What have I learned?

I must admit, I entered this class last August with mixed emotions. I was confidant in my ability to communicate in various formats, but had no clue what the focus would be, how class would be conducted, grading methodologies, or the form versus content emphasis.

I learned early in the term that my normal writing "voice" was not correct for office communications. I needed to focus more on who would read it than how it sounded to me, and edit out my attempts at humor. This is not the first time I have learned these lessons, I have received extensive training writing audit reports for executive management and audit committees. Unfortunately, recent experience has been much less formal, with almost all writing consisting of e-mails in a technical department. I adapted my communications to the style and format I received, which tended to be highly informal, with many typographical and grammatical errors. I am glad I was forced to re-learn proper office communication etiquette and formats, it provides a good basis for effective communication, and will always be appropriate in an office environment.

I was also amazed with the number of writing genres covered, some of which were totally foreign to me. While I grew up with TV and Radio, I was unfamiliar with their processes and formats. The requirement to get the point across quickly and efficiently while retaining the audience's attention was a revelation. Same with some of the advertising discussions. Breaking down the advertising formats was very interesting and enlightening. I imagine having success breaking through the "clutter" is a significant milestone for a copywriter.

All-in-all, I have enjoyed this class and learned (and re-learned) many valuable lessons that will stand me in good stead for years to come.

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