Week Ten, Tuesday: Looking Back
Because this is my last week on the job, I figured I would share two posts with you all this week instead of one. I guess you can call it a farewell present of sorts.
But really, the point of this post is to make some serious connections regarding my work here at the Press and to reflect on my goals and whether or not I achieved them.
When I applied for the stipend which enabled me to do this internship, part of the deal was to write a blog entry once a week and to, at the end, write a paper reflecting on the experience. In my application, I wrote: "I plan to not only make direct connections to the writing skills, research skills, and analytical theories which I learned during my time at Hiram College, but to also further develop these skills in a professional setting.... At the end of the summer, I will write a reflective essay showing how my writing and researching skills have changed. I will also discuss how my analytical skills were utilized in a professional setting, as compared to an academic setting. I will consider how this opportunity has impacted my future plans and if it has helped me reach a conclusion regarding my post-graduate goals."
So let's break this down.
Did I make direct connections to my writing, research, and analytical skills while I was working in this professional setting?
I think so. I wrote a handful of articles for my current book project. I also edited submissions and read through the manuscript, searching for grammatical issues and addressing those. The people who I wrote for were primarily satisfied. Most of their issues with my work were based on factual discrepancies. I learned a lot about creating, what I would call, a "journalistic" tone for this book. I also worked on unifying my tone so that the pieces blended together well.
Research skills were utilized in a few different ways. I had to research for the articles that I wrote. I learned that in a professional setting these facts have to be checked and you have to make sure that, when adding additional information, it is okay with the author and it reflects their style and tone. Again, I learned to add things in seamlessly. I think editing in this context is something I have to work on and develop; I'm glad to be able to recognize that.
I also researched for a different book project and the Press's affiliations enabled me to search through newspaper archives. That project really opened my eyes to alternative resources.
Lastly, in more indirect ways, my analytical skills enabled me to view the manuscript in a "big picture" way. This allowed me to realize the lack of minority organizations, minority writers, and female writers we had contributing to the book. I was the one who contacted female professionals asking for their perspectives on gender roles in their fields. I think that it was my analytical skills which made me conscious of this imbalance in the book. As a young female professional, I felt this made a huge difference in the book as a whole and I can only hope it will widen the audience post-publication.
How have my writing and researching skills changed?
Again, I think I've learned to transition these skills into a professional work environment. I guess, when I was applying for the stipend, I just kind of threw that information in there to make my work should more legitimate and valuable. But, I honestly realized the importance of authorial voice. It was hard for me--as a writer myself, I wanted to fix things so they sounded better. But that's not always the best choice. Its much more important to maintain the author's tone and the integrity of their piece. This internship has really taught me to take a step back and recognize these elements at work in a piece.
How has this internship affected my future goals?
This internship has completely changed--and perhaps even dictated--my future goals. It's so strangeknowingwhat you want to be and what you want to achieve. I really love what I'm doing here at the Press. I love editing, working on acquisition, researching, and writing. I think this would make a really wonderful career for me.
However, I know now that I want to go to graduate school. I really have my heart set on it. I'm going to go ahead with my application plans with fall. And I'm going to use editing as a back-up plan--both now and later. If I don't get into a graduate program for Fall 2013, then I'll find an editing job. And, after I complete my MA/PhD program, I will apply for editing jobs and teaching positions.
I know this is just the beginning of my editing career.
