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How to Write a Her Campus Article

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Allegra Maldonado
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Ally Bruschi
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Kenyon chapter.

Many students browse through the Her Campus site, reading articles and filling their brains with random (but totally necessary) information about how to thrive as a collegiette. Very few, however, probably think about the women behind the words and the work that is involved. It is true that writing a Her Campus article isn’t nearly as time-consuming or infuriating as actual homework – it’s usually a barrel of monkeys–but, sometimes, when you are fresh out of ideas the typical stages of writing go at a slower pace than you might imagine. So read on to enlighten yourself on the stages that we here at Her Campus Kenyon must go through when writing an article:

  • Brainstorming: One thing to consider when choosing a topic is your schedule for the week. Do you have the time to write a legitimate article? Or do your homework and social life inhibit you from doing so,  in which case you must pick a topic with more fluff . . . and pictures (not unlike this one). Inspiration for articles can come from all sources – current events, life at Kenyon, suggestions from friends, or even a eureka moment!
  • Writing: We typically have 4-5 days to complete an article, meaning that, like all responsible students, we wait until the last possible moment to begin said writing process. Panda bear said it best:
  • Throughout the writing process – however short or long it may be – you doubt your original topic idea. You contemplate switching topics. Maybe you even do switch topics. It is also necessary to take bathroom or snack breaks every 5-10 minutes to ensure that you keep up your stamina. Don’t listen to this slander! Study breaks are key! 
  • Editing: Although our fearless editing leader, Ally Bruschi, is in-charge of editing, sometimes it’s nice to take the initiative and edit your own piece first (or pawn it off to a willing friend). Part of the editing phase is adding a title. It should be something catchy, eye-grabbing; in other words, a 21st-centurized title. Apparently, the titles are often left for Ally to complete as well (sorry about that)!

We hope to continue to serve you readers faithfully, but we can’t always promise we’ll be prompt – because hey, there’s always tomorrow!

 

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Ally Bruschi is a senior political science major at Kenyon College. She spent this past summer interning as a writer with both The Daily Meal, a digital media group  dedicated to "all things food and drink" and The Borgen Project, a non-profit organization that partners with U.S. policymakers to alleviate global poverty. Before entering the "real world" of jobs, however, Ally spent many summers as a counselor at an all-girls summer camp in Vermont, aka the most wonderful place on earth. A good book, a jar of peanut butter, a well-crafted Spotify playlist, and a lazy dog could get her through even the worst of days.