Professional Writing – Page 6

An Interview with Scott Thigpen: Graphic Designer

By Sarah Burch

I had heard a lot about Scott Thigpen before I ever met him. You see, my fiancé had taken classes with him here at UAB, and because both Scott and he are bikers they remained in touch outside of class. I knew that Scott had completed the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, worked on Dreamwork’s Shrek, and recently published a book. He had even told me how down to earth Scott was and how much I’d enjoy interviewing him. When I met him I found a man positioned in front of his recently acquired standing desk in a red t-shirt and jeans. Definitely down to earth.

Scott has worked for anyone from Coke-Cola, to Teen Magazine, to the Wall Street Journal. He started out as an illustrator, but in 2007, when the bottom fell out on the economy, he knew he had to shift his work from just illustrating to graphic design. He worked mostly free-lance.

However, in June of 2013, he took a 22-day break from working in order to ride a bike from Canada to Mexico in a race known as The Great Divide. A daunting task to the least. However, this ride lead to his book: Trail Magic and the Art of Soft Pedaling. Scott says that biking or simply being outside and exercising contributes to much of his inspiration. He found that the route also helped to build his confidence and forced him to a place of positivity.

For those of us wanting to become graphic designers, professional writers, or really anything in the creative realm, it is important to find a place where we can have both inspiration and peace. For Scott, that came from this race. He equates exercise to the “shower epiphany” effect. Basically, if you aren’t consciously thinking about it, you come up with some of your best stuff. However, you can’t draw all of your inspiration from exercising. Sometimes, he says, when he needs inspiration he’ll look at a series of websites. Usually, he starts with dribbble.com (Links to an external site.). Looking at other people’s work, helps Scott to find his own creativity. Maybe Scott wouldn’t approve of this statement, but I’ll make it anyway: To be a great artist, you have to steal from the good ones.

Scott’s most recent design at the time of this interview was for the CAS homepage: an animation of the brain. The left side is blue with mathematical symbols and scientific instruments. Little pulsations that run down pipes carrying knowledge from one place to another. On the right, is a green plain representing art, music, and literature. Tiny cars race down the highways of the brain’s creative right. When you go to the homepage, you can’t miss it. Scott told me that one part he doesn’t like about his job is the way people brag on his work. So, he probably wouldn’t like this part, but it is perfect. It is simple in design, but the contrast between the two sides is so distinct it represents CAS with total accuracy.

When I asked what his favorite piece was, he unsurprisingly told me that his book was the pinnacle of what he would create. “The book is the most epic,” he said. The task of writing it turned out to be daunting in many ways other than just completing route. He said that having to cut out characters, real people he had known, was difficult. At first, he had written too much trying to explain everything that went on in his mind for that 2,745 mile journey. As a result, the book was too long. However, he had a hand in every part of that book. He even designed the cover. Of course, he wanted it to be a good cover because “we do judge books by their cover.” You would pick up his book if you saw it on the shelf.

Scott doesn’t just write creatively. In fact, Scott says he uses professional writing almost everyday. “I wish I used professional grammar,” he told me. He did tell me that although his grammar is not perfect it does seem that as long as he gets “there, their, and they’re” correct there doesn’t seems to be a whole lot of fuss. Most commonly, he uses professional writing to email people. Whether it is to get them to look at some of his work or a simple email to his boss, this is the most common forum for a graphic designer to use professional writing.

We also talked about what every professional writer should know about graphic design. His answer: the basics. He claimed that you could make anything look good, even in Microsoft Word. The key was knowing the basics of graphic design. If you want to really get into the professional writing world he suggested that it was a must to take a course in both graphic design and marketing. The same goes for graphic designers: you should take a course in professional writing and marketing.

A final tip for graphic designers from Scott: observe the world. The one thing that will not go away or be replaced by computers is design.

Avoiding the Classroom: A Study in Unusual Jobs

by Brandon Varner

After announcing to someone that you have chosen to major in English, the reply is usually an inquiry about the student’s plans for teaching.

Well-meaning relatives and strangers you interact with on the street assume that once you have your B.A. In English, you are prepared to spend the rest of your life teaching at some level, or getting involved in academia. The idea of the English major as a teacher only is not only outdated, but unrealistic in today’s society, where the salary for teachers dwindles and the job market is so very unforgiving. In this article, I have highlighted only two of the many options available to new grads.

Music Editor

Benjamin Lukoff was the music editor for Amazon.com, an indexer for Microsoft’s Encarta, and is now an editor for Seattle Children’s Hospital. His duties included, but were not limited to writing music reviews, suggesting new music that was prominently displayed, and being the website’s copy editor for that specific section. He received his M.A. in English before getting a job at Amazon as a proof-reader through an ad in the newspaper. Lukoff does not specifically cite his degree as an English major as helping him eventually land the job as the music editor, but he undoubtedly was able to use the skills that he had picked up in the program in order to give himself a leg up on the competition.

In an interview Lukoff had with Sell Out Your Soul.com, his advice was for people looking to find a job in any form of professional writing to have demonstrable work in the field that they’ve done, even something as relatively benign as work on a student journal.

It’s important for anyone trying to get into a field such as Music Editing, or really any sort of lifestyle curating position at a magazine or website, to have a strong and well-rounded knowledge of the segment that they are attempting to capture. Whether that be something in media like music or film, or even a more broad sort of local happenings list and reviews of events that one can attend or previews of those one may attend. One of the most hackneyed sayings that people in creative writing have heard quite a bit is “write what you know,” and outside of the creative writing setting, this is very valuable in the world of Editing.

Web Developer

Many English majors have gotten into the world of web development (or webdev for short). As someone that has done a bit of programming myself, I can say that it is a job that requires a fair amount of trial and error. Equally important is the ability to spend what may seem like a protracted period of time reading many lines of code, which requires one to have the patience and skills of interpretation and forming connections that can be unconsciously honed while studying literature.

The process of becoming a web developer may seem exceptionally murky. There is a built-in career path available to those that have chosen the Management Information Systems and Computer Science degree tracks. However, there is not an exact degree requirement in coding, and it’s a skill one can actually learn for free from websites like CodeAcademy.com.

Many employers will love potential employees that are capable of creating content for websites as well. Despite the fact that many larger companies will have their own PR agent, there is still a niche in coding for smaller design houses that cater to companies that may be receiving their first professional website.

In Conclusion

There are many exciting fields that are open to an English major. The possibilities may seem almost limitless, which can be exciting. Teaching is an exceptionally noble profession. However, it would be a shame if every English major went into the field of teaching without the knowledge that it is possible to branch out and write one’s own narrative.

Tips to Improve Your Professional Writing

by Payton Hamilton

Exceptional skills in writing and graphical design are necessary for aspiring professional and technical writers across all fields of work. If you hope to convey a specific message smoothly to a particular audience, your skills must be up to par. Even the most well established writers constantly strive to perfect their writing across all industries to properly advertise products. If you wish to improve your writing for your future career in Professional Writing, the following tips will certainly aid you in your quest to create quality content:

Enroll in PW Classes

The Professional Writing Program offers students various opportunities to enhance their analytic, critical, and technological skills needed to advance in their career of Professional Writing. The University of Alabama at Birmingham prepares students interested in Professional Writing with the tools needed to write and create high quality documents to impress future employers. Taking Professional Writing courses will allow you to create a unique resume and portfolio, and will not only help you develop unique web designing skills, but also gain experience as a technical writer. A professional writer will also be able to establish interest in their audiences and effectively create unique designs. Whether you wish to major or minor in Professional Writing, you will gain valuable writing, research, and designing skills needed to advance outside of the classroom and into a successful career.

Understanding of Technology

As a professional writer, you must continuously be up to date with the latest computer software. Professional Writers are always eagerly involved in all types of technical communication, varying anywhere from Microsoft Office and Excel, to Adobe Photoshop and InDesign. Since Professional Writing is heavily influenced by the Digital Age in which we live, a common knowledge of the online world is encouraged. Professional writer’s jobs are, of course, to communicate and persuade their audiences. What better way to communicate to your audience than a brief understanding of social media? Twitter, Facebook, WordPress, etc. are all valuable platforms to effectively reach your target audience. Technical communication will always be evolving and developing. As a professional writer, you must always remain knowledgeable of these changes to effectively connect with your audience.

The PW Community

Familiarizing yourself with the friendly community of professional writers around Birmingham will certainly enhance your chances of succeeding in this major. There are various student groups around UAB’s campus, for example, the Professional Writing Club. The Professional Writing Club will help you get to know fellow students interested in the same field, as well as connect with professionals that will help you hone your skills outside of the classroom. Similarly, involving yourself in UAB’s student newspaper, Kaleidoscope, may be beneficial. Not only will you practice your writing regularly, but you will also become prepared for the professional world of graphical design and media. Additionally, looking into the University Writing Center located on the first floor of Mervyn Sterne Library will also prove helpful. UWC is available for students to help with any inquiries for any category of writing.

Notice Your Surroundings

As a professional writer in Birmingham, you will more than likely see various posters, advertisements, and general postings throughout the area. Taking a moment to study and read these designs will help improve your skills as a professional writer. Whether some postings are utterly ridiculous or, perhaps, mind-numbingly dull, you will learn from them. Not only can you begin to notice these postings, but also notice brand names and commercials. Notice Company names on the sides of semi-trucks or even silly t-shirt designs. Analyze their mistakes or take note of the intricacies of their designs to gain inspiration. Notice placement, contrast, and colors to aid you in your next project. Recognize the effects their designs have on your mind and how you remember certain patterns, layouts, and composition over other designs.

Practice Makes Perfect

If you wish to boost your writing technique further, know that practice is one of the most important elements needed to master your prose. Just by writing on a regular basis, your work will improve immensely!

Emmett Christolear: Applications of Copy Editing

By Luke Richey

Emmett Christolear is the current Executive Editor of the Kaleidoscope; UAB’s own student newspaper. Emmett is being interviewed due to his expertise and to get a more in-depth look at the profession of copy editing and how it works and relates to a real world format. Emmett’s interview shares some of the highlights of the copy editing field: what it is, what goes into it and what one can get out of it. His insights show some of the basic essentials of the field, and how someone interested in starting a career in copy editing might be able to do it.

Before being given his current job as Executive Editor of the Kaleidoscope, Emmett was a copy editor for the Kaleidoscope in the 2013-2014 school year. Even with his new duties, he still maintains a close relationship with the other editors in the newsroom. “I still spend a lot of my time copy editing and working with the staff of copy editors to make sure the articles are at their best,” he said. Copy editing requires patience, painstaking deliberation and good interpersonal skills. This field can be quite demanding and require meticulous effort; however, the connections and expertise one gains makes for quite the reward.

Copy editing is a process — a process that turns words on a page into something that can be published and distributed. Copy editing not only looks for errors in spelling, grammar, and facts, but it also deals with the structure of the paragraph. Copy editors, such as Emmett and his team at the Kaleidoscope, “move around paragraphs to make the flow smoother.” Copy editors look at the overall appearance of the page and how to make it more visually and spatially appealing. This profession involves visual literacy, or one’s ability to read an image, and getting people to see and understand the information they see on the page.

Emmett, with his staff at the Kaleidoscope, copy edits online and from the comfort of a computer. In the past, editing was a long and arduous process that required a great deal of “hands-on” work. Nowadays, computers handle much of these tasks and make the job a lot less laborious. Copy editing still requires refinement; however, processes such as spell-check make it easier for the editor to get content out to the public. The Kaleidoscope’s “magic day” for churning out content is Sunday. Sunday is when the pieces come together and print hits the presses. “It’s when most of the action happens,” says Emmett.

When asked whether or not he enjoys his work and the field of copy editing Emmett said, “being able to read articles and get dirty gives me an outlet for creating that isn’t just poetry. It gives me the challenge and chance to get in and basically rebuild the story. Of course, it’s still the original author’s words, but I’m able to put my own twist on the story by deciding how and when information is revealed.” Copy editors are able to put a “twist” on the original work while still maintaining the message that that author initially was trying to convey. This profession allows an individual to leave his/her mark on every work that passes through his/her hand, and give information that reaches the public and highlights the public’s interests. Words, and the display of those words, are very important to the professional writing discipline and copy editing is an essential part of the writing world.

The field of copy editing is not without its challenges. Someone working in this field has to be current with all of the different rules and references that his/her particular company is using. Following a specific style, such as AP style, and knowing the tricks of the trade of that particular style is very important. Being meticulous and paying close attention to detail is a must for the field. Style books can be used as a reference; however, they can become overwhelming and dense. Being willing to ask questions and memorizing important rules are great ways to strengthen one’s copy editing skills and become marketable within the profession.

Experience is practically a must for the modern professional writer. But how does one get noticed in today’s fast-paced climate? Emmett’s advice: just get involved. “Some options may seem small, but even small things are a foot in the door and may lead to something bigger.” Getting out in the field, branding oneself, and taking initiative is the first step in becoming noticed in the professional writing job market. Copy editing is one way to go. It is a field that has a constant demand; it is a constant profession.

Alumna Spotlight: Amy’s Transition to Professional

By Alexandria Merrill

As I near graduation, I can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of nervous anticipation and excitement. Being a student is all I’ve known for the last two decades and, somehow, a degree and a polished resume don’t seem like enough to enter into a career field confidently. And I’m sure I’m not alone in my anxiety. To put my mind at ease, I sat down with UAB alumna Amy Roberts to discuss her own experience.

Amy graduated with a degree in professional writing in the spring of 2014 and was hired to work for Growing Kings, a non-profit organization dedicated to building up future leaders among underserved male youths in Birmingham city schools. Amy’s job primarily consists of applying for grants and writing proposals; she explains that her role requires a great deal of discipline and planning. “I get a list of projects and deadlines, then I break everything down into a timeline and go from there. It’s a lot like leafing through stacks of essay prompts from teachers.” She describes her work as a technical writer as not being too different from being a student—deadlines are tight and there’s always something to work on.

High levels of personal organization and self-discipline are characteristics that Amy had already worked to engrain as a part of her life. Aside from the service learning projects she participated in, she also helped found and served as the first president of UAB’s Professional Writing Club. There she was able to collaborate with other students in the professional writing concentration and share in a knowledge pool. She believes that opportunities like this are invaluable for students and professionals alike. “There are a lot of great organizations around campus and it’s a great way to network and meet new people. After graduation, no matter what line of work you go into, look for professional organizations to join.” She continues to emphasize the need to never stop learning, something that students are already “professionals” at doing.

Amy goes on to admit that she got her job in an unconventional way. She met her current boss at a party celebrating a mutual friend’s professional acheivement. She said she was not particularly looking forward to the party that night, as she was nearing finals and was simply too tired to feel festive. As she got out of the car she remembers telling herself that she was going to go in, meet fascinating people, and make important connections. Just a couple hours later, she met her future boss and got a job offer. Amy’s experience really impressed upon me the need to see every gathering and social event as an opportunity to network. This is something that I (and I’m sure many other students) do not take advantage of often enough, but can make the job searching process exponentially easier.

When I asked her what aspect of her time spent studying professional writing had the greatest impact on her career, she said that every single class with Dr. Bacha had the most significant influence on her as a professional. “The projects I’ve worked on, and am currently working on, are all reflections of projects from my professional writing classes. I’ve created brochures, student program guides, e-mail newsletters, and right now I’m re-designing our website. These are all things I’ve done before, for the most part, in Dr. Bacha’s classes.” She emphasizes the need for students to really invest themselves in these classes because the skills they learn there are practical and applicable later on in the professional world. She goes on to say that students should “embrace every opportunity to try something new; take every chance to learn a new medium.”

This kind of multi-disciplinary knowledge is what ultimately sets professional writers apart from others when interviewing for jobs. “Today’s writer is no longer confined to just pen and paper, or a word processor. Now, you not only have to be able to produce great content, but you should also learn how to publish it on a website or a blog. Adding that extra skill to your résumé will make you ten times more marketable and far less expendable.”

Through my time with Amy, I realized that there is not just one way to go about finding a great job. She never went through an application process or an interview; she just had a willingness to work hard, put herself out there, and remain open to anything that came her way. She also challenged me to consider that the first job I get out of college might eventuate into being the career I have always dreamed of. The greatest thing any of us can do as we enter the work force is keep an open mind and always be willing to learn. There is a lot to be said for positivity and flexibility, as Amy so honestly demonstrates.

Alumni Spotlight: Olelakan’s advice for PW Majors

By Robert Conditt III

Navigating the open job market can be a daunting experience for Professional Writing (PW) majors. The versatility of the degree can be a real asset, but it can also make it hard for some to hone down and find what kind of job they would like or even one that appeals to them. Professional writing is a unique discipline that spans a wide range of professions across an equally wide range of industries. Some of these professions may seem like obvious choices to PW majors, like journalism, editing, or copywriting. But there are some jobs out there that are less obvious, and can be quite rewarding for graduates of this concentration. Businesses today require lots of written documentation. Documentation that ranges from executive level memos and reports to company-wide letters and policy documents, all the way down to the daily orders that workers must follow and complete. Professional writers are needed to create and write these documents, but these types of job opportunities can still be difficult to find if you don’t know how or where to look.

Olalekan Dada is a recent graduate from UAB, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Professional Writing and Public Discourse, who knows all too well this experience. Currently, Dada (as he likes to be called) is a Proposal Coordinator for Diversified Maintenance (formerly Rite Way Services.) Diversified Maintenance is a janitorial and housekeeping service provider. As a Proposal Coordinator, Dada is responsible for writing the business proposals his company submits to potential clients in hopes to garner contracts. These proposals are the documents upon which client’s base the decision to hire or pass on his company’s services. Olalekan enjoys this position and how it constantly challenges his skills as a writer, but finding it was still a difficult process. In a recent interview Dada shared his experience in navigating the open job market. He discussed the strategy he used in finding a job, some pointers for future graduates, and some of the unexpected things that he found as he entered the professional sphere.

After graduating, Dada says that his strategy for employment involved online job searches. The site that got him his current job was indeed.com. He recommends that site for anyone looking to work with small companies. The key, he says, to looking online for a job is to be specific about your searches. This is one of the unexpected things that he found when he entered the job pool, “You can’t just type in writer and expect to find a job, well, at least not in Birmingham. You have to look for communicator or marketing associate.” In essence, you have to know the title of the job you may be interested in, “then tailor your résumé to that job.”

Having an online résumé, as well as a personal website with a digital portfolio of his previous work helped him immensely in marketing himself to potential employers. He built these in a Digital Media class taught by UAB’s own Dr. Bacha. He mentions this after being asked about how UAB has prepared him for the job market. “Knowing these skills, and having a place where employers could see my work definitely gave me an edge.” He also stressed the point that those who are still in school should keep their résumés up to date with class projects, “because employers want to see what you have done and proof that you have the skills you say you do.” Being able to keep track of what you have done and having the ability to “tap into to your memory on the fly” and know what you are capable of doing can help you get a job, and having good documentation of your previous work can help with that.

When asked about what advice he had for PW majors, or what he wished someone would have told him about being a Professional Writer, he said, “get used to short, hard deadlines. You may be given an assignment at like noon, and it has to be done by the end of the day, or first thing the next morning. You need to be quick and you have to make sure it’s good.” Having the skills to be an agile writer is a must and he attributes his ability to do so to the time he spent in at UAB. He feels that the classes he took as part of the Professional Writing concentration really tested and improved his skills as a writer. They prepared him for the work that he is doing by teaching him the “etiquette” of professionalism, and made him aware of the different ways to communicate. His final piece of advice: “Take everything that Dr. Bacha teaches seriously. Everything will pop when you see it in the real world.”

Jessica Thuston: The Modern Professional Writer

By Peyton Chandler

Undergraduate students have their sights set on one thing following graduation—finding work. Regardless of their major, the job market and career opportunities are top-level concerns of college students. Graduating is a huge milestone in and of itself, but as the professional world changes, preparing for and understanding the expectations of a specific field is of equal importance. Professional Writing is a major that has seen exponential growth and popularity in recent years. With numerous media outlets and fields that pertain to writing in a professional setting, those who graduate with a degree in Professional Writing are sure to find satisfactory jobs, right? I sat down with Jessica Thuston, Executive Editor at Southern Living Magazine, to discover not only the process by which she became the Executive Editor of the fifth largest national magazine, but also to better understand opportunities for writers in the job market as it now exists.

Having graduated with a degree in Journalism from Southern Methodist University and spending a year at Northwestern attaining her Masters degree, Thuston was well established by the time she finished school in 2002. Since then, the writing field has seen significant change. Thuston began searching for work in an age where newspapers were the dominant medium for journalists. Like many student writers, Thuston was initially unsure of her career path. She explained, “You may not know what type of writing you’re interested in until you try a lot of different genres.” She even spent time as an intern at the Washington Post, where she realized that writing in the political sphere was not her passion. Instead she discovered an interest in magazines. “I got into magazines through a program at Northwestern that dealt in magazine publishing. It wasn’t that daily deadline that you see with newspapers; you can get into a specialty. Sometimes in newspaper and other areas of writing, the more seasoned you get, the more writing you do. Whereas I feel like in magazines it’s reversed. The more seasoned you are, you’re editing more peoples’ work.” Once she became exposed to magazine publishing, the focus of her career shifted to editing. “I have definitely shifted to where I don’t write as much anymore, but I edit a great deal of writing. Editing writing is very important no matter what you’re doing—getting to the point, being brief.” She dealt with uncertainty prior to finding a concrete direction for her writing. Reaching the title of Executive Editor stemmed directly from her interest in magazines.

Having gathered all of this information about Mrs. Thuston’s career and the way it all came together for her, I became curious of her thoughts about the changes that have taken place in the field of writing since she first dove into it. Obviously, the immergence of new technologies has paved the way for a completely new field. However, there is much more beneath the surface of the obvious that has created new opportunities for aspiring writers. I read aloud a brief description of the Professional Writing major as it is listed on UAB’s website. She was excited to hear that this major is being offered to students, and she even went into detail on how it seems more beneficial than other writing majors, including her own. “I will say Journalism as a major, which I love, is very focused on just the media outlets, newspapers and things of that nature. But I really think there is a broader application that could go beyond into other fields, and it sounds like UAB understands that with this major, which is great.” But how should Professional Writing majors feel about the job market itself? When asked, Jessica explained that students should feel really great about finding work. “Especially because of the way it’s been broadened with this major. You’re really marketing yourself to more than just one specific niche. When I was schooled, you had to pick early what you were going to do. I think that has changed in the job market. The digital world has been changing everything, which is something we have focused on here at Southern Living. I feel like that is translating to college students looking to jobs with writing. There are so many more opportunities now. So I think people should feel really hopeful, but it is a very competitive market. You have to be good and hone your craft.” It seems that in 2014, Professional Writing students ought to feel as well equipped as anyone to begin and retain an exciting, successful career.

Undecided English major? Pick Professional Writing

By Haley Townsend

The English major is flexible and open to countless career possibilities because of the lack of focus on a specific trade or profession.

Literature is lovely, and exercises the mind by transporting you to other worlds while the study of literature enables you to form arguments, perform research, and write competently. However, the storied openness of English often leaves students with uncertainty. Unless you see the career pathway to teaching or professorship laid out in yellow brick before you, you are probably a little worried about the ever looming graduation with your degree: Bachelor of Arts in English.

While English as a major provides a foundation for future career endeavors, a concentration can make all the difference in job preparedness. Professional writing: A concentration often misunderstood. You may think, well I write as an English major all the time, how could professional writing help me? Well, professional writing teaches skills for numerous jobs–jobs that you might actually want to do, that you may even find fun!

In the words of Tim Lemire, (author of I’m an English Major–Now What?) “a real job [is] any job that pays you a livable wage for doing something that you would do even if you weren’t paid to do it.” Well gosh golly gee, that’s some great advice. But now what? Now, you start asking the hard (actually not so hard!) questions. First:What do you enjoy? Second: What are your hobbies? Third: If you had a week off from school, jobs, and all other obligations, what would you do?

Many English majors, myself included, would love to take that time to write and read for enjoyment. How long has it been since I had time to curl up with a good book that wasn’t assigned? f your answer is anything like mine, follow up with: What would you write? What would you read?

The concentration of professional writing has given me the ability to explore courses that I never would have dreamed of taking in my former major of business management. I’m still a business minor, but that openness of the English major was so enticing to my creative side. The professional writing program taught me trade-specific skills that I would have missed had I not switched my concentration from literature to professional writing.

Thanks to the professional writing concentration, I am able to assist with design choices at my job. I am able to put on my resume that I am familiar with Adobe Creative Suite, software normally inaccessible to students on a budget. One day soon, when I am applying for jobs where I can create advertising copy, or strategize communications for corporations, I will be able to list the numerous skills that professional writing courses have taught me.

For me, copywriting might be the ideal marriage of my interests. But while this career is perfect for me, it isn’t the end-all be-all of job opportunities for English majors who major in professional writing. Everywhere you look, there is written content. Digital or printed, these words are written by someone who understands how to reach and speak to the masses through written word.

The English major allows its students to find jobs across many varying fields, industries, and professions. English majors can produce well written, audience specific content, and this role is called a content writer. Aspiring content writers need to develop a wide portfolio of clips that are non-academic. There are many websites that hire freelance content writers. This is a career to consider if you have a wide range of interests and knowledge, enjoy researching new topics, meeting deadlines, and writing a lot.

Business writing, or corporate communications, is a career field that calls for skills cultivated in professional writing. Communications from a corporation can be anything from a Tweet, to a new product line, to a press conference. Directors of communication have to consider stakeholders, tone, style, inherent values, mission, and brand identity of the corporation when composing messages that convey thought of all of these variables in a market friendly package. This career path can be high-stakes, and can be pursued through communications internships that may start with social media accounts and grow into much more.

The openness of the English major can be a blessing and a curse. The concentration of professional writing and the many minors offered in a variety of disciplines can strengthen an English major’s resume, opening a wealth of job opportunities that can be, as Lemire says, a real job.

The Implications of Evolving Literacy Standards

By Andrew Atchison

Before the dawn of the computer, literacy was measured by a person’s ability to read. Over the years, however, technology has advanced so greatly and became so intertwined with education, professions, and social life that the quality of being literate not only includes reading abilities, but also the ability to manipulate technology to gain information. Increasing digital literacy involves learning about the new technologies available in order to use them to gain knowledge. In the past, high schools and colleges offered courses designed to introduce the students to information technology, but in modern times, it is expected of most students to have a wide variety of knowledge in the technological field before they enroll in classes. According to the Alabama Association of School Librarians, “The degree to which students can read and understand text in all formats (e.g., picture, video, print) and all contexts is a key indicator of success in school and in life” (http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/learning-standards). It seems as if the standard to be successful has evolved as well.

Some good…

With such an advancement in the area of information technology, most students and professionals alike have seen a significant reduction in the complexity of their respective work. With the click of a mouse, the internet opens the door to what seems like an infinite amount of knowledge just waiting to be read. In the Professional Writing community, the once daunting tasks of finding, viewing, and citing sources for academic work have been made dramatically easier and less time consuming. Sites like “citationmachine.com” and “knightcite.com” have made the once tedious task of writing citations a breeze. Now, all you have to do is type in the necessary information and the website places all of the punctuation marks where they are supposed to be.

Some not so good…

It seems as if the change in literacy standards has worked out for the best, but still, we must think of the older population and those who are in a lower socioeconomic class. While the use of computers and the internet is relatively wide spread, there are still some that have no desire to learn how to use them, the older population in particular. Does this make them illiterate? In a traditional sense, not if they have the ability to read, but in the mindset of the Information Age, they are illiterate. If there is no reason for one to use the latest and greatest technology in their daily lives, then why learn about it? Conforming to the societal standard of literacy is of no use to a retiree who spends his or her time fishing, golfing, or relaxing. Even though it is expected for students to have and use technology on a regular basis, those who are less fortunate see internet as a luxury. The problem in society used to be educating children to read, but that problem has been almost eradicated with the expansion of the educational system. Now, the problem is poverty and internet accessibility. Cheap, reliable internet access is not available in all areas.

Are the advancements in technology helping us or not?

Although the internet contains a vast amount of educational information, are people actually using it for educational purposes? Someone once told me that all the internet is good for is sharing pictures of cute cats. Even with the wide range of information available, it seems that most find the internet to be a source of entertainment rather than knowledge. Since smartphones have gained popularity, owners have had infinite knowledge at their fingertips, but smartphones are mainly used for sharing pictures of cute cats. Social websites, created for connecting with friends, are more often used for this purpose. One must question whether social media is truly social. Some find it easier to socialize online rather than in person, but is it really socializing if not in a physical setting? The implications of technology’s rapid advancement are numerous but not always in its favor. With the creation of websites like “citationmachine.com,” is the academic population losing its ability to manually cite sources? Maybe. Why does one need to know where all the correct punctuation marks in a citation go if there is a website that generates the citation for us? As long as there is a citation generator, that particular knowledge is not necessary. Society is losing its ability to go to the library and manually research information. While technology has made academic lives dramatically easier, it has also dumbed them down quite a bit. With the use of technology, we must be careful not to lose the ability to do work manually.

Release Notes

Welcome to the first issue of MEMORANDUM. Written and designed by students in the Professional Writing program at UAB, this issue focuses on two keys questions: “What is professional writing?” and “What does it mean to be, or to become, a practicing professional and technical communicator?” In addition, MEMORANDUM is intended to function as a way to advertise upcoming events PW (Professional Writing) & RC (Rhetoric and Composition) students might find interesting and inform them about upcoming PW & RC focused classes. Other UAB students should also find the publication useful, because it contains a lot of information about campus services that can help support the academic endeavors of any UAB student.

To kick off our inaugural issue, I first need to provide a number of thank yous. First and foremost, thank you to the students who struggled through the steps necessary to make this publication a reality. Everything included in this issue – including the text, layout design, logos, and the advertisement designs – was student produced. As I always say, “Thank you for playing along and for trusting in the process.” The results of your efforts and long hours of work speaks volumes. Second, thank you to the UAB English Department and especially Dr. Bellis for supporting this wonderful opportunity. Last, but not least, thank you to Dr. McComiskey for letting the students in my Introduction to Digital Publishing class re-envision the “Write Now” newsletter. Without the foundation and tradition of student publishing he helped establish, this publication would not have been possible.

In closing, keep your eyes open. Future issues of MEMORANDUM are already in the pipeline. In the Spring, the second student produced issue of MEMORANDUM – a completely digital, RSS Feed suported issue – will be released. So look for us online. Until then, ask one of the authors listed in the table of contents to describe their favorite font. Just be prepared to be in conversation with them for about an hour. And, when it comes to designing information, always follow the advice Robin Williams offers in her book The NonDesigner’s Design Book and “Don’t be a wimp.”

Sincerely, Dr. Bacha