“To write is human, to write well is divine” (Anonymous, 2010). So, why is it important to write professionally and what constitutes professional writing? Contrary to popular belief, professional writing is not merely being paid to write; although, professional writers are sometimes well paid. In short, professional writing is writing at the next level and with a purpose. It is important to write professionally (knowing the audience, knowing the purpose, being persuasive, and getting to the point) so that one is able to communicate effectively and efficiently. This enables the reader to see the writer as organized, thoughtful, intelligent and worth listening to.
Professional writing is more than just writing with the elementary skills of correct spelling, grammar and sentence / paragraph structure. Aspects of professional writing include all of the elements of the basic writing plus knowing one’s audience, writing with a purpose, being persuasive and delivering the message clearly and concisely. One should also have advanced sentence structure / paragraph structure (for effectiveness). In addition, one should know how to format the medium as a whole for readability. A little forethought through research and organization will go a long way in making the writing look professional.
As part of the organization process, one must know why one is writing the message and what one is hoping to achieve. In addition, one must know the purpose of the message and who the audience will be as well as their potential response. Writing the message with the audience in mind will not only help shape the style of the message itself but the tone in which it is presented as well as the formality of the language used. Tone is the main t...
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...cy, clarity and tone? If the answer is no, then one has mostly likely failed in delivering the message at all if not effectively. In fact, the wrong message was probably delivered. If the answer is yes, then one has not only written well as everyone should, but written professionally.
Professional writing not only has all the aspects of proper writing (spelling, grammar, sentence structure and paragraph structure), but it has the additional thought of advanced writing (research, organization, style, tone, and purpose) with the audience in mind. The purpose of professional writing is to write with a purpose and be able to sell that purpose to the reader effectively and efficiently. Due to the nature of today’s business world, if one is to be successful in selling the purpose of the message, one should write professionally, even when one writes recreationally.
I am more knowledgeable about invention, arrangement, style, and delivery, all in which create a masterful piece of text. A few examples, I have learned to organize and construct my thoughts and ideas clearer. I have been taught to use stronger transitions and focus more on the delivery and content of the body element of essays. Further, the instructions and advice I have received throughout this term have influenced my understanding of the purpose of writing. My outlook on writing has been modified by shifting my perception of writing from, writing to prove I am a good writer by perceiving it as using “fluffy” or BIG words to impress my audience. I grew to understanding that good writing’s purpose is to engage the writer by mind-striking ideas and arguments, which therefore will prove and title me as a “good writer”.
Sam Dillion wrote “What Corporate America Can’t Build: A Sentence” for an audience of college students, employees and corporate people. In his article, Sam points out that companies are spending a lot of money annually on remedial training. According to Sam, the writing problem appears in e-mails, reports and texts. He is informing his audience to brush up on writing skills before entering the corporate world, in order to avoid remedial training. Companies like to hire employees with excellent writing skills but many of employees and applicants fall short of that standard.
Understanding how to write within a particular profession is an essential tool needed to excel professionally and ultimately, have articles published. However, a question must, first, arise and be addressed before any writing takes place. Denise K. Comer, author of Writing in Transit, states, “Disciplines are in many ways defined by questions” (39). Questions are the basic tool used to perform research projects which lead to written and published articles. Without questions, we, as the human race, would be uninformed or mislead.
There are various ways writers can evaluate their techniques applied in writing. The genre of writing about writing can be approached in various ways – from a process paper to sharing personal experience. The elements that go into this specific genre include answers to the five most important questions who, what, where, and why they write. Anne Lamott, Junot Diaz, Kent Haruf, and Susan Sontag discuss these ideas in their individual investigations. These authors create different experiences for the reader, but these same themes emerge: fears of failing, personal feelings toward writing, and most importantly personal insight on the importance of writing and what works and does not work in their writing procedures.
A professional writing portfolio is a very useful tool for a writer. It helps the writer prepare well for their entry into the professional world. A portfolio also allows the writer to be more organized with their work. A website, “Rhetoric and Writing”, talks about the importance of having a Professional Writing Portfolio. It discusses how many professionals/superiors will use a portfolio to assess a writer's aptitudes and skills. The site also discusses how portfolios are important for job searchers because they are more personal, and much more insightful, and therefore a better way for employers to evaluate interviewees than a regular resume. (Rhetoric) It provides an exhibition of skill and organized set of the writer's work. Not only are portfolios helpful in finding a career but they can also prove to be a great source for furthering one, as they are perfectly suited for professional publication.
As technical writing grows into a more common discipline, complicated questions concerning ethical standards seem to present themselves more frequently. Much of what is written by a technical writer will need to appeal to individuals of varying situational backgrounds, and in this day of intense political correctness and moral responsibility, it is important to remember the ethical and other cultural issues associated with writing for diverse groups of people.
In The Power of Writing by Joel Swerdlow, we are introduced to the definition of the word “writing”, its history, context and evolution over time. Writing is considered to be one of the most important forms of communication we possess. From books, to newspapers, birth certificates, to healthcare records, writing provides us with vital information that can be used endlessly. Swerdlow makes a flawless connection between writing, to one’s personal identity. To his understanding what we express in a piece of paper, is part of our individuality, creativity and part of our imagination. Personally I consider myself an enthusiastic writer, who enjoys writing about my family genealogy, living experiences, plans for the future, poems and religious beliefs. Writing is one of the most important skills I possess, because it lets people understand important aspects of my persona.
The writing process has many different steps. Each step has unique attributes. People struggle with each of the different steps in the writing process. Some people have trouble thinking of what to write about, others have trouble editing and revising. Wrapping up the writing process with a strong conclusion can also be troublesome for many people. In this paper we will be discussing the first step in the writing process, what professional writers think about how to get started. We will be discussing the important first steps to make the beginning process of writing easier. The steps in the beginning of the writing process include creating a plan, brainstorming and writing a draft.
Writing can have many goals: to inform, to persuade, or to entertain, but in each section of writing the major
During the transition from a high school writer to a collegiate writer, my strength at understanding the basic principles of good writing has remained consistent. I grasp the ...
There are many different definitions good writing can be defined as. However, good writing can be defined as having a purpose, being organized, as well as having an individual style. For any writing, a purpose is needed to reach the audience. The purpose is to deliver a strong message to an audience so they will comprehend the material. Organizational skills are necessary to thrive in writing. The writing must be organized in a way so everyone can comprehend what is being stated. Organizational skills can go hand in hand with using proper grammar which also makes the message clear. Some writing can be extremely boring, but what separates average from good is the individual flare that person has. Everyone has a different way of writing, but how the person portrays their message will make it that much better. Overall, good, effective writing embodies purpose, organization, and an individual style.
When attempting to understand and define professional writing, there are many questions that come to mind. Who uses professional writing? Or how does professional writing differ from more commonly practiced disciplines of writing and communicating? Upon researching and inquiring about how professional writing is used to communicate in the workplace, I have gathered opinions from scholars and professional writers of different discourses, both who use various genres to relay information. A brief definition of professional writing is a style of written communication used in a workplace. This mode of communication allows professionals (e.g. professors, business people, doctors, lawyers, etc.) to make informed decisions. Professional writing generally
Why is professional writing declining in America’s workforce? In Sam Dillon’s “What Corporate America Can’t Build: A Sentence”, Dillon blames this decline on the American education system. Dillon writes to administrators and educators in the “Higher Education” section of the New York Times to convince them to increase the teaching of professional writing in schools. Dillon displays to his audience the current business world that students going into the workforce are creating. This initiative is being created so students are prepared when they graduate and go into the workforce and millions of dollars aren’t spent trying to teach students things that they should already know. Dillon persuades educators and administrators to improve professional
writing” by R. Ramsey, the ability to write competently is a requirement for success in any field.
The purpose of writing goes hand in hand with the development of the writing. A student must understand about what he is being asked to write. He must be able to ...