If you’re subscribed to my blog then you’re no stranger to my views, or rather my concerns around declining literacy rates in North America. Statistically, most adults today read at a 6th grade level, and given the current conversation around AI and task automation, I’m sure those numbers need to be revised.
Outside of the work I lead as a founder of a ghostwriting agency, I teach English part-time at a college. I am really passionate about literacy education and, 3 years ago, felt called to go beyond talking about it. So much of the work I do as a professor is to ensure tomorrow’s writers and thinkers are prepared for their future—apply critical thought to any given situation and have the basic communication skills to express the conclusions they come to.
As I observe much of the content and interactions online, I realize that, therein, lies the problem. Social media can easily offer us a false sense of confidence around our writing when we’re limited to short captions, and have AI features on standby ready to “polish” us away. Just recently, I shared a post on my LinkedIn about the ways I’ve changed the introduction of my emails to include personal questions and anecdotes, and encouraged my followers to do the same. It’s become a small way to personalize what can be seen as such a mundane task, so imagine my surprise when someone replied saying they were going to ask ChatGPT to come up with a few introductory lines of their own. Even as I tried to push back, they were resolute in their decision.
I was shocked by her brazenness, not because of her direct response, but because of the lack of interest or curiosity around brainstorming her own creative output. Listen, I get that writing can be tedious, and we think we’re better off using that time for something more productive. But far too many people assume writing is something that must be innate within a person, and they couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s almost understandable then that the moment they stumble on a thought or sentence, it becomes easier and easier to relinquish creative control over to a chatbox.
But reality is, just like any other skill, your ability to write and articulate your thoughts and ideas is something that requires intentional effort, practice, and the ability to admit when you need assistance.
Most people would never guess I’ve had to navigate the world with a learning difference since elementary school, or that I failed grade 11 and 12 high school English, and later dropped out of college. I didn’t get really confident in my abilities to read and write until my early 20s.
When I first began my writing career in 2010, it was during the blogging era when we all raced home to see what our favorite writers had shared that day. Though I was new to the space, I wasn’t deterred. Seeing their effort and output actually motivated me to work harder to become better. And that came in the form of, not outsourcing my ideas, but diligently working night after night on my writing skills through reading, writing nonstop, and even reaching out to the occasional editor for help.
What started as a hobby to express my innermost thoughts, grew into a successful journalism career, which then led to me launching my agency and now ghostwriting for some of the biggest names in the world. Who would’ve thought?
The automation of our thoughts and ideas is slowly stripping us of the ability to identify and seek out the areas we may be struggling in and, most importantly, the humility to ask for help.
So, I’m just going to put it out there. I’m here to help.
Just as I pour into my students, I want to do the same for my online and in real life communities. There are so many small steps that go into becoming a stronger communicator, reader, writer and problem solver, and I want to ensure that everyone in my network is equipped with what I believe to be critical skills in today’s era of automation.
So, if you find yourself struggling with finding your words, whether in an email, pitch, or of course, a memoir, or even if you simply need a mindmapping partner to help you clarify your creative ideas, hit me up.
Our ability to identify, refine, and expand our cognitive skills begins with trusting that what we desire is already in us. And if you need any support in uncovering those parts of you, I am here ready to help.
A BIT ABOUT ME: Hi! My name is Pauleanna Reid. I’m the founder and chief storyteller at WritersBlok where I lead an all-women of color team of celebrity ghostwriters. As a collective, we help industry leaders and doers who are shaping the future turn their personal stories into brand assets so they can stay relevant in a noisy world, communicate to their audience at scale, and turn any conversation into a meaningful and profitable lead. Clients truly trust me with their reputations and their legacies. In fact, when they want to speak up on a hot topic and shake the room, I’m the woman they call. Many of them have me on speed dial, why don’t you?