Tag: Freelancing

Keys to Successful Writing

woman writing on clipboard
Image courtesy of Adobe Stock
By Mary J. Doss

According to the UAB Writing Center, “punctuation can make an enormous difference in the meaning of whatever it is you’re writing.” Improper punctuation can result in miscommunication, misrepresentation or worse. Do you know anyone who was denied employment because they used incorrect punctuation? That’s what could happen if you apply for a writing position with grammatical errors.

When you speak to someone face-to-face, you have the opportunity to clarify or restate your intention—this is not the case with writing. For the most part, you are not present when someone reads your work, which means that clarity is absolutely essential. A misplaced comma or period could alter the entire meaning of your sentence. For example, if you write “Don’t stop” instead of “Don’t, stop,” you might end up saying the opposite of what you intended.

The Importance of Punctuation by The Write Corner shows how punctuation can change the meaning of a sentence. If you write “He was bitten by a dog which hurt him” or “He was bitten by a dog, which hurt him,” the meaning becomes unclear and the sentence could become misleading. The comma after “dog” changes the meaning of the sentence. The first statement means the dog hurt him, whereas the second sentence means the bite hurt him.

Improper punctuation can damage well-intentioned writing. The most commonly used punctuation marks in writing are periods, commas, exclamation marks and question marks. In the wrong place, an innocuous comma has the power to mislead your reader, whether that is your professor or your client.

Sometimes we forget to use the correct punctuation, which means that we must take extra care when writing for someone else’s eyes. Make sure to indicate where you want your reader to slow down, to pause, and to stop.

Between 1984 and 1992, I had the opportunity to work in the Word Processing Department for the Army. We were assigned to read, properly punctuate and occasionally rewrite sentences. Everything we read had to be perfect because we were editing training material for the soldiers. This is just one context of many in which professional writing has to be perfect.

If you are looking for a writing career, look no further. The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a resource which offers many types of occupations. The handbook reads, “What Reporters, Correspondents, and Broadcast News Analysts Do.” The job description went on to say, “These workers are often responsible for editing interviews and other recordings to create a cohesive story and for writing and recording voiceovers that provide the audience with the facts of the story.”

If you are considering becoming an editor, then you must be prepared to use punctuation correctly. The handbook’s description says editors typically do the following:

  1. Read content and correct spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.
  2. Rewrite text to make it easier for readers to understand.

Punctuation is of the utmost importance for freelancers, who often work alone and must proofread their own work. Since they write for different companies, the text must be edited to reflect the tone for each. Freelancers must therefore be careful when rereading their content to ensure it comes across properly.

Professional Writing courses prepare students for the real world of writing. Be careful, read and reread everything you write. Knowing how to punctuate correctly is essential for anyone pursuing employment as a professional writer. Former UAB Professional Writing student, Olalekan A. Dada, shares his experience in Professional Writing. Olalekan says, “Writers are needed in a variety of fields, from engineering to the tech industry.”

A few careers that involve high levels of linguistic accuracy can be found at nonprofit organizations, publishing companies, manufacturing plants, medical institutions and legal offices. With that being said, you should always be willing to write well—no matter which path you decide to take.

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.

The Post-Corona Professional Writer

Image courtesy of UAB Marketing and Communications

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.

The World of Freelancing: Tips for Getting Started

by Sadie King

As technology develops, the idea of doing freelance work becomes a more viable and helpful career choice. Doing freelance work offers the opportunity to work in your own environment, choose your own projects, and have more flexibility in your work. Freelancing will only become more popular as technology continues to develop and business owners realize the options they have when it comes to people who freelance.

Many people with English degrees choose to go into freelancing because of its many different career options and the flexibility of those options. Freelancers typically have the luxury of working from home and working on their own time, not necessarily having to follow a 9-5 work schedule. Though this can be seen as a luxury, it also means that a person who is interested in doing freelance work must have self-discipline and the ability to manage their own time. Freelancers also have the ability to pick and choose their projects, passing over the ones that don’t interest them. Starting out, some freelancers may have to accept projects they aren’t interested in just to get their foot in the door of the freelance world and to have work to put on a resume.

Companies are beginning to see the convenience of outsourcing to freelancers for some of their jobs. For example, publishing companies are beginning to outsource things like copyediting and proofreading, finding the convenience of hiring someone to do the work freelance preferable to having someone in-house to do the work. As time goes on, more and more companies are beginning to hire people to do freelance jobs instead of hiring someone to work full-time.

Though doing freelance work may seem like the ideal way to work, it can be hard to get a freelance business up and running, and the freelance world is one where connections are key. These are some things that could help when starting a freelance business.

Pick a niche

The idea of being able to just say that you do freelance work and then pick up any job that comes your way, no matter the type, could sound tempting. That said, it’s better to choose one thing that you do, may it be copywriting, graphic design, copyediting, etc., and sell yourself as a master in one of those crafts. Examine what your strengths are and play to your own advantages. It’s easier to market yourself, a very important thing when it comes to freelancing, when you have a specific niche.

Make connections

Who you know, especially when first starting out, can be the most important aspect of getting your business started. People still in college have built-in connections in their peers, professors, and anyone they encounter and strike up a relationship with on campus. Being on a college campus offers opportunities to network that aren’t necessarily there once a person enters the work force. Choosing to do work for charities or even for free to gain experience can also be a way to start adding names to your list of connections.

Build a professional website

When businesses or people start looking for someone to do freelance work for them, the first place they are going to turn is the Internet. There are thousands of websites for people who do freelance work. It’s easy enough to get a website up and put content on it, but it can be harder to design a website that is going to impress a potential employer. It can be beneficial to hire a web designer in order to give your website a more professional look. When it comes to website content, be sure to include examples of your work and/or a link to your online portfolio. And as simple as it seems, check, double-check, and triple-check your site for spelling and grammar errors.

Always be looking for work

Because freelancing requires almost constant job searching, it’s important to know that you always have somewhere to get income when you need it. There are multiple job boards on the Internet that provide options for those looking for work. Most freelancing niches had websites that send out newsletters with information about jobs and tips for employment. They also have meetings and seminars that could be the perfect places to network and continue to gain connections.

Career Spotlight: Copywriting

People are bombarded every day with words that are meant to persuade them. Advertisements, flyers, and websites are all written and designed with a specific purpose in mind: enticement. Each word is chosen in hopes that when grouped together, they can attract the reader into buying something, doing something, or even not doing something. Copywriters are the force working in the background to make that enticement happen.

There are many job opportunities available for those who have an English degree with a specific interest in professional writing. Someone with the ability to write well and use proper spelling and grammar is desired by companies that depend on written materials. English majors spend a majority of their undergraduate careers learning to write in a persuasive manner. Most papers submitted by college students, especially those majoring in English, attempt to make an argument. This is, in essence, what a copywriter does. The ability to write copy for marketing and advertising materials requires the ability to use words to get across a specific message.

There are many different types of copy that copywriters are hired to write. Advertising agencies hire copywriters to write catchy slogans and advertisements for products or brands. Copywriters typically work as part of an entire creative team to put together ad campaigns that target and cater to a specific demographic. The goal of effective copywriting is to grab the reader’s attention through the use of enticing and well-written copy.

Copywriters tend to work in fast-paced industries and, because they are usually working with a deadline, need to be able to work under pressure. Someone interested in copywriting should be aware of trends and what is popular as they begin to create copy that will be compelling to the common readership. Research skills are also a necessity as it may sometimes be important to track down pieces of information that would make the copy more compelling and relevant. A copywriter needs to be able to take information and creatively turn it into an advertisement or piece of work that follows the idea of what the client wants.

The career path that leads to a successful copywriting job can vary. Getting an internship working as a copywriter is one way to start building a portfolio for when the time comes to start looking for full-time jobs. Freelance work is another option that gives a starting point for having completed work to add to a portfolio. The work of copywriters is everywhere. Copywriting is a career path that offers people the ability to work creatively with words to grab the attention of an audience.