Professional Writing
Writer's Blog
A Reflection on Developed Skills
by: Jacob Berg
There are several significant things that I have learned throughout this month in Professional Writing. All the way from the smallest techniques and tips, to globally thinking about how my writing is a representation of myself and my personality, I have learned that professional writing is much more than just putting words on a page.
Each of the skills that I have learned and practiced will come into play countless times in my future classes at Full Sail and further along in my career. One of these skills is writing with a professional tone. Writing is much different from speaking, so, to convey a professional tone, there are some different techniques that we can use as we write. One of the most effective techniques for me is to read my writing out loud as I revise. I am always one to check my work, but most of the time, I just read it to myself in my head. This month, I have found much better success is reading my works aloud to myself, listening to the way it sounds, and making necessary changes.
As mentioned above, writing is much more than writing words down in a way the sounds professional. I have realized this month that writing professionally, as well as more casually on social media, is an extension of my own personality and is another way people can learn about who I am without meeting me in person. Initially, I didn’t realize that the more writing I put out into the world, whether it be on social media or on a more professional site, the more chance there is for someone to read it and make assumptions about who I am and what I’m like. I’ve now found that it is important to take all of my writing seriously so I can make a good first impression through any medium. Not only that, but it is important to remain genuine in my writing as well.
Throughout this month, I have completed many assignments that have helped my practice my professional writing skills. The one I am most proud of is the negative message response. Unfortunately, this is something that I have had to write before when did not get one of the jobs I applied for. I thought what I had written that time was professional and grateful, and it was, but after learning about the proper format and the indirect method, I’ve found a much better way of responding to a negative message. The indirect method gives an opening statement, provides details, then closes with a thank you and good will wishes. Even though this is a simple format, it is very effective and professional.
While there have been many skills that I have developed this past month as they pertain to professional writing, there is one area that I still need to grow in. That area is writing in a more diverse and concise way. I’ve caught myself several times throughout the month and many times in the past repeating my thoughts and ideas as well as using types of words over and over. I have improved, but still have a long way to go in order to develop a more concise, diverse, and professional writing style. I plan to read some different kinds of professional writings and take note of the techniques each writer uses to keep their work.
It was hard to know what to expect from this class. I knew it wouldn't be like other writing classes I've taken before, but I had no idea it would give me a completely new lens to look through when writing. I have developed a new way of thinking about my writing, and have a good idea of what the future of my professional writing will look like.