When did you first decide to become an college essay/academic paper writer?
Sally: I have always loved being able to express myself through the written word. Whether it's an examination of my personal experiences and views or an exploration of a scholarly subject, I enjoy the permanence and utility of essays and papers. I like being able to communicate in a fluid, versatile manner. It's very satisfying to me to start an essay or paper on a topic completely foreign to me, and through research and writing gain complete mastery of that topic. I feel really gratified when I can expand my intellectual horizons. Plus, I think it's a lot of fun. As a kid I loved to keep journals and compose little songs and poems and write stories about all kinds of imaginary and outlandish characters. As an only child, I was lonely more often than not and I could create an entire world through writing. It was an escape and amusement for me, and it still is.
What are your favorite writing topics?
Sally: I like to do a lot of different kinds of writing, just to keep myself interested and learning. I like small projects and big ones, topics with which I am very familiar and those that I have never encountered before. Anything that offers me a chance to educate myself on something new or take a fresh look at something old is appealing to me. Because of my experience in political science and the law, I like topics in politics, history, sociology, and psychology. I also have interests in education and human development, so I like creating lesson plans, designing development studies, and conducting reviews of educational techniques. Because I have a rich background in foreign languages, I like anything with an international bend to it, especially literature or intercultural communications. I think studying the world around us through its words is fascinating and incredibly satisfying.
How many years have you spent writing academic papers?
Sally: In high school, college, and now graduate school, I have always been drawn to classes that demand lots of writing. My first exposure to academic writing was my freshman year in high school, back in the early 90s. I took an expository writing correspondence course through a university and took on projects in non-fiction writing that were guided by a tutor. In high school, I was the editor of my school newspaper as well as the literary magazine. That was constant writing under tight deadlines and tons of editing. In college, I triple majored in three liberal arts subjects--English, Spanish, and Political Science. All of my classes were highly writing intensive. Most semesters I would have at least one major paper in each of my five or six classes. My senior year, I took capstone courses in all of my majors that required up to 100 pages of writing for the course grade. I relished this kind of curriculum and found it challenging and fulfilling. I also performed undergraduate research, for which I had to write many proposals and grant requests over the three years that I worked on my project, which ultimately culminated in a 200 page senior thesis and translation project. In graduate school, every day is full of writing to guide and enhance my study process. I write continually for this purpose.
What kind of work do you find most challenging?
Sally: Part of me really loves approaching a paper with no direction whatsoever, just a totally blank page before me waiting for me to fill in its spaces. I like contemplating all the possibilities in a subject and all the different ways I could take the subject within the confines of the assignment. It's an adventure and challenge for me to tackle a subject in an area completely unfamiliar to me--say, advanced science or medicine or an obscure topic in the history of another culture--and I love the learning opportunities that offers.
What are your future goals with respect to academic essay writing?
Sally: I am currently pursuing a law degree, which is a career that relies very heavily on academic writing. A lawyer who is not a proficient and capable writer is not worth his or her education. Clear, effective persuasive writing is completely necessary for a lawyer to advocate and represent clients successfully. In every law job I have ever had, my writing has gotten a real workout. Every word you use, every emphasis you create, is completely significant and under scrutiny from the judge. It is always my goal to be a better writer and researcher in my law career, and the tools I have gained from my background in academic writing are invaluable for that ambition.
Thank you for your time, Sally!
Sally: You're most welcome!
