Once upon a Monday afternoon, I went to the first Writing for Public Relations course of the semester. As soon as the class started, intimidation set in and my writing insecurity grounded its deep and unruly roots.
Yes, I am a mass communications major with a deep fear of writing. And yes, I absolutely love writing. We exist.
The first lesson we are learning is to completely unlearn. Contradictory, sure, but even in pursuit of an ad and pr degree, I don’t want to unlearn everything. In my eyes, it’s like rewinding an unwound spindle of progress. But progress is subjective and in this new discipline of writing, moving one step forward requires taking two steps back.
Here’s the thing, this type of writing is one that lies heavily on the ability to communicate clearly at an 8th-grade level with tight and concise sentences and paragraphs. This, of course, means there is no room for flowery and pretty language.
OOF
If you know me, you know I’m a firm believer that writing is an art that reflects the author in some form. I love the idea of weaving beauty into words to fabricate a story that interacts with each of the senses. When I read, I want to feel like I’m meandering through a twilight-lit labyrinth or unearthing a relic grounded in loose forest soil. I want to be entranced by words and the three-dimensional worlds they create. Have you noticed my heavy use of adjectives? Those are a no-no in public relations writing.
(a moment of silence for the Oxford comma, gone but never forgotten).
BUT
Although creative writing is where most of my expertise falls, I realize that it’s time to start using writing as a leveraging tool as well as one that comforts me. Writing is the foundation of communication, and creativity is an irreplaceable asset in advertising and public relations. If I can combine each of these skills in just the right quantity, the product will surely be a pleasant one. It’s like working with chemicals in a lab, too much of something can lead to an explosion, and let’s just hope insurance covers it.
THE TAKEAWAY
Never be afraid to mix discipline and creativity. Sure, I’m going to be challenged in the attempt to make my writing more professional, but professional and creative writing can create great synergy. Even when you’re pressed with deadlines and your writing must be crisp and structured, never lose sight of the creativity within that ignited your passion for writing in the first place. If you need to, find an outlet such as journaling or blogging that offers a space free of limitations to express yourself.
Writing should be expressive, and even with constraints, your creativity should shine through.