My newswriting experience this semester has played an important role in shaping my goals as a digital media student and storyteller. As someone interested in creative storytelling and screenplay writing, I entered the course hoping to strengthen my narrative voice, and I found that working across multiple journalistic formats challenged me in productive ways. Writing a community news story, a social media story, a current event piece, an editorial article, a photojournalism story, and even a sports article pushed me to adapt my communication skills. Learning AP style for the first time was especially meaningful because it introduced me to a format that opens doors to professional opportunities I previously felt unprepared for.

Throughout the course, I relied on research, outlining, and narrative structure to overcome writing challenges. These strategies helped me stay organized and confident, whether I was interviewing community volunteers or writing an opinion piece. I also learned more about ethical storytelling, especially when I took photos for my photojournalism assignment. Reaching out to organizers, talking to volunteers, and taking thoughtful, ethical photos taught me the importance of accuracy, respect, and responsibility in media work.

While I enjoyed learning about different topics, I was most drawn to the editorial piece and the short screenplay assignments because they aligned closely with my creative interests. Writing about the benefits of plant-based diets was especially meaningful to me since I became vegan earlier this year. It gave me a chance to express and support beliefs that matter to me.

Overall, this experience has helped me identify which topics I enjoy writing about and which I don’t. More importantly, it strengthened my skills as a multimedia artist, preparing me to pursue future screenwriting and narrative-driven digital media projects with more confidence.