There are people who write for money, people who write for news, people who write for the love of it, and people who just simply write. The difference between all these people is who reads what they write. Whether their words remain for their own private keeping, or they are released for the world’s consumption.
When we put our writing out for consumption, as writers we must expect criticism.
While studying journalism I have encountered this first hand. Everything you write will be criticised for the best reasons. The improvement of writing goes hand in hand with learning from your mistakes.
The only issue with this is that often, one can lose the joy of writing while experiencing reoccurring criticism. Finding an outlet that spouts this joy is key to remaining inspired and motivated.
HerCampus means the reintroduction of joy into my writing. HerCampus is a space where no idea is a bad idea, ideas can be tweaked and improved but they are never binned.
HerCampus is a space for creativity and learning through encouragement and support.
HerCampus contributor Aine O’Boyle said: “In terms of articles there is something for everyone and no idea pitched is a bad idea.”
She also described the society as “incredibly inclusive” and that it “values the contribution of each individual.”
For some, like Niamh Shields, editor of HerCampus it, “means the world”.
Shields view was like O’Boyle’s as she said: “We all encourage and motivate another to be the best versions of ourselves, not to mention, be confident in our writing abilities.”
When I asked contributors about what HerCampus means to them, this opinion of Niamh’s was a common thread in their answers. The encouragement and motivation that is passed from member to member daily is infectious and euphoric and it is clear that each member notices and appreciates how rare this sort of atmosphere is.
Aoife O’Brien and Róisín Maguire both mentioned the importance of having a platform to voice their opinions to other female readers and writers.
This to me sums up what HerCampus means. The power and support given to every contributor, to write about what they feel passionate about is seen rarely in the realm of writing. The offering a platform where nothing you write is not good enough but simply a stepping stone to improvement is incredibly inclusive and sparks a sense of freedom and creativity that I think can be seen showing through in articles released by HerCampus
When I write for HerCampus I feel like people care about what I have to say. I feel like I am writing something to be enjoyed, to be agreed or disagreed with but regardless, to be appreciated.