The Wright Scoop

In prior columns, we explored communications in terms of visual, listening, speaking, reading and written words; so, let’s continue our discussion of the “power of the written word.”
As identified, the event that inspires an individual to publish his/her written words can be as diverse as a topic itself. After recognizing that I had a marketable skill, I began to donate it to the volunteer sector.
One experience that truly expanded my writing experience began with volunteering as the editor for a medical newsletter. I met with staff and other volunteers to create a niche newsletter, a publication directed to cancer patients, their family, the medical staff, financial donors and other interested persons. Consisting of four pages, the newsletter’s layout contained a lead article, announcements, as well as tips and links to educational information. Although it had been decided the lead article would be written by staff, as each publication deadline approached, the expected two-page article was forwarded in the format of a previously published academic paper that consisted of 15 or more single spaced line pages.
Moving from the role of executive to managing editor, I edited the paper into an article suitable for a lay-person audience. Similarly, after two production editors had been replaced, I assumed that role, too. From my experience, if you want to have the opportunity to develop diverse writing techniques, the volunteer sector is a wide-open.
Over the years, I’ve contributed writing to the life-style arena and, although retired from hard-core business, I continue as a contributing writer for business publications. As a friend says, I have effectively turned an avocation into a vocation, environmental preservation, which has led to publishing features with regional and national magazines and newspapers as well as providing columns that highlight eco-friendly activities and strategies.
While I may have accidentally stumbled into a writing career, not everyone needs to wait for an experience to ignite their activities. Instead, identify an interest, develop a niche and become an industry mentor by sharing experiences through writing.
On the other hand, realistically, to succeed as a writer, you must interact at the electronic level. Gone is the day when writers in seclusion manually typed their work and snail mailed or faxed the result to a publisher. Today’s market is global, and not only are you expected to interact electronically but at the same level of technology as the publisher. Furthermore, if you provide illustrative pictures, these pictures must also be in a format acceptable to the publisher.
Fortunately, there are viable electronic options. In addition to personal computing, there are the alternatives of public computing services provided by libraries, printing services such as Kinko’s, coffee shops and some bookstores. Still, in most cases, a home office remains ideal because it provides a least interrupted space.
Initially, I used an area that experienced the least family traffic and eventually established the space that I presently share with the family cat. This space houses my research library, “L” shape work area and a drafting table. Because I have a dedicated space, at any given point, I can electronically save my work and, except for the cat’s occasional walk-about on a spread-out project, the area remains undisturbed.
Another important factor is to identify a time of day that works best for your writing productivity. Colleagues have confided that they write prior to their family’s morning activities or after their family retires for the evening. I’ve found piece-meal writing works best for me. I write in the early morning; then break for other activities. After lunch, I resume a project but first edit the earlier morning’s product. The act of editing recovers productivity and produces better quality projects. After dinner, I repeat the process. A piece-meal strategy works because I am able to leave projects in an uninterrupted dedicated space; enabling an easily resumed project. Still, what works for me may not work for you. Experiment and after identifying a space and time that appears to work well for you, commit to a schedule.
To share comments, ideas or strategies related to this subject or other communication topics, contact me at (804) 672-6007 or Sylvia@The Wright Scoop.com.
Together, let’s create a series of column topics that are helpful to the industry. Identify communication strategies that set you apart – create a brand, you!