Who am I living writing for? Part one.
One of the main components of journalism is audience. Who are we writing for? Who will be reading our words? As a magazine student, you spend considerable time mapping the pages of magazines: visualizing the individual reader and understanding the tone and language of the magazine, since this information dictates the style of writing that should be committed to your currently blank Microsoft Word document. We are told to write to “fit” some generic editorial prototype. Essentially, we are trained to please our audience.
I secretly possess that same mentality in my personal life. My grandmother was my reason for choosing Medill. I didn’t want to be THE grandchild who went away to college and never returned. I allowed myself to entertain my Ex longer than preferred because I didn’t want to break his heart like most couples when they depart for college. I drove myself crazy last spring hunting summer jobs in Orlando to help my Mother adjust to living in a new place. My personality has been one who caters to my audience; family and friends who I love dearly.
William Zinsser asked in his best-seller On Writing Well: “Who am I writing for?” His answer, “You are writing for yourself.”
At the end of the day, I can sit and imagine William Hearst himself as my audience, but how could he enjoy my words if I don’t have a passion for them myself? I can also sit and elaborately plan how to successfully live my life in a way to bring happiness to the ones I love, but how happy will I be in the end?
Zinsser adds: “Just as it takes time to find yourself as a person, it takes time to find yourself as a stylist, and even then your style will change as you grow older.”
My style as a writer may not ever fit the girly Front-of-Book departments in Cosmo. My life-choices may not ever directly satisfy any of my family or friends. I have no idea how my writing style and future will evolve, but I will remember the following before every blank Word document:
I am (living) and writing for myself.
i love this. it's like one big conglomerate of all of our 3am conversations. glad to see ur growth honey.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way thinking about the "audience" before thinking about myself...I swear reading this came at a good time for me...definatley food for thought for me.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, as a writer you are constantly asking yourself that question, who's gonna be reading this? but not worrying about all those questions, etc. makes the writing more authentic and relfects who you are as a writer/journalist.
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