"In order to be a successful writer, you have to be a good listener."
One of the most important takeaways from this past semester was, "In order to be a successful writer, you have to be a good listener." That small but effective sentance, is one of the many things I was able to learn from Professor Rooke this past semester. Being a writer takes some skill, but it's more of how you interpret what is being stated, and how effective you are in writing a neutral story with no opinion. With that being said, I also learned the importance of a lede, including graphics in a story, along with the social media aspect of the business realm.
Before joining COM-211-01, I always knew I had a love for writing, but I never truly knew how to write professionally. One of the first topics covered in class was how to write a lede, and why it's important. Similar to a hook, a lede is meant to grab the attention of the reader from the beginning. One of the last aspects of professional writing that I didn't know before was the importance of social media. Professor Rooke had the class engage in a social media assignment, where the goal was to get one thousand impressions on a post. Through what we learned this semester, I was able to recognize this is how to create a brand for yourself, and promote your own work. Staff writer for the Patriots.com, Erik Scalavino, was able to testify to this when giving the class insight on his job and personal writing skills.
Taking Media Writing this semester will forever change how I write as a communicator. This course has allowed me to take into consideration all the characteristics that is needed to be a successful writer and communicator. I have learned the importance of listening, how to write a neutral story, and how to incorporate my work with social media to reach a larger audience. Taking what I learned this semester has allowed me to transcend that same information and apply it to other courses. After creating a production in my Digital Video Production class, I was able to post a teaser on social media to get viewers interested in the production, allowing engagement within the post. Learning how to communicate well with others, I can use in my everyday life, with friends, teammates, coworkers, professors, and others whom I may come in contact with. Learning the skills needed in order to do so, is at the forefront of media today.
One of the last takeaways from this course, is learning how to write using short yet powerful vocabulary terms that get the point across. I was able to write short and concisely, eliminating the "deadwood" in stories. Learning to keep it simple was also one of my biggest takeaways because it is important to stay on track and not pay too much attention to detail, as the reader will lose interest in the story. Media Writing was one of my favorite classes this semester, and although it was online it was still very much effective. I was able to learn the basics of creating a lede, how to keep my work simplistic while still getting the point across, and how to gain a larger audience through social media. These skills are needed for when I look to pursue my career as a professional writer. It is important to be confident in ones work, as well as right. To wrap up this reflection, I will end with one of my favorite quotes from this semester.
"I'd rather you get the story out last and be right, than be the first one, and wrong." -Professor Rooke
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