added that having discipline can lead to more fun projects in the future. This discipline has given him plenty of room to learn and change, and he has picked up skills that complement previous strengths.

On the topic of his freelance work, he said that it ranges from talking about statistics on the dangers of drugs to exploring why the new Lumineers album can act as a voice for those suffering through substance abuse disorders. Speaking more on this diversity of work, he told me that, as a professional, it’s just as important that all projects—whether monotonous or intriguing—are treated with the same amount of enthusiasm and commitment to quality.

To close our interview, Freeman told me that his experience in Professional Writing has given him the potential to transition to a wide variety of careers when the time is right. He said, “Professional Writing is a great major if you are willing to learn new things. It is the ultimate Jack of All Trades Major.”

As a student myself, I can speak for many in saying that this diversification of marketable skills is just what most—if not all—undergraduates look for when they choose a concentration. This makes Professional Writing even more worth considering. Hunter Freeman’s words of wisdom also help clarify a lot of what students learn in Professional Writing. Freeman’s final sendoff was encouraging, “Listen to Dr. Bacha. He’s got a lot of good wisdom to share if you pay attention.” I believe all students will very much agree.

Computer Science and Professional Writing

Image courtesy of UAB Marketing and Communications

By: John Channell

Computer Science and Professional Writing seem like an incongruous pairing for a major and minor combination, but I promise it is not. There are many different applications where having this major and minor combo can be a great idea. This article will go over why I think it is a good idea to consider Computer Science and Professional Writing to be a strong pairing.

Why Choose Professional Writing?

There are many different paths that someone with a Computer Science degree needs. You can become a software engineer, database administrator, full-stack developer, cybersecurity analyst. In these situations, you may need a way to ensure that everyone who works with you can understand any changes that are made. For a full-stack developer or a software engineer, you might need to write instructions on how to use your new program or website. This is where the professional writing minor can be very beneficial.

At the same time, a career in database administration and cybersecurity analytics could require you to create an after-action report.

Whenever you make changes, your supervisor may ask what happened on the database or any security measures were added or changed. With a writing minor, you can be confident in your skills to respond with a professional memo.

What does Professional Writing teach you?

The Introduction to Professional Writing class teaches you how to compose professional documents. This includes memorandums, formal letters, and technical documents. The work done in class focuses on writing as a process. Students learn to research, design documents, and edit their writing to meet standards that could be issued by a future supervisor.

This class teaches you how to write in a way that most business will see as a standard. Memos are written differently than most other formal letters. Introduction to Professional Writing teaches you the standards of how to write memos and other formal letters, such as progress reports. Ultimately, writing created by a student who has taken this class will be more polished than someone who has not taken the class.

From College to Career

Bella Tylicki, Account Coordina
tor with Peritus Public Relations

By: Laura Jane Stallo

Graduation can be an equally exciting and daunting time for some students. After years in the education system, it can be a welcome relief to be done with classes, though finding a career can be challenging for some.

While many students have a strong idea of the career they want to ultimately have, it can be difficult to figure out where to start, or even how.

Bella Tylicki, a recent UAB graduate, offers some insight into how she landed her job as an Account Coordinator with Peritus Public Relations.

“I started interning there (Peritus) the summer after my junior year,” Tylicki said, going on to emphasize,

“Get as much hands-on experience as you can before you graduate.”

While many students’ experiences will look different, it’s important to start as early as possible, and those first experiences can be as simple as shadowing someone for a day, or joining a club or reaching out to a professor.

There is a growing misconception among students that the only ‘good experience’ is paid positions or internships. However, there are far more ways for you to learn and gain skills that are applicable for a variety of positions.

“You can spend an afternoon doing something that is worthy of adding to your resume,”

Tylicki emphasized, going on to say, “It doesn’t have to be a super-organized, 30-hour a week internship, it can be a project that you assist on." The idea of ‘good experience’ is not only entirely relative, but most of the time, categorically incorrect.

There are a variety of ways that students can gain different experiences and skills, and how relevant those skills and experiences are to positions or careers they are interested in, is entirely relative. This just means that there are more options out there than you might be aware of.

If you are interested in more structured experiences like internships or paid positions, your professors are a some of the best resources.

“Get internships if you can, if you can’t, get connected with professionals in the field through your professors, through LinkedIn, and just reach out,” Tylicki said.

While it may seem daunting to some, your professors and department heads are the best starting place. Your professors may not only have previously worked in the industry you are interested in, but they will know people who are currently working in that industry or other people they could direct you to.

“Your network really is everything, who you know really matters,” Tylicki added, emphasizing not to “be afraid to tell people what you’re interested in, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.”

Intention really does matter, and if you express a desire for something and show that you are intentional about achieving that goal, the people you talk to will see that and do their part to help you achieve that goal.

Only the Essentials

By: Lainey Hardiman

From airbases to classrooms, everyone has been affected by the coronavirus. Our personal, work and school lives changed almost instantly. Students went online as schools across the world adapted virtual learning environments. Workers were divided into two groups: essential and non-essential.

We had to adjust to our new normal; our social lives changed as much as our professional lives. We found ourselves stuck inside our homes and isolated from everything we knew. No one knew how long we would be quarantined, but students still had deadlines to meet.

I had to learn how to balance my mental health along with all my college assignments. I’ve worked and completed almost two and a half semesters of college throughout the pandemic. I can say this has been the hardest and most rewarding experience I have lived through. I feel more prepared for my future than I did before.

I learned to be more diligent when studying and completing assignments. The stress of balancing my health, homework and mental health progress continues to occupy my thoughts. It is a constant battle. However, I learned that maintaining a good mentality and workspace enhanced my ability to do my job.

Adapting to social and emotional changes is just as important as adapting to changes in our work lives. As professional writing students we are among the millions that had to adjust to continue working. Covid caused professional writers to change the way we hold interviews and gather information.

In the fall of 2020, I had to do several interviews for a class project. Due to safety guidelines, it was almost impossible to hold in-person interviews during and after quarantine. I could only use phone calls because of scheduling conflicts, social distancing and geography.

This meant recording my phone calls and then taking notes. Scheduling phone call interviews between time zones is not the easiest, but I had to do it. I relied on my phone to continue working. Other students relied on another form of telecommunication.

Zoom interviews are the easiest ways we students and other essential workers have found to maintain our work. Students continue to hold interviews over Zoom Conferences or Zoom audio calls. We had to learn how to communicate and gather information effectively while social distancing. The changes we made are not even close to what essential workers went through.

First Lieutenant (1LT) Devon John of the United States Air Force worked throughout the quarantine. He dealt with personal and professional changes, but he never stopped working. He worried about exposing himself and his wife who was at home. He worried about the stress of testing positive for the virus. He had safety guidelines at work and at home. At work he wore a mask and wiped everything down. After work, his wife made him immediately change clothes and take a shower.

He had to make several changes in his everyday routine. He worked two days per week instead of his usual five days on and three days off schedule. He flew in the same sensor operator and cockpit rather than switching to minimize exposure. They flew less planes than usual, but he still worked.

“My squadron and I and the rest of the military didn’t have a choice. Every second of every single day a plane was in the air.” -1LT Devon John

Like many other essential works, the 1LT had no choice. He woke up every day to fly military combat planes. He and his squadron couldn’t just stop because of the virus. So, they took every precaution and safeguard they could think of. He and his wife learned how to navigate their changes and their relationship became stronger because of it.

An article written for the U.S. Air Force News re-emphasizes the 1LT’s experience. From it, we understand the Air Force’s dedication for safety and workability. We remember the military’s dedication to serve and protect its workers and the people of the United States. Even the Air Force advocates the balance of safety in our social and work lives.

“This may be a different adversary, but our military and nation will rise to the occasion to prevail and protect our way of life.” -LTC Lucas Choate

It reinforces the Air Force’s mission to stand by and protect our nation. They do not have a choice, but they will continue to support and defend the American way of life (Choate, 2020).

Problem-solving is a huge part of future careers, and the skills we have learned throughout the pandemic will only help us throughout our life. I realized the importance of communication after completing this interview and reading this article. Communication is not only significant for us as a society, but it is especially necessary for professional writers. Without it, we lose connection and our work becomes meaningless. If we can’t connect or communicate effectively, what’s the point?

So, like our essential workers we chose to keep communicating. Even though the world as we know it came to a stop, we still had to work. As we move forward into our new normal, we bring innovative strengths and abilities that we did not have before. Our experiences throughout the pandemic have challenged us, but we have come out stronger.

The Post-Corona Professional Writer

By: Hunter Freeman

Every industry has been affected by the coronavirus, and professional writing is no exception.

English majors finishing up their Professional Writing concentration this year or looking to get work experience through an internship will likely be at a loss where to start in these uncertain times. Change is scary, but with these few things in mind, it can all work out in the end.

The opportunities will be different

Internships and writing positions will still be available, but there likely won’t be as many, especially for industries like radio, newspapers and magazines. Visual Capitalist shows that ad spend for each of these mediums is down 16.2%, 19.5% and 21.5% respectively. In a pre-corona world, many English majors looked to these industries as a source of early-career experience, but with less money from advertisers, there will be less money to hire new staff, especially those lacking experience.

“Print is not dead, but it is on life support.”

However, it’s not all bad news. Professional writers growing up in the information age have some of the key skills companies are looking for. That same Visual Capitalist fact sheet reports that ad spend for social media is up 9.8%, despite the pandemic.

According to a Gallup poll, nearly half of employees in the US are still working from home full-time or part of the time.

Many facets of industry have been pushed online because of the virus and will likely stay online because people have adapted. What does that mean for undergrads? Leverage those tech skills to paint yourself as a good candidate. An intern with a good understanding of social media and the ability to interface with technology is currently more valuable than the intern who only writes pretty good copy. Be the candidate that can combine both. There will also be a significant shift in opportunities, following the significant shift is ad dollars.

Freelance is Huge

Freelance opportunities, or the gig economy, is booming. Upwork, a platform that connects freelancers to clients, released a report on trends in freelancing. Adam Ozimek, Upwork’s Chief Economist, writes:

“Normally, around 10% of freelancers have started freelancing sometime in the last six months. However, at the time of the survey in June-July 2020, 34% had started since the onset of COVID-19 in early March.” In short, more people are entering the freelance market.

Professional writers are no different. We are all familiar with platforms like Uber, Shipt and DoorDash that use “independent contractors” as part of their services. As more companies divvy out rolls to online employees, professional writers graduating this year will likely supplement their income with freelance work in the near future.

Platforms like Medium and WordPress offer writers a way to monetize their writing. Be familiar with these platforms, build a portfolio, and the transition will be easier. The ability to market oneself will have new importance in a growing gig economy.

Boring Is Sexy

The starving artist should not be glamorized. The hard truth of professional writing is that it often isn’t very fun. As NYU Stern Professor Scott Galloway puts it, “Boring is Sexy.” His book The Algebra of Happiness offers plenty of good advice for up-and-comers, but he advises undergrads to be realistic. He writes, “If you want to work at Vogue, produce movies, or open a restaurant, you need to ensure that you receive a great deal of psychic income, as the returns on your efforts (distinct of well-publicized exceptions) will be, on a risk-adjusted basis, awful.”

For many professional writers, this should translate as lowering your expectations of writing as a day job. I work in administration reviewing and editing manuscripts and grant applications. Do I love it? No, it is rather boring. But, boring lets me write creatively in my free time.

Boring allows me to take freelance opportunities I want to take rather than need to take. Boring pays the bills.

This lesson is especially important for post-corona professional writers. The jobs of our dreams are either dying or occupied. If you are talented and lucky, your time will come, but you have to pay rent first. Take comfort in the boring job, and it will let you keep writing.

There is no going back, probably

You will keep seeing the expression the New Normal. This is ours. Professional writing in a post-corona society is enabled by technology, cooperation over distance, and for most of you, probably boring. Being able to display your technological skills and specialize in a particular sector will make you more marketable. Write the op-ed in your free time while you totally dominate being an insurance underwriter, a grant coordinator, or a social media strategist.

If you have made it this far, whether it is from the comfort of your house or sitting behind a desk in a dimly lit office, that means writing is your calling. And I wish you the best of luck.

How my Professional Writing Classes Prepared me for an Internship

By Lainey Hardiman

Four years ago, I never imagine I would graduate with a degree in English, let alone anything to do with writing. I wanted to be a high school math teacher and inspire students to love math. Writing wasn’t supposed to be my thing—until I found Professional Writing.

Like you’ll read throughout this magazine, someone with a Professional Writing degree can achieve more than just writing. Students can choose a career in digital design, coding, social media, marketing, publishing, editing, etc.—there isn’t a limit to what you can do with a degree like this.

GirlSpring (https://www.girlspring.com/)

This semester, I interned with the non-profit organization GirlSpring, an online magazine curated by teen girls, for teen girls. I wasn’t just writing copy; it was an editorial internship where I read, edited, and published articles into the organization’s online magazine.

But it wasn’t about an individual article. When editing each one, I constantly referenced the overall design of the magazine: the colors, the layout, the headings, and the images. It was more about the overall; each one had to be cohesive with the whole magazine.

Developing Digital Documents and Digital Publishing are two professional writing courses offered at UAB that I took and loved. Developing Digital Documents introduces students to technologies like Adobe’s Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. Each heavily used in the design world and very helpful for any college student.

Digital Publishing introduces students more to the digital world and provides a basis for how websites are built and designed. It introduces students to Adobe Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS, and WordPress. Coding is a big part of this course, and it is by far my favorite thing I have learned.

In each class, there are specific rules for everything. We stress contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity, or how we like to call it, “CRAP.” Of course, my mathematical brain loved the rules and how each perfectly formulated line of code or combination of design elements and text joined to create a seamless, overall design. All these choices combine to help viewers engage with and read the page or document we design and write.

At GirlSpring, I utilized CRAP every time I edited an article; I even coded a few links in the captions of images. My Professional Writing classes taught me how to write concisely, and I am constantly editing for clear and concise language in articles to ease readability. Subheadings have become my best friend over the semester because of how much they improve readability and overall flow of the document.

I couldn’t tell you how many times I would preview one article and then change bullet points or numbered lists just to allow for easier eye movement down the page. Just like we learned in the classes, I think about how a viewer would experience each article. How would they receive the information? Would it be engaging enough to keep them on the page and keep reading?

According to those questions, the decisions I make about the text and design stem from Developing Digital Documents and Digital Publishing. Without these two classes I wouldn’t have started my internship with a leg-up in navigating and utilizing WordPress or recognized how valuable simple design changes are to a website or magazine.

The knowledge I had regarding the digital space before these classes was terrifyingly close to nothing. I gained the confidence I needed to succeed in my digital and remote internship from my experience in both Developing Digital Documents and Digital Publishing. Without them, I don’t know what I would’ve done.