What I've Learned Writing For A Magazine

When I first found out about Her Campus and that my school had a chapter, I was ecstatic and so excited to join... until I realized I had missed the application deadline that was a week prior. I spent that whole semester reading posts from authors at UCF and other authors across the country and waiting for it to be my chance.

For reference, Her Campus is a magazine ran by college-aged women. According to Forbes, Her Campus has amassed the largest female college-aged readership of any publication! It covers all kinds of topics, from pop culture to sex and relationship or college advice.

When applications came around for the spring semester, I eagerly sent over my application way in advance and waited... and then waited some more. They were a few days late in letting me know that I was accepted but all I really cared was that I was in and that I was able to have my first articles published! Now, in my second semester writing for Her Campus here are a few of the things I've learned.

1. Writer's Block Is Pretty Much Inevitable

...and almost always inconvenient. As writers for Her Campus, we were required to contribute at least one article per month. However, between the stress of juggling work, school, and other clubs I was involved in, it was hard to find ideas. I loved writing, but I didn't know just what I wanted to say. The easiest way I found to combat this was to read more. Not just Her Campus articles, or blog posts. Reading any type of writing and listening to podcasts on different topics really helps me when I'm feeling directionless.

2. Be Prepared For Feedback

As this was my first time writing for a publication, it took me a little while to find where my voice fit in with the brand voice the publication was looking for. It wasn't that what I was saying was bad, rather it wasn't conveyed how it needed to be to mesh with the overall image and style of Her Campus. Now when I'm writing for Her Campus, I feel a lot more confident that what I'm writing and how I'm writing it will fit well with the thousands of other authors on the platform.

3. Ideas Flow Best Without Judgment

It may be true that diamonds are created under pressure, but the same doesn't always apply to yourself. Allow yourself to think of all sorts of ideas without faulting yourself for the "bad" ones. Bad ideas have been the precursor to most good ideas, so keep the ideas flowing until one sticks.

4. It May Take A While To Find A Voice

Once I got into college and began writing more outside of academic writing, it felt hard to break away from that rigid style of writing. Academic writing sounds very informative and educated, which is good in some cases. However, learning to write more conversationally took time. Conversational writing has allowed me to connect with more people and to see better results in my writing.

5. There Is No Write Or Wrong Way To Write

As with many things in life, what works for some won't always work for others. The environment in which you work in, how long you work on something at a time, and the approach you take may all vary vastly from others. Additionally, what works for you sometimes may not always work for you. A lot of the times, I like to sit and write something in one sitting, whether that's a Her Campus article, a research discussion, or a paper for class. However, when I am starting to hit a wall, sometimes I need to work in small chunks or use different methods to get the ideas and momentum flowing.

Writing for a magazine has been one of the best things I've done during college. Besides giving me published works to add to my portfolio, it has given me incredible confidence in my skills as a writer.