It’s my first year anniversary at my job. I still remember how scared I was at the start of 2017 because I knew I’d face a lot of things that were new to me. And I was right. There were so many firsts. Still fresh from getting into the groove of things, in my second month on the job, I was sent to cover an event out of town. I met so many people I wouldn’t have otherwise been in the same circle with. I got to produce a video. And there were many, many more.
But more than the things I experienced while on the field, I am happy and proud of what I get to do when I’m at home, writing and molding stories. I’ve realized in the past year that while I may dip my toes into different endeavors, my heart will always belong to storytelling. And I am thankful that I get to do that — plus other things —as part of my day job. In my rather short time on the job, I’ve learned quite a lot. But having been a writer for most of my working (and, well, school) life, transitioning to a life as an editor was rather different. It’s always refreshing to see things from other people’s points of view, and the experience has definitely taught me a few things about writing. Here are the things I picked up.
Be concise
Look at things differently
When you edit, you think of the brand’s voice and the writer’s perspective. It’s a good practice when it comes to looking at things differently. How would your reader interpret your message? The point also applies to how you look at topics. There are so many stories on the internet, so how can you make yours stand out?