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Editor in Chief Charles McCarter
Design Editor
Associate Editor
Production Manager
Assistant
Organizational Consultant
Copy Editors
Staff Writers
Production Staff
Contributors
SPJA Site Administrator
Special Thanks To:
Contacting EX EX: The Online World of Anime & Manga © 1996-2000 EX, The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation. All Rights Reserved. |
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Recently, I saw a thread in a newsgroup that got me to thinking. (Now there's a rare occurrence. And no, it wasn't the "Enterprise vs. Yamato vs. Gekiganger" debate.) Someone said that they didn't trust a reviewer unless they were "professional." Now, this person's definition of professional was "getting paid for writing the reviews." He rattled off several magazines and cited their writers as "professional." Of course, this was based on his assumption that these writers were getting paid when in fact, they may or may not have been. However, I don't define "professional" in such narrow terms as
whether you get a paycheck or not; it's all about your attitude. I used
to teach a Japanese Humanities class, and this class had a very strong
writing element. Dealing with freshman and trying to get them to write
was not the easiest of tasks. I would always say to them, "You're free to
say whatever you want in your writing, as long as you can back it up."
Developing analytical and communication skills are key if one is going to
make a successful argument for or against anything.When I talk to prospective EX writers, I
always give them the same kind of advice: you are free to like or dislike
anything, but as a reviewer, you are obligated to explain why so that
others may understand. After all, if you don't like mecha stories, then
GUNDAM—no matter how beautifully
animated—just isn't going to appeal to you. Or if a certain voice
actress grates on your nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard, that's
going to affect how you feel about a show in which she has the lead. You
can like stuff. You can hate stuff. You just have to explain why. And just
like when we were kids, "just because" doesn't cut it. (Well, not with my
Mom anyway...)Being professional is also presenting your thoughts and ideas in
a coherent, comprehensible structure. And trust me, I've seen some articles
written by so-called "professionals" that would make you wonder if they
were written by a native English speaker, or if they had actually watched
the show they were writing about.Being professional is about attention to detail. Sure, everyone
makes mistakes. But when you do, as someone striving to be professional,
it is your obligation to fix them. Typographical and factual errors should
be corrected. Information should be accurate. This is why newspapers and
magazines print corrections and retractions. This is why people check their
facts. And most people don't know it, but this was one of the major reasons
for the invention of the spell checker—to help people seem more
professional, at least on the surface.Being professional is not about having an ego, but about
recognizing your importance in the scheme of things. You're writing about
the show, not about yourself. Sure, as a writer you have an important job,
but don't get in the way of your own article. Too many times people have
gotten carried away with their own enthusiasm and I have read articles that
begin as a review of something and end up as little more than a one-sided
"you should listen to me because I'm right" argument. Maybe you are and
maybe you're not, but telling people you're right isn't going to make them
change their mind.Attention to detail. Focused attitude. Clear expression of ideas.
These are the hallmarks of a professional; it's not about if you get paid
five cents a word to write the article. It's about how you feel about the
article and yourself after you've finished. Many of the most "professional"
writers I have ever seen have not been paid for their work. Yet it is still
some of the best work I've ever seen. It's great if you can make a living
at writing, but not everyone can. And those that write without financial
compensation are no less worthy of respect, their opinions are no less
valid. They may not be writing for the NEW YORK POST,
but that doesn't mean they can't write.Ex animo,
Charles McCarter |
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