If you’re a collegiette who visits HerCampus on a regular basis, then you’ve probably asked yourself at some point what goes on behind the scenes at HerCampus. What’s the secret to becoming a HerCampus writer or getting your article published? What actually goes into writing an article? Although these might seem like trade secrets, being a HerCampus writer is actually a very fun and exciting experience. It not only helps develop new campus connections, but it brings aspiring writers and collegiettes together to share in their creativity. So how do you become a HerCampus writer? Let’s start from the beginning.
Becoming a HerCampus writer involves filling out an application if the campus chapter you wish to join already exists. If your school does not have a chapter, or is starting a new one, you may be lucky enough to become a founding member and skip the application process entirely. Lucky me, I jumped on the bandwagon early and was warmly welcomed into the budding chapter at Marymount.The Marymount Chapter, although linked to the university by name, is not connected to the university in any other way, shape, or form. This means true writing freedom and complete student led meetings and experiences.
Each chapter is led by a campus correspondent who organizes meetings, writes articles, and oversees the work of members. The campus correspondent is also in charge of communicating with HerCampus nationals and helps to inspire members of the university HerCampus team. Meetings are held every week so that writers and other members of the chapter can meet to share ideas, set goals, and develop stronger friendships. Writers come up with a list of article ideas that are then shared with the group. This is a time to give critiques and feedback on previous work and work to come, and is usually filled with laughter and giggles over campus gossip.
Between meetings is the time for writers to do their research and find inspiration. Research can be anything from searching the web for cute gifs, contacting a health professional about an article on healthy eating, or visiting a local club or café for a review. For me, research also involves taking photos of my experiences with my girlfriends, one of which took the awesome picture of the Fillmore below.
The writing process is different for every HerCampus member. Some write at home, some at school, and some even write with a fellow member to strengthen an article with multiple perspectives. Personally, I write at home in the comfort of my own room, and am usually accompanied by the presence of my adorable cat and dog. So far for research I have gone to multiple music clubs and cafes, and have spent time studying different fitness sources and doing fun exercise videos.
Each article gives room for growth and a new sense of fulfillment, and is a chance to expand one’s voice and knowledge as a collegiette trying to make her way in the world.
Want to become a writer for the Marymount HerCampus chapter? Email lindaquinones@hercampus.com for more info!
Credit to collegiette April Evans for the photo of the Fillmore Silver Spring.