Expert: Cathy Clamp - 11/14/2007

Question
QUESTION: I spotted something with few details, about someone being a professional editorial writer. Could you give me any information on this?

Thanks

ANSWER: Hi, Demetrius! An editorial writer is a journalist who works for a newspaper on the editorial page. They're not a columnist, per se, but write articles about topics of public interest like national or local politics, financial issues or international affairs. It's a pretty tough job, combining fact searching, analysis and skilled technical writing with a short deadline and constant interruptions. Here's an interesting article written BY a rookie editorial writer on what his job entails. You might enjoy it.

http://www.asne.org/index.cfm?ID=758

There's also a professional organization of editorial writers that you might look into. The National Conference of Editorial Writers (http://www.ncew.org/ ) does require working in the field to apply for membership, but is also open to college students in journalism fields. I don't know your age, but if you're college bound, you might look into classes in journalism in your area. It's tough to break into the field without either a degree or an internship with a newspaper or other print media.

Hope that helps a little. Good luck and feel free to ask any follow-up questions if you think of them. :)

Cathy

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QUESTION: FOLLOW UP QUESTION:

Somehow from looking at a site, I got the impression that politicians and business people hired editorial writers to write editorials on their side of the issue. Is this correct? Also, can you tell me anything about Speech writing? The person was a professional speech and editorial writer, I belive. Thanks.

Answer
Ah! You're asking about a very specialized field of editorial writing. Although, in reality, speech writing can fall into its own category, I suppose. But speech writers are often culled from editorial writers. Remember that editorials give OPINIONS about facts, whereas straight journalists give FACTS that aren't supposed to be swayed by opinions. When you hear words like "spin" or "bias" you've dipped into editorial writing---whether in articles, television "talking heads" shows or such. Speech writers, especially political ones, have to be very savvy about the issues they're writing about. They have an extreme command of language, detailed information about the subject, and an innate sense of psychology.

A speech writer has to take facts and give the pros and cons, while simultaneously providing positive or negative words that will affect the listener on an emotional level. Speeches given by heads of corporations, charities and political offices have far-reaching implications for both the organization and the person. You're writing words to come out of someone's mouth, and that someone is going to be held to those words. Not you, but THEM. In turn, the organization the person represents is also going to be held to the words. That makes a speech writer a confidante, an ally, and an expert...all rolled into one.

It's a very well paying profession---upwards of $100K a year, and those who do it well are in great demand. But one slip-up with the words that make the client look bad can be the end of your career.

If it's something you're interested in, you'll probably want to look into political science classes or at least business classes. For example, let's say you're writing a speech for a corporate executive because an employee, a single mother, has complained that it's not possible to pay for child care on her salary. When a reporter asks what the company's position is on corporate-sponsored child care, how does that person respond? Enter a speech writer. The corporation wants to sound pro-kids, but without affecting the stockholder's bottom line. A speech writer would have to look at the bottom line of the company---see whether the intangible benefits (goodwill) is worth the cost to provide space in the building, hire staff and pay insurance to have children on-site. They'd have meetings with representatives in personnel/human relations, accounting and mid-level managers---in addition to the corporate president. A speech writer has the potential to actually write company policy, because they're going to be writing an executive's OPINION on whether it's cheaper to have a day care, give raises across the board that would help keep ALL employees happy (even those without kids), or simply say it's not in the best interest of the company and risk both negative public reaction and the loss of key personnel. The "spin" of the speech, if made TOO pro-kids, could negatively affect singles without kids, those close to retirement or temporary employees, without meaning to. So, it's a VERY important job, but very stressful.

Still, if you're good with words, and have a "knack" for understanding how people respond to words, you might have it in you. The only way you'll know is to give it a try. An easy way to find out is to pick up a newspaper. Pick any "breaking" story in the business section that has the potential to be a big, explosive issue. Sex/age discrimination, union problems or scandals are always good. Try researching the subject online as much as you can and write a speech for the person in charge who is going to have to respond to the allegations. Then, watch the news and see if you come close.

If you do, check into some journalism or political science courses online or at a local community college to see if you're detail oriented enough to do it on a day-to-day basis. It's a VERY detail oriented job, where you might have to sift through thousands of pages of documents just to glean out a single page speech. Some thrive on it. Others burn out quickly. Only you can judge that.

Hope that helps, and good luck! :)

Cathy