Research Writer Interview With Gabriel
Careful Writing And Research
Hi Gabriel. Can you tell us how you become a professional writer?
I have always been good at writing. My poems were published in my school's paper; I wrote short stories for fun, growing up. Since I was also fascinated by psychology and sociology, I chose to study literature and sociology at university. I have a B.A. in both.
As a creative writer, I have been published both electronically and in paperback. My first novel was published in 2004. I won my first writing competition in 2006. As a professional writer, I have over fifteen years experience meeting deadlines in writing, research, and management roles for different online companies.
How do you choose your writing assignments?
I am an avid reader of many subjects, but I will only choose to write about the disciplines I have academic expertise in, namely psychology, criminology, sociology, literature, poetry and creative writing. It's also very important to me to find the topic interesting. Thus, when I ask to write an essay, it means that I have given the topic and description careful consideration, I have looked at the deadline and know that I can meet it, and I'm really looking forward to doing the research and writing.
How would you describe your writing style?
I'm a very careful writer. Years of experience have taught me that words have meanings, very specific meanings. So I choose my words carefully, and I construct my sentences with great respect for clarity. I also like to adhere to grammatical rules, and very rarely do I bend them for effect. Having experience in both creative and academic writing is also wonderful, because, after all, even a paper about the human psyche tells a story, with logical conclusions and points that lead from one to the other. Knowing how to be a good storyteller comes in handy even in non-fiction work.
What makes you especially good at writing about literature and poetry?
I have always been very good at analyzing themes and abstractions. This gives me the ability to come up with unique insights. It also makes it easy for me to find the threads of the theme along a story line. When I started writing fiction myself, I had to reverse the method; I started with the abstractions and had to weave a tapestry of events for them. I've experienced the process from both sides, first as a scholar, then as an author.
What makes you especially good at writing about psychology and the social sciences?
The ability to identify themes is important outside of literature, too. A good academic paper will be guided by abstract ideas, which it wishes to prove or illuminate. Just listing a lot of different sources without rhyme or reason is useless. So my skill at threading ideas together comes in handy here as well. Beyond that, as I've mentioned, I have a degree in sociology, which encompasses psychology and criminology. I've been immersed in these fields for years and find them fascinating.
What can a student expect from your work?
A well researched paper, well thought out, well organized, and well written. There will always be a clear introduction, body, and conclusion, with strict adherence to citation rules. References will always be 100% accurate, and there will never be any plagiarism. In addition, I have never missed a deadline in my life. The whole point of engaging a professional is to receive professional work in a timely manner. In short, I will be writing the paper with as much commitment as if I were writing for myself. I love what I do, and I take pride in it.
And when you're not writing...?
Then I'm probably reading, both fiction and non-fiction. And poetry. I love poetry, especially the English Romantics: Keats, Shelly, Byron, Wordsworth... and I mustn't forget Kipling-"Saluting aloofly his fate he made haste with his story, and the words of his mouth were as slaves spreading carpets of glory" (The Captive).