Author: Jennifer Ward

The Value of an English Degree: On Making the Most of an Education

 

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by Jennifer Ward

“Education is one thing no one can take away from you.”

Elin Nordegren

Many of us who were English majors might have heard: “Well, I guess you could always teach,” or “Are you sure a degree in English is worth it?” While I was an undergraduate student in my twenties, I was questioned a lot, and it didn’t feel good. There were times I doubted how useful my degree would be post-graduate life. Would I end up working as a barista? I thought. I hoped not. As much as I love coffee, that would be a nightmare. The angst of figuring out what I wanted to do career-wise was part of it. Though I’ve wondered why we often question the valuable skill set we acquire with an English degree and all that we have to offer the world. Today, I argue that those of us with an English degree hold a remarkable advantage over everyone else—we can write.

While pursuing my bachelor’s degree, I worked as an administrative assistant for a large hospital in Midtown East. After a while, I didn’t like my job. I wasn’t valued there, and the work became tedious. It became my personal hell from 9 to 5 within the small confines of my cubicle, and I knew I wanted to do something different. But I wasn’t sure yet what that was. After earning my degree, I used my communication skills to land an administrative role in another large hospital on the West Side of Midtown. I was offered a higher position and a considerable salary leap. Because of my degree, I earned enough to support myself and pay for college with no loans.

As an assistant supporting the hospital’s chief staff, one of my responsibilities was editing the hospital’s newsletter. I reviewed written submissions and planned the newsletter’s layout. I’ve taken various English courses—journalism, literary theory, linguistics, and creative writing. They’ve helped prepare me for the multiple professional roles I’ve taken on. Although my knowledge of feminist theory or Marxist theory in literature may not have been something I needed to know in the office, the analytical and writing skills I gained were quite valuable. Around this time, I began looking at graduate schools. I had considered pursuing an MBA or MPA and thought about law school. I eventually knew my heart wasn’t in healthcare administration. So, I moved on.

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Soon I started working as a substitute teacher, and before I knew it, I landed a permanent position teaching English to seventh graders. The most rewarding parts of teaching are getting to know my students each year and sharing with them what I know about literature and life. I didn’t become an educator because I had to; I became an educator because I wanted to.

Today, I’m teaching at the same public school in Brooklyn I was when I began my career. I’m also spending time with my other passion—writing. I am building a small side business as a freelance writer. In my spare time, I write fiction and creative nonfiction as I work to develop my presence as an author. Soon, I will be completing a second master’s degree—an MFA. I’ve learned over the years that an individual with a background in English or creative writing is quite marketable. Teaching has been a wonderful, stable career for me, but there is so much more out there in the world. Why stop there? A degree in English for anyone could mean working as an author, a freelance writer, an editor, a social media marketer, a literary agent, a journalist, a technical writer, a copywriter, and the list goes on. While some of these industries are challenging to break into, it is possible to be successful. While most of us with a humanities degree will never be rich, we will acquire a wealth of transferable skills we can bring anywhere. To anyone who wants to undermine the value of an English degree, I say, “Stop and take another look.” Much of it boils down to one primary skill we all need for any career—communication. And that’s an area any English major would undeniably shine.

Hey there! Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this story, please let me know by sending a like or comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts! This article has been updated. The original story was published here. You can also subscribe to future blog posts at the top of the sidebar to your right. Additionally, you might enjoy the excerpt from my personal essay “The Courage to Rekindle a Dream.”

Five Books Every Writer Should Own

 

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by Jennifer Ward

Writing has always been part of my life in one way or another. As a child, my journey began with writing short stories and poems about family summer vacations. As a teenager, I kept a journal for many years, writing about crushes and teenage drama. Today, I’m grateful that I can say it is a daily part of my life. As most people would expect, I write a lot as an English Teacher and an MFA student. But I also spend substantial time working on my creative writing. Whether our passion is technical writing, copywriting, creative writing, or something else, as writers, we never stop improving our craft or looking for work.

Over the years, I have found this small stack of books to be incredibly useful in the pursuit of writing. I hope you find them helpful too.

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On Writing Well by William Zinsser

When I finished college, I was still looking for ways to improve my writing. During an afternoon of Google searching, I came across Zinsser’s book. I immediately ordered a copy and read it on my subway commute to and from work in Midtown. In those days, I had at least two hours of reading, Monday through Friday, which I often took advantage of.

Although this book was first published in 1976, it is up-to-date, addressing changes in the writing world making it relevant today. If you want to learn more about writing nonfiction, Zinsser—a lifelong journalist—offers some very sound advice in a tone that I found to be warm and friendly. I learned a lot from him about words, usage, style, and different types of nonfiction writing. William Zinsser passed away in 2015, a few years after I read his book. He remains immortal through his words, leaving behind a strong legacy in the writing world.

His classic guide is timeless and something we can all learn from.

Writer’s Market 100th Edition: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published by Robert Lee Brewer

In 2020, a fellow MFA student in a fiction writing course suggested picking up a copy of Writer’s Market. I’m happy I took his advice. This big book of nearly 1,000 pages is a reliable source for anything and everything a writer will need. It even includes advice on how to format a query letter and a chapter explaining how much to charge as a freelance writer. The pay rate chart continues for several pages breaking jobs down by the hour, project, and industry. This valuable source contains information about where to submit your work and how. Other editions focus on fiction and literary agents for those more interested in creative writing.

This trusted guide has been around for over a century—you can’t beat that.

The Faith of a Writer by Joyce Carol Oats

Joyce Carol Oats, or as I call her, JCO, has been one of my favorite authors for decades. Her frequently anthologized short story, “Where Are you Going? Where Have You Been?” has left such an impression on me that I still think about it twenty years later. I’ve read several of her books and have found myself in awe of her writing and imagination. By the way, if you haven’t read her novel Zombie, you need to. I won’t say anything else. The less you know starting that book, the better.

Naturally, when I came across her book, The Faith of a Writer, I had to read it. Who wouldn’t want a glimpse into the private writing life of their favorite author? In a collection of essays, she elegantly writes about what makes a story striking and where she finds inspiration. Perhaps I am biased as a super fan, but I think everything she writes is brilliant.

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The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction: Tips from Editors, Teachers, and Writers in the Field Edited by Tara L. Masih

Looking further into my shelved writing books, I found another excellent source written by various experts in the field. This book offers some interesting prompts, such as one based on the Rorschach Test. There are several steps involved, but the overall goal here is to generate a list of images associated with an inkblot created by you. The writing assignment is to draft a flash fiction story using those images and words. Sounds challenging, right? It is, but it’s also fun.

What I like about this book is that it offers an example of a flash fiction story, an essay by the author, and a writing exercise for you to practice. If flash fiction isn’t your thing, Rose Metal Press has also published books on prose poetry and flash nonfiction.

The Freelancer’s Bible by Sara Horowitz with Toni Sciarra Poynter

I initially read The Freelancer’s Bible for a required business class I took while working on my master’s degree. Yet, since then, I have used this as a road map to building a new career which is growing into a small side business. This book often reads like a friend offering professional, no-nonsense advice. Who wouldn’t want that? Even if you aren’t new to the freelancing world, this book is filled with beneficial suggestions for continuing to grow your business, such as figuring out taxes, insurance, and all the other intricacies of self-employment. If you are interested in working as a freelance writer, I highly suggest picking up a copy of this informative guide.

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this blog post, please let me know by sending a like or comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Author Interview

Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

By Jennifer Ward

Recently, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by author and fellow MFA graduate student Faith Harris at Southern New Hampshire University. Read on to learn more about recent projects I’ve worked on, and what inspired me to write contemporary fiction.

FH: Let’s talk about process. Starting with, where do you write? How do you find the time?   

JW: I have a habit of bringing my laptop everywhere with me just in case I have some free time. I’ve written in hotel rooms, on subways, and during breaks at work (before I became a teacher). These days, I mostly write at my desk by the window in my NYC apartment. Lately, much of my time is devoted to my teaching job and graduate school. I try to get a lot of writing done during the summer, other school vacations, and the weekends.

FH: What made you want to start writing?   

JW: I’ve been writing in some form since I was very young. I kept a diary since the age of six, and when I was in the fourth grade, I wrote a small collection of one-page stories about summer vacations my family and I went on. Writing has always been enjoyable and therapeutic for me. I wrote a bit in college and afterward, here and there. I’ve had different careers in healthcare and education, but writing has never left my life.

FH: What is your chosen genre and what led you to write in this genre?  

JW: I write contemporary fiction. The thing that draws me to this genre is how relatable the characters and scenarios can be.  I think fiction can help us make sense of the world around us, and I try to do that with my stories. I once heard someone refer to contemporary fiction as “a slice of life,” and it really is.

FH: Can you please give us a brief overview of the project you are currently working on, if any?  

JW: Currently, I’m working on a few things. I recently wrote a short story about two sisters who are reunited by their father’s death. There is a lot of conflict and tension between them since he didn’t make his last wishes known. Many of my stories deal with family relationships. I also wrote a nonfiction story for Chicken Soup for the Soul I’m going to submit for publication. My story is about my experience teaching in a densely populated school in Brooklyn during the pandemic, watching my students and colleagues get sick, and eventually getting sick myself. It sounds sad, but it’s uplifting and all about thinking positively. Finally, I’ve written some character sketches and scenes for my debut novel, which is still very much a work in progress.

FH: What advice would you give a young aspiring writer?  

JW: I’m still in the process of building my own career as an author, but to a young writer, I would say go where you are valued and appreciated. Try to let go of any doubt or negativity others might project onto you. If writing is your dream, go for it.

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