Translator of strategic and artistic languages
As a student, I have always been drawn to writing-intensive classes, taking every opportunity to enroll in elective courses outside of my majors that would help me learn a wide breadth of styles and improve my overall rhetoric. Over the course of my college career, I had the chance to take classes in technical philosophical writing, logical argumentative writing, and even personal storytelling.
In my professional career, I often take the agency to write my own copy for various client-facing materials and have enjoyed taking a communications lead on projects. My copy has ended up on official company social media posts, client pitch decks, and even an article on Forbes Magazine.
Below are some excerpts from previous work both in and out of the classroom.
Writing and Communications
Communications
While working at the Horowitz Agency I was assigned to create the initial drafts for articles later posted on Forbes Magazine. Working with clients who would ultimately rework the drafts to include their professional opinions on current legal events, I got to do initial research and follow the process through various iterations, learning what it takes before a piece is published. Below is an excerpt from the article that I drafted on a legal matter regarding the responsibilities of reality TV production teams to their talent:
"The contestants are paid a stipend contingent on how many episodes they last, usually between $8,000 and $15,000, but when determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor, the most important factor is control; “whether the person to whom the service is rendered has the right to control the manner and means of accomplishing the result desired.” On “Bachelor in Paradise,” an argument can be made that the producer has the right to control the manner and means of accomplishing the desired result, so the contestants may be classified as employees."
Through the drafts, the team and client reworked my initial excerpt, but I was pleased to see the logical construction of most of my article mirrored in the final draft, still available on the Forbes website. Here is the final iteration of the above paragraph:
"Reality show contestants of this type are paid a stipend contingent on how many episodes they last, usually between $8,000 and $15,000 total, and employee or independent contractor status is dependent on control: “whether the person to whom the service is rendered has the right to control the manner and means of accomplishing the result desired.” On “Bachelor in Paradise,” an argument can be made that the producer has the right to control the manner and means of accomplishing the desired result, so the contestants may be classified as employees, regardless of how they are paid, thus exposing the producers."
Click here to view the Forbes article in full.
Argumentation
In this delayed thesis essay, I argue the case of adopting a pet from a shelter as opposed to buying one from a pet store or breeder, a cause I personally care a great deal about as my family has six shelter animals and I have dedicated many volunteer hours to supporting shelters. I begin the essay in an effort to establish a connection with my assumed disagreeing audience as I create a dialogue. I conceded that adoption may not be for everyone as it comes with certain challenges in an effort to avoid appearing preachy. The essay reads as an exploration into the options available to those looking to add a pet to their household; rather than an assertion of choosing adoption, I spell out the pros and cons of each method before ending the essay with my thesis as a recommendation, which can be read in the following excerpt:
"All factors considered the majority of people who simply have an aesthetic preference for a specific dog breed may be able to reconcile the decision between shelter dog risk and breeder expense in a way that gives them the best of both worlds: adopting a puppy. It is extremely common for shelters and animal foundations to have puppies available, as owners of illegally fertile dogs often abandon unexpected litters of newborns on an unsettlingly regular basis. These puppies provide an opportunity to charitably and cost-effectively become a pet owner, as shelter dogs can be adopted for as little as the price to get them the proper shots, usually a fraction of the cost from pet shops and breeders. Even if affording the breeders’ price tag is of no concern, it still might be worth considering the shelter puppy, as it is only a matter of time before the breeder’s puppy finds a nice home. Shelter puppies, however, have a yearlong window in which they have the potential to become as great a companion as those from a more fortunate background. Before long they become old enough to be affected by the traumatizing conditions of the shelter lifestyle, as their trainability and general mental state decrease with each birthday."
Click here to view the argument in full.
Philosophical Writing
In the midst of the 2016 election my first year of college, my Present Moral Problems philosophy professor asked us to write our final paper for the course on the morality of voting, specifically considering the 'lesser of two evils' approach to voting for a candidate. As the course focus was on the technical elements of philosophical writing, the paper had to center around a conditional phrase it could prove; mine was as follows:
"If a person, informed to the best of his or her ability, believes one candidate would be better for the country than any others, then that person has a moral obligation to vote for him or her. If a person is uninformed and/or has no preference over which candidate gets elected, then he or she is not morally obligated to vote for any candidate."
I spent the next eleven pages of my final paper constructing my philosophy around these two sentences, and while the philosopher quickly learns that it's easier to prove than disprove, the mental exercise was one I will never forget.
Click here to view the essay in full.