Digital Producer at WZZM 13

I oversee all of our web content, which includes writing articles for the website, managing social media, and developing multimedia elements for stories. Additionally, I copyedit other reporters' stories before they are published. I am also an assignment desk editor, so I track breaking news and help determine what we are going to cover.

Writing comprises a lot of what I do, from writing web articles to editing articles from other reporters. Some of the articles are just short updates or stories, but some are longer more developed stories in which I've reported on the topic. All of the writing that I do is digitally-based, so I write within the limitations, but also the freedom that the internet allows. This means I am not just writing, but also figuring out how to best present the reporting with multimedia elements, like galleries, infographics, and timelines. Finally, I often use my background with writing when acting as a copyeditor.

After graduating from GVSU, I decided to pursue journalism because I always loved my magazine writing and creative nonfiction classes. And I was interested in learning how to report and pair those skills with my writing experience. I ended up getting an MA in Journalism from a school in England. The university worked closely with a local BBC station, and I had the opportunity to learn from seasoned journalists there. After finishing that program, I moved back to the United States and did quite a bit of freelancing. I worked for two local papers and for an independent publishing company. Then I applied for the position at WZZM 13 and went through a few rounds of interviews before starting there.

I think the biggest thing for me was how much we learned how to think about the audience in a piece of writing—i.e. the classic rhetorical triangle (yes, it's helped me after graduation). In the journalism field, our audience is a very important factor that helps shape our decision-making and news coverage. Every day, I am deciding if our station should cover something or put something on our website and one of the major filters is: how this is relevant to our audience? Through the writing program, a foundation of this kind of critical thinking was developed. At my current position, I find myself often relying upon that kind of thought process. While audience is the factor I find myself typically accounting for, the other elements of the rhetorical triangle often come into play. Accounting for the writer (me), especially in journalism, is a crucial element. I have to make sure that my personal filters and opinions do not limit or shape our coverage. But on the other hand, I also have to use my knowledge, particularly of this area, to guide the coverage. The purpose and context are also important—but I find myself most often thinking about the other two parts of the triangle.

For future/current writing majors: The writing program at Grand Valley is wonderful. You have the opportunity to try so many different aspects of writing. It's worth taking the classes you aren't so sure about because it will make you a more well-rounded writer. Also, visit the Writing Center. Everyone—even writing majors—can use help and feedback on their writing.

For current majors nearing graduation: There's not one route to take after college. There are so many paths you can take with the writing degree, and even then, there are so many ways you can achieve your goals. So, my biggest piece of advice is to figure out what you want to do with your degree—whether it's creative writing, professional writing, design, editing, journalism, etc.—and make a plan for how you can establish yourself in that field. Also, when applying for jobs or internships, persistence is key.