After weeks of preparation, the time is finally here. Last night I was so excited that I could barely sleep. I have tried to prepare everything I could for today. My suit is freshly pressed, and I have purchased a special new pen. Normally I buy standard disposable ballpoint pens, but I thought that I should treat myself to a higher quality model now that I'm a writing intern at Coleman Partners. I found a really great pen at an art supply store - a Parker Sonnet Veridigris Lacquer Ballpoint; it cost more than I would normally think of spending on a pen, but I don't mind. I have even been writing some practice advertisements on my own to sharpen my writing skills.
I got to do some actual work today; I helped to do some writing for a brochure, and even did a bit of editing. I was amazed at how much work I had to put into writing such short pieces of copy. I really feel like there is an incredible amount of stuff that I need to learn about writing and advertising.
I spent most of my morning on the phone trying to get Oprah tickets. I never got through.
It can be very difficult to separate my own opinions from what might be best for a document. Sometimes I feel like changes are made to something I write just for the sake of changes being made. Particularly, I feel like changes are sometimes made that don't correct for my lack of clarity or any related issue, but are made to suit the preferred style of the editor. I imagine that this is just part of the territory, something that I will need to get used to as long as I am writing in a professional environment. Where does ego end and confidence begin? This seems to be the underlying issue, and I don't really know what the answer is.
I still haven't become comfortable with the editing process. When I'm submitting a document, I hope that the editor will give me as much feedback as possible, noting incidences of awkward style, improper usage and any other issue worth reviewing. When I receive corrections, I appreciate the chance to rework some of my sentences and to revisit my work.
What I still struggle with, though, is feeling confident in the strength of my ideas. Sometimes I find it very difficult to cope with having every idea I put down either modified or removed. I can easily understand the desire to make the product as well balanced as possible, but it is not uncommon for me to leave work feeling completely dejected and questioning if I am really good enough to do this type of writing.
We bought a wiffle ball set at lunch today. The bat and ball are glow-in-the-dark, a feature helpful for finding entertainment during late work sessions, but not quite as useful for vampire hunting. Vampires can see very well in the dark.
The immigration march went by our offices this afternoon. From start to finish, it took about two hours for all of the people to pass. Everyone in the office went out to watch for a bit and the office above ours had hung a banner showing their support for the marchers. I had never seen a gathering so large, and it was the first time I felt any real connection to or understanding of the immigration debate. I think that it was the humanity of the event that made the issue into more than politics; here were real people, not faceless numbers repeated in newscasts. I am glad to have experienced this.
I have found that I spend more time generating ideas than I do writing. Brainstorming, either alone or in a group, has proved to be one of the more enjoyable activities I participate in. From the session that generated "Reacharound" and "Sumpin' Sumpin'" (as possible brand names for a client's project) to laying out the details for an "Under the Sea" themed workshop, collective brainstorming has produced some of the most humorous moments I've had at any job.
Looking back at my first entry, what stands out to me the most is not the enthusiasm and excitement about a new opportunity but the superficiality of my approach to it. I was more concerned with looking prepared than I was in being prepared. I wasn't insincere in my preparation, I was just naive.
I don't think that I am becoming cynical already (though Scott, one of the other writers, might argue that I would be a better writer if I did); I think that I am becoming more comfortable and focused on what I am doing. The idea of being a writer seems less glamorous than it once did. That's not to say that it is less appealing; if anything, I am more excited about contributing to the projects in front of me than I was when I started.
I had my first review this afternoon. Overall my own opinions of my internship thus far have been positive; I think that I have been introduced to all of the things that I hoped to be, and I would say that the level of participation I have had has been beyond what I hoped. Fortunately, my reviewers had mostly positive feedback as well. I didn't necessarily feel nervous going in (though there is always some amount of uncertainty before any evaluation), but I was certainly concerned about what they would have to say. It has been really important to me that I do more than just a good job as an intern; I want to take full advantage of the opportunity that I have to learn, and I also want to repay the chance Coleman Partners took on hiring me. So far, I think I have accomplished both of those, and I am looking forward to the coming months with great excitement.
Last week was the first time I have ever had to struggle to keep my personal life from interfering with my work life. It was extremely hard to keep my mind focused on what I was working on and to prevent myself from wandering into painful and deterring avenues of thought. The strong mental and emotional taxation I felt essentially voided my appetite for the entire week, leaving me both unfocused and exhausted each day. But in an effort to find the positive in everything I do while interning, I think that I learned something about how to put aside the things in my heart (as best one can in those situations) and do my best to put forth a valuable effort each day. Life goes on.