Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with writing and work

Can I learn to be a better writer?

mokeydraws — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:50:27 -0800

How can I be a better writer? My value at work would increase if my ability to write formally improves. I'm an admin in the IT department and don't realy understand the technology or procedures that I have to write about. I think that part of the problem is that I am just not that great at communicating in general. I don't talk a lot, hate leaving vm's. And even writing an email can leave me frozen, constantly worrying saying the wrong thing and/or not being understood. I just started school again and am taking 2 writing intensive courses. This is slightly easier since it is based on my interpretation of the text.

The people I work with are pretty good at trying to explain things to me. Another issue is that even after one of these sessions the information is not sticking. It will make sense and I think I understand but when I get back to my desk I'm blank. My boss has noticed this and asked me to basically prove I understood him by repeating it all back to him.

So I guess my question is two-fold.

-How can I improve my listening/understanding skills and retain important information?

-How do I become a better formal/informal writer even when I am not an expert on the topic?

Books on cover letters geared to new college grads?

cymru_j — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:30:39 -0800

Books on cover letters and resumes geared to new college graduates? I know there are some fabulous resources online, but I'm looking specifically for books here, since I'm trying to build a small library in our college writing center.

Thanks in advance!

Can I blog about writer's block?

Wordwoman — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 09:57:01 -0800

Should I blog about writer's block? What will my clients think? I would like to share my perspective on writer's block in a blog, and perhaps later, a book. I have an approach that is successful for me, and I think it could be helpful for others. However, this approach is an ongoing process; that is, I am by no means cured (and willingness to be ok with that is part of the process I would like to share). Here's the rub: I am a freelancer, and I have regular clients that think I'm great. After all, they just see the end results, not my struggles. I don't want them thinking that maybe I won't be able to get it done by the deadline (this is a core fear that I have to overcome anew with every assignment, and one that the blog/book would discuss). Am I right in thinking that public disclosure is risky? Would it be better if I blogged about it pseudonymously, and is that considered ok in the blogging world?

How does one get into the business of writing stories for video games?

metalheart — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:26:19 -0800

Tell me what I need to do, or which bums I need to kiss, to write a storyline for a video game. I love to write, and I am actually pretty good at it. (Yes, more than just my mother, friends and pets have given me reason to believe this, so no worries there.) I also happen to be interested in usability issues and video games, and so I find video game writing fun. The challenge of making an interactive tale somehow sensibly structured and usable for the player is enjoyable to me. I like having to think about what players might do that isn't intended (i.e., them trying to "cheat" the game or find holes in the story). It would be great to write somehow in the gaming industry, even though I know most things are highly competitive and may have poor payment for the amount of work one does. I don't care, honestly.

The thing is, I don't really see a clash for good writing in this field, not always, so I'm unsure of how to get into it. I play a lot of games, and I'll go out on a limb here and say that it seems like only a handful of companies and titles really give much thought to stories and plot lines (e.g., Portal, Bioshock, Braid). There's such a focus on gameplay and visuals at the moment that the writing is unfortunately overlooked sometimes; I think what often happens is the developers write the stories. (It shows.) So, is there even a way to get into this?

I'm specifically interested in stories in first person shooter games, as well as in adventure puzzle games, like the Myst or The Longest Journey series. RPGs can be nice, but the big titles are fairly formulaic ("Our town needs you! Please go collect these items to save the day and go on to the next quest!"), so I'm not sure how much real, creative work would be in that. I love the creativity found in many indie games, so that's a possible outlet, but I'm concerned about just jumping into that culture, as indie games sometimes have a tendency to never be finished. I think I'd rather be involved with an established company, but I can be talked out of that if given enough reason.

So yes, just out of personal interest, I'm curious what the hive mind knows about professional game writing and how one might go about getting involved, particularly on a freelance or contractual basis. I'll take a guess that ass kissing and elbow rubbing comes in somewhere and that it would help to have previous experience of varying kinds. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Can you recommend articles on work or the workplace?

alspeigh — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:12:39 -0800

I am a community college English instructor, and I am working on structuring my Comp I class around the theme of work. Can anyone recommend some thoughtful articles, websites, books (easily excerpted), etc. about work or the workplace? Most of my students have limited reading comprehension skills, so I can’t use anything that is too specialized or advanced. I’m looking for articles on the level of Time or Newsweek. Thanks!

How/can I learn to write and think faster?

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 07:00:59 -0800

Can I learn how to write and think faster? Any tips you'd suggest? My job entails a lot of technical writing, memos, emails, and published writing about technical subjects. I enjoy it, and (ironically) I have been told I'm a good writer, but I am very, very slow at it. It's like my head feels cloudy, and I don't come up with the words fast enough, either in my head, or on the paper/screen. One possible complicating factor is that I've had and been treated for clinical depression for about 10 years now, and recent past ADHD testing led to a major depression diagnosis as well. (as in the depression is interfering with my working memory, rather than ADD) Getting un-depressed would be a good start, but in case it's not just that, I'd like to work on improving my work and writing speed.

Has anyone had any luck in improving their speed and efficiency in a similar situation, particularly in jobs involving writing? Can I practice and get faster?

Honestly, this isn't likely just a work only thing. I feel like I take long to write internet comments, personal emails, and such, too. As a data point, I checked the time in my browser history to see when when I visited this page, and it was 15 mins after the hour. I'm hitting Preview at: 37 mins after the hour.

Can I have my creative cake and eat it too?

mynameisluka — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:33:08 -0800

Working writers: how do you carve out time for fiction? Here's a question for working writers. I've managed to turn my passion into a full-time life as a freelance writer. I do corporate stuff, copywriting and marketing pieces, journalism, and I'm thrilled to be working for myself at something I adore. My real passion, however, is fiction, and like so many others, my real aspiration is to complete and sell the novels that have been niggling at me for years.

Trouble is, at the end of the day it's really difficult to transition from non-fiction to fiction and from have-to-I-get-paid to want-to-so-I'm-disciplined work. I find myself using my sore wrists and zonked brain as an excuse...and I'm starting to get scared that I'll never achieve my dream of being a working novelist.

I'm wondering how other writers approach this dilemma. Is "suck it up" the only answer, or are there some tips/tidbits/tweaks I'm missing?

Help me fuel my Starbucks addiction through freelancing!

adverb — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:41:32 -0800

What are some good sites to find short-term freelance writing/Internet gigs? Similar to this post, I'm looking for some temp work that will bring in a little supplemental income. I've been using Mechanical Turk for a few weeks, and have made some nice pocket change, but I'd like something a bit more substantive (and, of course, better paying).

A lot of the freelance boards seem to focus on more full-time/daytime contract work, which won't work for me. I have a full-time job and would like something to work on during the evenings and weekends.

An ideal situation would be a site where I could view some projects, bid/accept them, and work a few hours/days to finish a product for $25-$50. My background is in writing and editing, but any type of broad IT-related jobs (IA, usability, blogging) would also be good.

Help me become a higher-output writer!

Bardolph — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:55:20 -0800

Academic writing filter: I am a painfully slow writer. How might I go about developing a composition process that's higher-output, requires less concentration, and is more revision-friendly? I've never been the kind of person for whom words just spill out onto the page. When I'm able to write anything at all, I usually manage it by pacing and thinking through things until sentences shape themselves spontaneously in my head, at which point I transcribe and move on. What emerges is (I'm told) fairly high-quality, but to get into "writing mode" at all requires hours of unbroken concentration-- and once I'm in the zone, I generally have to write the paper more or less continuously for the next few days, without doing anything else (including social interaction) that might break my focus. At my best, I can squeeze out an average of about four pages per 24 hours, assuming I do nothing but write.

Now that I'm staring down the barrel of some serious writing, I'm realizing I really need to overhaul my composition process. If I'm ever going to tackle book-length projects, I'll need (a) to be able to work in reasonable stretches-- say, five hours at a time instead of 96-- and (b) to find a way to write with only a reasonable investment of concentration and effort, as opposed to the torturous, childbirth-worthy levels of focus I currently require.

I suspect the answer might be to aim for lower-quality, higher-quantity prose, and to revise as necessary. Thing is, I have
no idea how to do this. I'm not some crazy perfectionist saddled with debilitatingly high standards; at this point, I'd be perfectly happy to pour out dreck, given that I suspect my advisors won't read half of what I write anyway. It's just that my mind doesn't really allow me the option of producing high-volume, bad writing. In the throes of composition, it doesn't come down to a bad sentence in five minutes vs. a good one in 15; it's the good sentence, or else a blank page. If there IS some time-consuming process of mental revision at work, it's taking place way below the surface of my consciousness, at some level where I can't presently access it. (An additional guilty secret: I've never really revised an academic essay. All the sentences end up being so bound together by rhythm, logic, sound, shape, etc. that I can't really amend much without just taking everything apart and starting over from the beginning.)

Any advice, suggestions or inspirational stories would be very very welcome, particularly if there's anyone out there who's successfully turned this corner. Useless advice thus far: "Just relax, don't worry, and do it!" (I'm not worried, but I can't), and "Just sit down and type anything, without thinking!" (I've tried; nothing comes out, which is my problem in the first place). Any ideas?

My book? Don't ask.

Work to Live — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:22:51 -0800

Last October I left a great full-time job, ostensibly to write a novel. Now it's a year later and, for a variety of reasons all having to do with me, there's no novel and chances are slim that there's going to be one. I'll have to go back to work eventually. When coworkers ask me how the book is going, what do I tell them to save the greatest amount of face? In my own defense, I've sold two short stories, and have three others making the rounds. But writing a whole book? Honestly, I don't know any more if I've got it in me.

What should I do with my life?

Anonymous — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:12:06 -0800

20-something INTP, bored to death in his corporate gig, asks: What should I do with my life? I'm in my mid-20's. I studied philosophy at a very good school. I'm now working in a corporate job that would probably be a great job if I didn't completely hate it. It's well-paying, humane, and I'm surrounded by smart people. I think the problem is just me. I find I'm unable to work hard on stuff that I don't find intrinsically interesting. I get bored quickly, and I'm not motivated enough by money or approval to overcome it. Some people are able to profitably rent out their minds; I'm not.

I spend most of my time reading papers on the Internet, dwelling on philosophical, social, and scientific problems, and writing lengthy emails to friends and acquaintances about Big Ideas. I don't purport to claim any of this is productive or valuable. But what's clear is I'm not a good fit for my employers, my employer isn't a good fit for me, and I'm just wasting everyone's time and money. It's been this way in my last two or three jobs as well. The stuff I'm good at -- deep thinking, complicated problem solving, coming up with new ideas and working out their implications -- just doesn't seem to overlap much with the job requirements of most jobs.

The question is what to do instead. I've applied to law school for the fall and have gotten into some great programs. I think I'd be good at law. I'm an analytical thinker and I actually take pleasure in working through dense thickets of language. But I'm afraid if I wind up in law, I'll run into the same problems I face in my current job, only worse: I'll be stuck in an office all day (and all night), working on problems I don't find interesting, wishing I could just write and think and work on interesting problems instead. I don't know though -- if I totally hate the practice of law (I'm pretty sure I'll like law school), I could always practice for a few years, pay off my loans, then get out, with a lot more "options" available to me than I have now.

Alternatively, writing/journalism and academia both seem like decent choices. At least with those, I could write, think, and have a lot more control over my work day and the projects I pursue. But they both have their drawbacks: while I'm not out to get rich, I don't look forward to a life of instability, unease, and relative penury that seem to await many people in those fields. I do value security and comfort.

As you can see, I also tend to talk myself out of things. I'm a thinker and an over-thinker. In the process of trying to figure everything out, I just wind up taking the path of least resistance. Hence my current situation. So, before I plunge $180k into debt, please advise me: what should I do with my life?

Feeding the beast – on time

t0astie — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 04:00:35 -0800

Journalists of Metafilter – hit me with your tips for fast filing. My job (as a reporter at a daily newspaper) has gone really well and I just got a promotion!!!! Hurrah! But soon I'm going to have to do a lot more work in a lot less time. So I need to file my copy much, much faster. Now: I'm a reporter at a regional daily newspaper. I file 3-6 stories a day of varying length and depth, by 6pm. I meet the deadline, but usually by a panic stricken minute. Maybe one story a day is substantial – the others are usually pretty small. I do most of my interviewing over the phone. If pics are taken, photographers take them. If I go out to a story the photographer drives. I'm find stories through my round and phone calls, or media monitoring of regional and national media – but a fair few are diary-based, or fed to me by my boss.

Soon: I'll be working for the same paper, but out of an office in a nearby town, on my own, filing stories for the parent paper from the region surrounding the town. I'll need to file 4-6 stories a day, at least two of substantial length. I'll be responsible for taking photographs, and driving to and from the jobs as well. I'll also be responsible for finding almost all my own stories and maintaining a diary for the region. And if there's breaking news where I am (car crash, fire and so on) I'll have to drop what I'm doing and head out to cover that. I'll also have to build up new contacts in the region – and that takes a bit of time, in the form of phone calls, and meeting with people for coffee or a drink after work and so on.

This will be great! I hate being stuck in the office all day and the most rewarding part of my job, by a long shot, is when I break a story myself. I also find it much, much easier to write a story if I'm there as it's happening.

But I'm really, really freaked out about delivering essentially twice the work (taking the photographs, writing the copy to go with them) in about half the time (given that I'll be driving to and from jobs) and to a higher standard (longer, more substantial stories) as well as building all the contacts I'll need to break decent stories.

I know this is possible: two other people do the same job in different areas. However, both of them have 5-10 years experience on me. I have exactly one year's experience. And zero photography skills. What's more, I'll be covering a heap of different rounds I've almost no exposure to – court, police, council and politics.

I have about six weeks in my present job before I start the new job. What can I do to prepare myself for the increased workload – and to start filing faster, now?

How can I improve the writing ability of the people I work with?

VeniceGlass — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 05:05:32 -0800

How can I improve the writing ability of the people I work with? The group of people I work with - a pool of management consultants from 22 to 55, below, at and above my level at the company - seems to think that their writing skills do not need to extend beyond drafting bullet points for PowerPoint slides. Most of them cannot communicate their thoughts clearly or convincingly; many of them cannot even form coherent sentences.

The fact that some of them believe they are excellent writers makes them that much more dangerous.

I have asked them to proofread their work and make sure it's "client-ready" before it leaves their hands, but that doesn't go nearly far enough. It's getting to the point where I don't ask others to write anything at all, since it's easier for me to draft than to edit their work - which is, of course, a poor solution to the problem. We have a real need for concise, convincing written work in our company.

Occasionally the company has training sessions, including writing workshops, but these are voluntary and brief.

How have you solved a similar problem?

Can I get a job as a writer without a degree?

saileyn — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 00:18:59 -0800

I'm 23 and working as a sales assistant/helpdesk support/office admin/web designer/receptionist in my hometown. How do I go about getting a paying job as a writer, without formal qualifications? I've been working in this role for over 3 years and getting frustrated. My daily tasks are mundane and repetitive and, as our staff consists of five people (including my boss and myself), there's not a whole lot of room for growth. The low paying conditions of my town are terrible; a similar job in Melbourne (forty minutes by train) pays double my current salary. I’m planning on finding another position very soon, hopefully as a writer, or at least as something that will take me a step in the right direction to becoming one.

I have always planned to become a full-time writer. I worked hard to get excellent scores at high school (even taking on an extra subject) and got an awesome place at university in a professional writing course. Unfortunately due to financial difficulties I had to leave after first semester and have been in full-time employment ever since... As much as I'd love to, my partner and I have done our sums and there's no way finance-wise I can go back to university full or even part time.

Is there a way to get a position as a writer somewhere without a bachelor degree? Everywhere I look it says: 3 year bachelor degree essential. Could I apply for a position and hope my folio knocks a prospective employer off their feet and they don’t even notice/care I’m not “qualified”? Or will that just annoy them, and waste their time?

I've seen a lot of references to getting internships here on MF, but as far as I can tell, in Australia you have to be enrolled in some form of university course to be eligible. Cadetships at newspapers etc. are also aimed at school-leavers or graduates and have had their intake for next year anyway.

For those working as writers: What path did you take? Did you start in a company in a different position and work your way in? Or have you done the degree in order to secure a graduate position?

Any suggestions on how I may be able to get myself on the right track would be absolutely wonderful. Thanks in advance to all of you, MetaFilter is an amazing and supportive community.

(Am I) good enough for government work?

nebulawindphone — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 07:52:02 -0800

Who writes all those pages and pages of text that the US government generates? More to the point, might someone pay me to write some of them? I know the official stuff is written by lawyers, but I'm wondering about unofficial government documents — all the handbooks, factsheets, brochures, instructions and guidelines. The government must pay a lot of people to research and write those documents. Who are they? Full-time employees? Contractors? Freelancers?

Are they paid well? (Are they paid better if they can get a security clearance, as I gather is often the case with government work?) How are they hired?

And most importantly, how might an ordinary guy with no government contacts — but a diploma and good writing skills — get in on some of that action?

Need info re: writing

tommyc — Fri, 16 Sep 2005 15:36:52 -0800

I'd like to find more about selling my writing (not books), please! Similar to this thread but focused more on general purpose, paid writing. I don't pretend to be good enough for "published work" but I'm not fussy about what I write - researching and presenting is one of my specialities and would like to take this further, preferably freelance.

Your advice and comments are needed! Where should I go; is there much of this work available? Please note I'm based in the U.K.

How to write my own professional reference?

coriolisdave — Tue, 24 May 2005 17:29:52 -0800

How to write my own professional reference? I am applying for a Masters course, and as part of the application they have requested that I submit a reference from my current role. My employer wants me to write it myself, however I don't have any examples to go on, or the first idea where to begin. Everything I've tried so far has come out as a dry "He was here."
Any tips? Anything I should specifically include/exclude? What sort of language should I use? How effusive/modest should I be, and how much detail should I get into about specific instances of 'good stuff' (if they should be included ata ll)?

financing the Great American Novel

lustra — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 12:14:42 -0800

I want to spend three to six months writing a novel as my primary activity. I have savings, but not enough. What kinds of work can I pick up and do, wing in and out of, make money but have maximum flexibility to do my writing? I have published two books previously and have strong well-developed skills in technology writing, web writing, some copy writing, etc., if that matters to your answer. Many thanks.

Two Papers Due Simultaneously, No Extensions, and Utterly No Will to Work

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Dec 2004 15:53:43 -0800

I hate all forms of work (hence the anon. post) and the only way I've found to finish papers etc. is to stay up all day and night procrastinating until the last possible instance writing a bit here and there--an agonizing process--until, as the last chance deadline aproaches, something takes shape. These papers are usually final papers and usually earn me between a B+ and an -A... which is probably why I never learned how to do work in a painless and organized fashion... at any rate, I have two papers due on the same day and no chance of an extension on either one and am incapable of forcing myself to work. WHAT DO I DO?

Second-degree citations in MLA

punishinglemur — Tue, 23 Nov 2004 17:11:52 -0800

MLA Citation Filter: The information I'm citing was found on a website. However, the person who made the website did not create this information. The information I'm putting into my paper is all from articles cited on the website; it's either a direct quote from the journal article that I copied and pasted from the website, or it's factual information from the articles that is presented and cited by the website author.

In my paper's bibliography, how should I cite the copied portions of journal articles? How should I cite the facts from the journal articles that are presented by the website's author? Do I cite the journal article, or the website?