Emilie Ackerman

As I have been reading “On The Writing Well” and completing my internship at Girls’ Life Magazine, and completing my masters assignments, my perspective on writing has broadened significantly. I have always known that a written piece needs to flow with transitions and clear paragraphs, but I have learned the deeper layers of effective writing. I am aware of the power of a strong lead, the importance of keeping the audience’s attention at the end of each paragraph, and the value of eliminating unnecessary words and phrases.

I particularly noticed this growth when I was writing my blog for my visual storytelling class about how TikTok hacks your brain and its behavioral economics in design. After writing the first draft of the article and going back to it, I found myself asking questions: Are my first sentences of each paragraph encouraging my reader to keep reading? Does each paragraph invite curiosity? In the paragraph about scarcity, I opened up with: “When your time is limited doesn’t it make you more anxious?” I knew that asking this question would not only capture the reader’s attention but also make the reader think about their emotions.

Another change I noticed in myself in my writing whether it is for Girls’ Life or for my coursework is in my overall process. I now allow myself to write freely at first without trying to make it perfect. When I revisit my drafts I always find a bunch of clichés which I eliminate as they make my writing sound repetitive and unclear. Doing this helps my writing flow better. This revision process helps my writing flow more naturally. This is also important to do to keep your original voice in your writing. If you alter your writing too much just to fit your subject they might think you are talking down on them and will probably stop reading. The more confident you sound, the more your readers will enjoy reading your pieces.