What is Professional Writing? A Guide for Students by Perry Glasser

All Writing - Process Message Object WriterAudience Different teaching theories focus on different aspects. Diagram adapted from A Rhetoric for Writing Teachers by Erika Lindemann

Qualities of Professional Writers Collaborative – professional writers work with subjects, primary sources and editors Audience focused Interdisciplinary thinkers –graphics and layout are part of the creative process

Professional Writing Compared to: Rhetoric – traditional composition, focuses on the Message –Persuasion and argument, or forms. Writing in the Disciplines –Research for a social science or literature for examples –focuses on an agreed upon model of the world, the “Object” Creative or Imaginative Writing –focuses on the Writer – “Write what you know.” Professional Writing focuses on Audience

Kinds of Professional Writing Business Support Writing –Some business writing requires a specialized vocabulary: finance, education, etc. Publishing –Literary journalism differs from reporting –Book publishing careers are built on editing and critical thinking skills Electronic Media –PowerPoint –Desktop publishing –Web and Internet –Blogs, DVD, CDs – you name it

Professional Writing Careers Publishers – book and magazine editors, literary agents Writers – freelance and staff writers Corporate writers produce internal documents and external documents –Grants writers often work in the non-profit sector