The first time I tapped-out during a fight, my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach, a purple belt, locked me in a triangle choke, controlling my movements like a lion chewing on a sofa cushion. As he cinched his legs around my neck, he levered my head into the meat of my shoulder which began constricting the blood flow from my carotid artery to my brain. I was folded and compacted and compressed indiscriminately, and before I reached out with my one free hand and tapped on his thigh to signal my defeat, I remember thinking: how could one person exert so much pressure?  

We are used to the internet understanding us. I read somewhere that Siri’s most-frequently asked question is ‘what’s this song?,’ and I’d guess that most of those inquiries are answered swiftly and correctly. Most search engines will even check and correct our spelling too, which is great for those of us who continue to struggle with touch-screen typing. To my sausage-thumbed question ‘Whp wroite Nores of anative soin/?’, Google breathes a tolerant sigh and fetches me James Baldwin’s Wikipedia page.  

So, I could be getting a bit ahead of myself here, but feedback is probably the most useful aspect of your studies (I know, probably too enthusiastic, but stick with me). Submitting your work and receiving feedback can seem like a scary process at first, but it will highlight your strengths and more importantly, areas that you may need to work on - something that is hugely important for you as a writer. After all, we are all here to develop our academic voice, aren’t we?! 

 

If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.

Martin Luther (c. 1517) 

To understand the complexity of a problem, as well as the available solutions, executives and board members must turn to written communications. 

William J. Farrell (1992)