Write In ✍🏿

I recently watched a workshop on academic writing for publication in journals. (It was a replay) A number of things the facilitator said were not new to me but how she approached it was different from the previous resources I’ve used.

The coolest part? She mirrored what I had learned about systems, processes and results. The key take away for me though was that academic writing is a skill that is learnt and not an innate ability that anyone is born with.

My subconscious went into a major rabbit hole while I slept. It struck me that there are different forms of writing (no brainer) *inserts shocked emoji 😐* Lol but stay with me. We all know how to write. It is a skill that is taught from elementary school up till university (usually undergraduate first year*). As we progress, we discover that there are different forms of writing even though it’s all communication with words on paper (or device screen).

*Realised I started repeating myself a lot 😂. And edited this portion out*

Sha main point is that writing is learned. Different forms of writing require different principles and systems.

The other major point was that at a human level, everyone connects with storytelling. I learned this in digital marketing and was very interested when an academic writing workshop included this as an element for well structured writing.

What I did love also was how she broke down the writing process and commented about how most people don’t spend enough time thinking about the process/system best suited for the outcome they want. There was a layering of what she said which connected to what I am reading about habit formation and systems.

Now to my point on building up existing skills. There is actually always room for improvement. And on writing(which is also the title of a Stephen King book I’m casually reading), the purpose of the text/email/paper/blog post/caption… *you get the point* has a direct effect on what system or process is needed in the actual act of writing.

The way we use words, tone, style etc., can be sharpened. Legal writing is a different kettle of fish (I honestly don’t know why fish would be in a kettle) to copywriting. They both require discernment in diction and style. Even though both are persuasive in nature, the tone and style of a lawyer advising her client or presenting a client’s argument in court is very very different from the good sis who wants you to buy something or is providing edutainment via a blog post.

So where am I going with this? To be honest not so far away. Just a friendly reminder that writing is a skill which means that anyone can learn it; there is always room for improvement and the good sis joins the workshop facilitator in encouraging us to review our systems for doing things 😊 *In this case writing*.