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What resources can Communications majors use to improve their writing skills?
As a public relations major, I did not have many journalism classes. I wish I had a online editing software for my media post and other digital relationed things. #Technology #digital-media #digital-journalism #new-media
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Anthony’s Answer
Tamiya,
Hi! It's good to post a question like this here as there are so many resources available to you and not any one person will have the answer for what works best for you. You will have to try a few things to find what helps you most. I currently manage my team's communications and have previously held jobs writing for newspapers, senators, and even just for fun. My advice to you is to read as much as you can (this doesn't have to be boring things!).
Get in the habit of each day making the time to read at least one article on a subject that interests you. Just make sure it's an official publication of some kind and not random blog posts (you want to be sure what you are reading is in proper form, so you can better model your own writing). Also, I can suggest some books that I found useful: "On Writing" by Stephen King, this is a fun read, it's told through the story of King's own life and experiences writing, it's filled with practical tips and tricks he's learned over his many years of writing. He's a fiction writer, but a lot of the concepts presented still apply to "good writing" and its a short book. Another is "The Art of Nonfiction" by Ayn Rand. A good, short, primer on the subject with many very helpful tips on writing clearly.
My personal tips for writing, and what I find really helpful before I start a writing project or assignment is to MAKE AN OUTLINE. I know this sounds like such a basic step, but you will be surprised at how much better and how much easier your writing will become if you take making the outline seriously. It gives your brain the orders before you begin, which really helps you keep a continuous flow in your writing. Think about the topic. Create a list of all the points you want to include, in any order, just write them all down. Once you have your list, start organizing it logically: "this has to be talked about before that", "this point is my strongest, so move it closer to the end" .... etc those are examples. Then you can build out each point in the outline and before you know it, the article or release is practically writing itself.
Anyway, I hope you found some of that useful. Don't give up, communications is an invaluable skill that will help in every aspect of your career. Good writing requires clear thinking. Know what you want to say fully, and the words will come to you.
Best regards,
Anthony
Hi! It's good to post a question like this here as there are so many resources available to you and not any one person will have the answer for what works best for you. You will have to try a few things to find what helps you most. I currently manage my team's communications and have previously held jobs writing for newspapers, senators, and even just for fun. My advice to you is to read as much as you can (this doesn't have to be boring things!).
Get in the habit of each day making the time to read at least one article on a subject that interests you. Just make sure it's an official publication of some kind and not random blog posts (you want to be sure what you are reading is in proper form, so you can better model your own writing). Also, I can suggest some books that I found useful: "On Writing" by Stephen King, this is a fun read, it's told through the story of King's own life and experiences writing, it's filled with practical tips and tricks he's learned over his many years of writing. He's a fiction writer, but a lot of the concepts presented still apply to "good writing" and its a short book. Another is "The Art of Nonfiction" by Ayn Rand. A good, short, primer on the subject with many very helpful tips on writing clearly.
My personal tips for writing, and what I find really helpful before I start a writing project or assignment is to MAKE AN OUTLINE. I know this sounds like such a basic step, but you will be surprised at how much better and how much easier your writing will become if you take making the outline seriously. It gives your brain the orders before you begin, which really helps you keep a continuous flow in your writing. Think about the topic. Create a list of all the points you want to include, in any order, just write them all down. Once you have your list, start organizing it logically: "this has to be talked about before that", "this point is my strongest, so move it closer to the end" .... etc those are examples. Then you can build out each point in the outline and before you know it, the article or release is practically writing itself.
Anyway, I hope you found some of that useful. Don't give up, communications is an invaluable skill that will help in every aspect of your career. Good writing requires clear thinking. Know what you want to say fully, and the words will come to you.
Best regards,
Anthony
Thank you!
Tamiya
Updated
Sonja’s Answer
Hi Tamiya!
I found that learning AP Style was incredibly helpful to launch my career in news and PR. It is the writing style and rulebook the news media uses when writing for news, and it is standard protocol for press releases and the PR profession. I've also found it to be very helpful in honing the key messages and efficient writing I use for business briefs and other documents. You can access information about the AP Stylebook here https://www.apstylebook.com/ and can also order a physical book, which I prefer because it's easy to use and keep handy when on the go.
I found that learning AP Style was incredibly helpful to launch my career in news and PR. It is the writing style and rulebook the news media uses when writing for news, and it is standard protocol for press releases and the PR profession. I've also found it to be very helpful in honing the key messages and efficient writing I use for business briefs and other documents. You can access information about the AP Stylebook here https://www.apstylebook.com/ and can also order a physical book, which I prefer because it's easy to use and keep handy when on the go.
Updated
Erin’s Answer
I use Udemy.com and Coursera.org to take classes about skills I want to acquire.
Updated
Lon’s Answer
Hi, Tamiya! The best resource is your own - with practice! But there are also helpful sites and tools communicators use. For public relations, in particular, the US standard is AP Style and worth googling to learn more. The AP Style book is quite thick, but you can find summaries and 101 overviews/tips online. As a professional for 20 years in this space, we still are looking to check our writing with online tools like Hemingway and Grammarly. I believe there are free versions available and are worth looking into. Very simply, you paste your full text, and the software provides recommendations for edits. Beyond this, and back to "practice," pay close attention to feedback from your instructors. Writing tactics and styles are learned over time. They also differ based on the medium and your audience. You have plenty of time ahead of you to become a strong writer!
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