How my writing has changed
This course has given me several skills that I think will benefit me as a journalist. While some of these have to do with technical writing skills, others have to do more with the thinking and conceptualizing process. As a whole, I view my audience, as well as my role as a journalist in general, differently than I did before I took the course. Obviously I have learned the valuable skill of creating and maintaining a blog, but I think what I have learned in terms of my career as a journalist has gone far beyond that.
Organization
First of all, my writing has become more organized and accessible. I have learned to organize information into lists and shorter paragraphs, clarifying what the information is about with subheads and bullet points. This technique has not only made my writing clearer to my audience, but has helped me organize information before I sit down to write. By making me think of my writing in terms of a clear and concise outline, I come to the writing process with a better idea of what I’d like to say and how I plan to convey it to an audience.
Subjectivity
Second, I have learned to conceptualize a journalist’s role differently than I did before. Though I still believe there is a place for objective and fact-driven journalism, especially in a world where more and more media outlets seem to be resorting to spin, I am more open to the idea of showing who I am through my writing. In this class, I have engaged in readings and discussion that have led me to believe that honesty and transparency are not strictly the domain of objective journalism, and that sometimes being straightforward about one’s background, biases and perspectives can lead to even more honesty in journalism. Subjective journalism also has the potential to win back credibility, especially now that media outlets are constantly criticized for being heartless and for not sharing a system of values with their audiences.
Importance of Audience
Finally, as is obvious from the previous paragraphs, I am considering my audience more now than I have in the past. Before, I was more likely to write a story and assume that, if others wanted to read it, they would. Now, I am devoting much more attention to assessing who my audience is, what their needs are, and how I can better communicate information to them. This, like the above-mentioned reliance on honesty and subjectivity in writing, could potentially breathe life into an industry struggling with low readership and a loss of credibility.
In short, the course was able to teach me an impressive amount about both the technical and theoretical sides of journalistic writing, both of which will benefit me in my career as a journalist. There is a chance that I will use these skills directly, as more and more newspapers are going online and need that type of expertise. However, even if I do not work in an online capacity (or even in a journalism capacity!), I will be able to incorporate what I have learned in this course to make my writing more effective, more honest, and more relevant for my audience.
