Goals for the semester in JMS 220

1. Become more confident with AP style.
2. Target niche groups in a way that entices them.
3. Remove bias from my writing.
4. Condense information and remove repetition. 
5. See a more clear career path maybe ??

Primarily, I would like to be more comfortable with the AP style because it is a crucial component of becoming a credible journalist. I would like it to become second nature so I do not have to constantly refer back to my notes and double check myself.

Secondly, I want to be able to target specific groups even if I do not relate to them. Throughout my summer internship, I was assigned articles that were supposed to be targeted towards parents of New Jersey and even more specifically, moms of New Jersey. After writing my first article, the editor responded back that the article seemed more like it was targeted towards teenagers. After that, I started focusing more on what my target market wants to hear. Although it is hard to come out of character sometimes, it is important as a writer to put yourself in the readers’ shoes. 

Thirdly, I always try my best to keep my opinions out of my writing, however, sometimes my views shine through without me even trying. While writing, it is easy to get carried away with an idea that you are passionate about without realizing readers may not have the same perspective as you. Therefore, I want to be more conscious while I am writing to not include a bias perspective.

Over-explaining is another pitfall I find in my writing because sometimes I am scared that I did not get my point across effectively or clearly. During the editing and revising phase of the writing process, I often find a group of very similar sentences grouped together in a paragraph. Rather than having a handful of choppy sentences, I would like to have a couple well-written longer sentences. Therefore, I can convey my point more effortlessly and professionally.

Lastly, I hope this class gives me some clarity in what career I would like to eventually end up with. Although I have a very vague picture in my head, I am mostly uncertain of what I exactly want to do in the future. I will not set my expectations high for this goal, but, I do hope this class at least guides me in a career path.