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Put The “Art” In Article ” How To Pursue A Career In Interior Design Journalism
Education 18 years ago No Comments

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contributed by Karen Watts Perkins, Allied Member ASID [graduate student in journalism, The University of Alabama]


Okay, think fast. What do you want to do when you graduate from design school” Many of you probably hope to land a dream job at a cool design firm where you can put into practice all the valuable skills you’ve learned. IDJournalism.gifThat’s a great goal to have, but what about other career options” I want to encourage you to give a little — okay, a lot — of thought to not just practicing interior design but writing about it as well. There are great opportunities for interior design graduates (or practicing designers looking for a change of scenery) to pursue careers in journalism.


Blaze New Trails

When I was working toward my degree in interior design, design publications, both trade journals and consumer magazines, were resources I couldn’t live without. I used magazines for ideas on my projects, information about products and design styles, and updates on professional issues. Based on what I’ve heard in talking with insiders at various design programs, students and professionals depend on them just as much. And there’s a good reason. From portraying the image of interior design to other industries and the public to promoting the work of designers, the interior design media greatly influence the profession.

When I started researching interior design journalism for a project in my master’s program, what I found wasn’t much. There is very little written about the topic, but there are plenty of people who have an opinion about it. For the most part, their assessment isn’t great. While design journalism does a great job of showcasing new projects and providing information about products and events, the media’s role in discussing design problems and solutions and in advancing the profession often comes up short. “There is no tradition of good interior design journalism,” says Susan Szenasy, editor in chief of Metropolis. “The need is critical.” Which is where you, the student, come in.

Unfortunately, you probably won’t find a course that teaches you how to practice interior design journalism. There are dozens of colleges and universities that teach business journalism, science journalism, environmental reporting, and sports writing. Many even offer arts journalism courses. However, an Internet search found no college courses that specifically teach interior design journalism. So, until that happens, and it’s not an unattainable possibility, we’ll have to improvise.


Off To A Good Start

As design students, you are at a good starting point for a career in interior design journalism thanks to the writing you already do in interior design programs. Programs that are accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, formerly FIDER, fulfill 12 standards for accreditation, one of which, Standard 5, is communication. According to this standard, students are taught to communicate clearly when writing (using correct spelling, grammar, and syntax) specifications, schedules, contracts and other business-related documents such as project programs, concept statements, reports, research papers, résumés, and correspondence.

“In classes [at WSU], students must express visual, verbal, and written communication,” says Jo Ann Asher Thompson, professor of interior design and vice chancellor at Washington State University. This includes project concept statements and written dialogue, or journals, documenting the process of creative solutions.

Jane Kucko, associate professor of interior design at Texas Christian University, explains how students in the program utilize writing skills. “Students may research a topic (on a certain period or designer), write in terms of concept development, and also do technical writing specifications,” she says.

Through your writing as interior design students, you are learning to communicate the aesthetic, technical, and theoretical components of design, which are all crucial pieces of information when it comes to real-life projects. The writing skills you learn now, combined with your knowledge of design practice and professional issues, are excellent stepping-stones for a journalism career.


A Minor Decision

Journalistic writing, however, is going to differ from the writing you use in your design program. Journalism can include different writing styles depending on which publication you are writing for, and often, grammar rules and other conventions you learned in English 101 are completely contradicted. Writing well and effectively, however, is basic for any communication. If you can do this, learning the nuances of journalism just takes a little extra effort. Consider completing a minor in journalism, taking an elective in the communications department (if your school has one), or signing up for an independent study.

Many schools list design journalism as a career option for majors, and some even suggest journalism as a minor course of study for their interior design students. With these courses, you will learn the fundamental skills of news writing and reporting and get to explore more specialized topics like writing for magazines, visual journalism techniques, and online journalism. If your school doesn’t offer a journalism minor, you can still try to work in a class or two from the communications department. Some courses to consider taking are introductory journalism, basic reporting, and feature writing classes.


Freelancing Around

Many publications, especially smaller ones, accept freelance contributions to fill the editorial pages. If you don’t have room in your schedule for extra classes, if you know journalism is not the main career for you, or if you’re reading this and are no longer in school, then freelancing is an option is for you. The requirements found in most freelance writing classes are objectives you can easily learn on your own.

First, go back to all those design magazines you look to for ideas and information. Read them. Study them. Eric Freedman, assistant professor in journalism at Michigan State University, offered this teaching advice to future freelancers in Magazine Matter, the newsletter of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s magazine division. “Read all the articles in an issue,” he wrote. “Pay attention to article length; slant, tone, and style; use of subheads and sidebars; paragraph and sentence length; sourcing; and frequency and placement of anecdotes and quotes.”

By analyzing a magazine’s editorial structure, you’ll become familiar with the type of stories they publish, the writing style they use, and the grammar rules they follow. The Internet is a great resource to find information about specific magazines as well as tips on freelance writing. You might also consider buying the book Writer’s Market. It comes out every year and contains editorial submission information for hundreds of magazines as well as a brief overview on how to be a freelance writer.


You’ll Never Know ’til You Try

Finally, get writing. Try to get some articles published and build up a collection of writing clips. This will beef up your portfolio and impress an employer, even if they aren’t in the journalism field. To get started, you can submit some ideas to publications you have studied, volunteer to work for student media at your school, or check out the PLiNTH & CHiNTZ Share Your Experience page. Getting experience is the best way to find out if a journalism career, whether full-time or on the side, is in your future.