"Years at the editorial desk qualifies for an academic writer position"

Writing term papers seems like a rather odd way to make a living. How did you end up doing this type of work?

Kate: Sometimes twisting paths take us to peculiar, and fascinating, places. I studied international affairs in college and graduate school, and went on to become a political organizer. Ten years later I was largely burned out, and realized that the only part of my job that I actually enjoyed was the time I spent writing press release and op-ed pieces. So I took a deep breath, left my job, and set about reinventing myself as a journalist.

How did you become a journalist when you had no experience, or education, in the field?

Kate: I started at the bottom, with an unpaid position at a tiny weekly newspaper. I poured my heart into every article they would let me write, and six months later had a small collection of clippings. Those I took to the editor of a chain of local weeklies, and convinced him to hire me as a part-time reporter.

Kate: I have the necessary academic credentials and I know how to do research - there's nothing easy about the graduate programs at Johns Hopkins University. I also write as easily as most people breathe. Above all, I received a liberal-arts education at a university that insisted students fulfill a broad core curriculum that included everything from philosophy and theology to mathematics. As a result, I can tackle a pretty broad range of subjects.

Kate: If you learn anything as a reporter, it's to respect deadlines. Additionally, years at the editorial desk gave me a keen eye for detail. When I've finished an academic paper, I polish it in the same way I would an article headed for the presses.

What single quality do you think is most important to success as an essay writer?

Kate: In a word, curiosity. Academic writing can be a rather remarkable opportunity to be paid to learn.

Kate: We usually do best what we love most, and I love to conduct research and to write. When I can dig eagerly into a project - as interested in the subject as I am in the paycheck - I realize I'm fortunate to be able to do such work.

Of course, it's not always fun. Sometimes it takes an absurd amount of time to dig up the required information, and I end up working for half the minimum wage. Customers frequently place orders at the last minute, and I have to scramble to get them done on time. I've been reminded, at 3 a.m., why I didn't like Kant the first time around. Overall, though, it's rewarding.

Rumor has it that many model papers are largely plagiarized - that they are merely cut-and-paste jobs from a variety of Internet sites. Do you ever resort to that approach?

Kate: Not only do I never plagiarize, but I don't think I could if I wanted to. I'm fundamentally honest, and couldn't bring myself to cheat my employer or the customer.

Does it bother you that some students might use model term papers to largely avoid doing their own work?

Kate: Not only do I not worry about that, but I honestly think model papers can help students academically. I like to think that, at least occasionally, one of papers inspires a student to learn to do similarly good work.

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Kate Writer . Academic Credentials

Term Paper and Essay Writing: Learning for Fun and Profit