mastersinenglish.org http://mastersinenglish.org Masters in English Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:04:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Why Major in English? http://mastersinenglish.org/2012/why-major-in-english/ http://mastersinenglish.org/2012/why-major-in-english/#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:31:45 +0000 admin http://mastersinenglish.org/?p=151 Being an English major is nothing short of magnificent. You read and write and talk about what you read and wrote. What’s more? English majors learn how to think creatively and critically. Simply put, English majors are awesome. And for good reason. Studying literature equips students with an appreciation for diversity and freedom of thought. Apply those skills in the real world, and you’ll see just how valuable an English degree can be.

A literary background is doubly rewarding. You learn how to analyze literature while growing as a writer. And reading and writing skills are essential to your success in the workforce. Employers look for people who can communicate well both orally and in writing.

But why else is an English degree useful? Here are just a few of the many reasons why declaring an English major is a smart move.

  1. It’s professionally versatile: An English degree will serve you well in a variety of professions. You can pursue law, education, creative writing, journalism, politics, public service, just to name a few.
  2. It’s grammatically correct: Grammar matters in the workplace, plain and simple. Knowing how to punctuate and spell will definitely help you in your job. There’s nothing worse than professional correspondence with misspellings, typos, and grammar errors.
  3. It’s fun: Studying literature and the English language are incredibly rewarding. You’ll read books from all genres and engage in discussion with your classmates. If you take creative writing classes, you’ll have the opportunity to share drafts with others.

    4. The rationale offered here is echoed by the great achievements made by English majors including Toni Morrison, Steven Spielberg, Dr. Seuss, Bob Woodward, and Johnny Carson. The list goes on…Martin Scorsese, Barbara Walters, Arthur Miller, Conon O’Brien, and Sally Ride.

    An English degree also serves as a good foundation for graduate study. Some students decide early on to pursue a master’s or doctorate degree. Whatever the case may be, obtaining an English degree is a way to compete in today’s workforce. The skills and knowledge you’ll gain will enable you to meet the changing needs of the marketplace.

    ]]> http://mastersinenglish.org/2012/why-major-in-english/feed/ 0 Top 25 Reading & Writing Resources for English Buffs http://mastersinenglish.org/2012/reading-writing/ http://mastersinenglish.org/2012/reading-writing/#comments Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:48:32 +0000 admin http://mastersinenglish.org/?p=76

    Whether you’re a serial novelist, casual blogger, or you just like to flip through magazines at the dentist’s office, your life wouldn’t be the same without the hundreds of years of development and fine tuning that have made English a truly global language. The sites on this list celebrate English in myriad ways. Some offer advice for aspiring freelance writers, or strategies from writers who have already “made it,” and some just revel in the enjoyment of books, literature, and language in general.

    Teaching

    1. ELL Teacher Pros

      English Language Learners (ELL) provides practical learning tools for students and excellent teach resources at their site. The blog focuses on teaching successes with ELLs that show other teachers how to succeed with this task as well.

    2. LETC Teachers’ Corner

      Language ETC has been onboard providing English and literacy training to low-income adult immigrants in Washington DC since 1993. Outside being chock-full of resources for the ETC community of teachers and tutors, this blog offers insights into teaching English and its issues.

    3. Jennifer Teacher

      Jennifer Watson-Choi has successfully combined physical activities such as gym, Taekwondo, and yoga into opportunities to teach kids about the English language. Currently living in South Korea, Jennifer’s teaching style includes TESOL-based learning activities and she writes about the challenges in that pursuit.

    4. Observations of an English Teacher

      Christian is an English teacher who is teaching linguistics in Paraguay. His blog, however, offers deep insights into the Paraguayan culture – one that thrives on oral stories rather than on reading.

    5. Chestnut ESL

      This colorful and active English as a Second Language (ESL) blog showcases teaching resources, but it also features students and their successes. The overall focus is on teens, and the writers use a very positive approach to their issues and challenges.

    6. E-Learning Queen

      Susan Smith Nash has offered her advice on distance training and education for many years. Her focus on real-world issues and impacts of psychology, social, and cultural impacts on distance learning has made her blog very popular.

      7. Writing

       

    7. MediAcademia

      Kelli Marshall’s blog is very different than most writing blogs, because she’s in earnest about teaching others how to write through film and social media advocacy. Readers can find full class notes at her site, including study tips, discussion questions, and reading supplements.

    8. Pen & Palette Blog

      Susan is an up-and-coming creative non-fiction writer who writes about the writing, mental health, and faith in her blog. Her unpublished novel, Cherry Bomb, made the Short List for the 2011 Faulkner-Wisdom Creative Writing Competition.

    9. Writerly Life

      Blair Hurley is a writer and instructor, and provides writers with resources, including writing prompts, tips, and advice, in her blog. Widely published, Blair focuses on literary fiction or short stories, but she also wants to write novels.

    10. Charlotte Rains Dixon

      Anyone who wants to write can learn that skill from Charlotte’s blog. As a writer and teacher, Charlotte provides more than just writing tools – she also provides creative inspiration and tries to help other writers to love writing as much as she does.

    11. Plot to Punctuation

      Jason Black is a freelance editor who wants to help creative writers achieve their publishing goals. Non-fiction authors also can benefit from Black’s services, and all writers can learn about everything from plot to punctuation at Jason’s blog.

    12. The Heart and Craft of Life Writing

      Sharon Lippincott focuses on life writing, memoirs, and journaling, and she loves sharing what she learns. As an author and teacher, she freely offers amazing tips and resources for other writers, including writing prompts.

    13. The Well-Fed Writer

      Peter Bowerman’s blog is just one facet of a multi-dimensional site about how to make a living as a freelance writer. His focus is on how to obtain writing jobs that pay more than $50 per hour.

    14. Ghostwriting Uncovered

      Writers find few blogs about ghost writing and about how to tap into that lucrative market, but Amanda Evans is an excellent choice on filling that void. She provides tips and resources to show you how you also can quit your day job (like she did!).

    15. Flogging The Quill

      Ray Rhamey is a novelist who focuses on storytelling, and he’s also an editor. Ray began in advertising, went to screenwriting, and now offers his help to other novelists through online constructive criticisms.

    16. Denise Low Postings

      Denise’s passion is for writings about the Middle Western grasslands in Midwestern states. Of Cherokee descent, her focus is on spirituality and Native Americans, but she also ranges widely to provide information about different genres, authors, and writing news.

    17. Lynda R. Young

      The Hobbit turned Lynda’s life around. After reading that book, she wrote two epic-length novels during her teens and early twenties. Today, she provides excellent writing and social media tips to her readers.

    18. Marilyn’s Musings

      As a successful mystery series writer, Marilyn Meredith provides sincere and credible advice to other writers. Marilyn writes reviews, and also shares intimate insights into her writing life.

    19. Writing Creatively

      Theresa Wiza is a creative screenplay writer who offers her advice on everything from how to add revenue to a blog to resources for other scriptwriters. A prolific writer, Theresa doesn’t hesitate to talk about her successes and her failures.

      20. Reading

       

    20. digibooklibrarian

      kYmberly is a student in a library science program, and she also is a writer, entrepreneur, and “artistic socialite.” She’s a faithful chronicler for “digibook” news, events, and technology, helping readers stay abreast of national book news.

    21. Adventures of a Misfit Librarian

      Although this blogger calls herself “Misfit,” her blog reveals a creative spirit who happens to be a librarian. Her blog reveals a tendency for thrift, with a penchant for freebies, Pinterest, and funny letters to objects of interest.

    22. A Writer Afoot

      Barbara Samuel O’Neal is the author of more than thirty award-winning novels, but you’d never know this fact from her blog. Enjoy well-written articles that show an author with a very well-rounded life.

    23. Lizzy’s Literary Life

      Lizzy is one of those prolific readers who is a “completist,” meaning that she reads through the entire works of any given author. Her focus is on European writers, and her blog is heavy on reviews as well as artwork and information about book festivals and authors.

    24. Chrisbookarama

      A book reviewer who welcomes eBooks and organized book tours, Chris still is picky about how much she reads, and fair as possible in her reviews. This reviewer also has provided content for the Project Gutenberg Project blog and she is an active social media user.

    25. The Book Nut

      Melissa is a self-confessed voracious reader, and she also produces more book reviews than just about anyone on the planet. She’s especially fond of middle grade and YA fiction and science fiction fantasy. She never has enjoyed a crime or thriller novel, but you might connect if you love travel and food as much as she does.

    ]]>     http://mastersinenglish.org/2012/reading-writing/feed/ 0     Beyond Teaching: 10 Exciting Career Paths With an English Degree http://mastersinenglish.org/2012/beyond-teaching-10-exciting-career-paths-with-an-english-degree/ http://mastersinenglish.org/2012/beyond-teaching-10-exciting-career-paths-with-an-english-degree/#comments Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:33:25 +0000 Contributor http://mastersinenglish.org/?p=34 Like history majors, people often wonder what English majors might do with a degree in this field other than to teach. But, while you’re waiting for that academic tenure, your classmate might shoot far beyond your financial expectations with a job in the business sector. An exploration into the world of business, including acting or graphic design, might lead you into more exciting careers for English majors. Not only is the power of self-expression in demand in fields such as desktop publishing, politics, the arts, and history, the competition is far less for someone who is articulate on paper and in speech. The only thing holding you back is your own lack of imagination or initiative. Check out the following ten career paths for English majors and begin to dream big.

    1. Independent Film DirectorActors, Producers, and Directors: Do you have a touch of drama in your writing and lifestyle? Would you like to be in front or in back of a camera? The most important qualities employers look for are creative instincts, innate talent, and the intellectual capacity to perform. The best way to prepare for a career as an actor, especially in the theater, is through formal dramatic training, preferably obtained as part of a bachelor’s degree program. Producers and especially directors need experience in the field, either as actors or in other related jobs. If you prefer to remain a hermit, you can try your hand at scriptwriting. This field can prove stressful, but exciting.
    2. Advertising, Marketing, Promotions, Public Relations, and Sales Managers: It makes sense to pursue a business role after completing an English degree. This career is all about communications, both written and oral. You may already have computer, research, and critical thinking skills with your English degree, so you can compete with the best. Do brush up on marketing skills, since they’re changing with social media. Although experience, ability, and leadership are emphasized for promotion, advancement can be accelerated by participation in management training programs conducted by larger firms.
    3. Demonstrators and Product Promoters: Demonstrators and product promoters encourage people and stores to buy a product by demonstrating it to prospective customers and answering their questions. Although high school is the minimum requirement, this job could lead to promotion into marketing or public relations departments, or other jobs such as acting or sales. This is a great source of part-time income, and growth in this industry is expected to rise over the next few years.
    4. Desktop Publishers: Although There is generally no educational requirement for the job of desktop publisher, your English degree will put you at the top of this field quickly. The ability to communicate succinctly and to design newsletters, blogs, or other forms of print and online publishing (including eBooks or Print-On-Demand books) is a desired initiative in this field. While working for companies and seeking advancement is one way to enter this career, desktop publishers also may start their own companies or work as independent consultants. If you have artistic talent and further education, you may find job opportunities in graphic design or commercial art.
    5. PoliticianGenealogist (Social Historian): This field is growing, thanks to the availability of online research. Your writing, research, and analytical skills as an English major can push you to the top quickly. Many researchers enjoy this work, because it’s similar to piecing together a puzzle. The writing skills come in handy to publish memoirs, biographies, and other works that could alter a local, regional, or national historical perspective. Brush up on historiography if you want to pursue a more scholarly approach to this work.
    6. Market and Survey Researchers: In addition to completing courses in business, marketing, and consumer behavior, prospective market and survey researchers should take social science courses, including economics, psychology, and sociology. Because of the importance of quantitative skills to market and survey researchers, courses in mathematics, statistics, sampling theory and survey design, and computer science are extremely helpful. But, your English degree also serves you well in the research and communications side to this career.
    7. Paralegals and Legal Assistants: Most entrants have an associate’s degree in paralegal studies, or a bachelor’s degree in another field and a certificate in paralegal studies. Some employers train paralegals on the job. This is a great entry into legal practice, if you want to pursue law. Paralegals usually are given more responsibilities and require less supervision as they gain work experience. If you don’t want to pursue a law degree, you may seek promotion to delegate assignments to other paralegals and clerical staff. Advancement opportunities also include promotion to managerial and other law-related positions within the firm or corporate legal department.
    8. Politician: Why settle for a job as a speech writer when you can write your own speeches? Choose between executive careers or legislative careers within this field. You know you’re doing your job well if voters re-elect you, so that is the advancement you might seek. Once you’ve tasted a political career, you might move into other fields and become a corporate executive or a lobbyist.
    9. SalesProject Manager: If you are organized and like to oversee all elements of a project, this field may prove exciting for you. Project managers lead and motivate a team of workers and coordinate their efforts. Project managers also make sure that work flows steadily, despite setbacks and changing circumstances. Beyond the ability to communicate clearly, you might pick up on subjects of study in project management, such as planning, ethics, risk management, and team building. Future project managers also learn mathematics skills, such as statistical analysis, decision science, and cost-benefit analysis.
    10. Public Relations Specialists: Public relations specialists serve as advocates for clients seeking to build and maintain positive relationships with the public. Many entry-level public relations specialists have a college degree in public relations, journalism, marketing, or communications. Some firms seek college graduates who have worked in electronic or print journalism. Although advancement within this career is common for astute professionals, some experienced public relations specialists start their own consulting firms.
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