When it comes to writing for yourself and your audience, the most important thing to remember is to keep your writing style but also know who you are writing for. As publications like magazines and newspapers never want you to write in first person, this makes it more difficult to show your voice and personality in your writing. However, you should never overthink what the audience or editors want to see. Relax, be yourself, and come back and edit afterwards.
Learning all of this opened my eyes as I am a current editorial and social media intern for Girls’ Life Magazine. The mission of Girls’ Life Magazine is to inform, inspire, and entertain girls around the globe– whether that is entertainment, beauty, lifestyle and more. They want tween and teens readers to have someone who gets them. For many of the pieces I write for them, most of the articles are in second person to achieve this. For example, in one of my articles “How Pattern Mixing Can Instantly Upgrade Your Frosty Fits,” I write, “Don’t worry bestie we are here to help!” This kind of tone builds trust and loyalty so girls see Girls’ Life Magazine as a brand that speaks their language.
When it comes to writing articles for them and keeping my voice– I do notice that this is easier for me to do as many of the things I write about I am passionate about. However, I do notice that since I cannot put in my writing “I am so excited for this movie” I spin it into the language for Girls’ Life saying “we” instead. Second person makes readers feel included, understood, and a part of the community which is exactly what they want to do. I try to make my style sound friendly and confident, like the way I would talk to a friend. It also keeps readers engaged and prevents them from getting distracted.
This also applies to me when doing copywriting for social media. This has shown me that this does not just apply for writing articles but when connecting with readers in other mediums. Whether I am creating posts for Girls’ Life or my own entertainment social media, putting my posts in second person or using inclusive language help my posts feel like a conversation, keeping my audience engaged while still including my personality.
Something really important I have learned from all of this is that writing is not all about perfection. It is about getting down what you want to write without stressing so your voice comes through the piece naturally. Sometimes I am determined to get it right the first time, but I have learned what truly matters is getting down your thoughts first and then edit to have my authentic voice shine even if it isn’t in first person.
Check out one of my articles from Girls’ Life Magazine that illustrates this!
Emilie Ackerman 
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