South on I95

or, Reflections on the AUSA Writing Workshop: Powerful Prose

On my six-hour drive from AUSA’s headquarters in Arlington, VA back to Fort Bragg, I had a rare quiet moment to reflect on the day.

By any measure, the inaugural AUSA Writing Workshop: “Powerful Prose,” was an impressive event, with dynamic speakers, practical skill development, and ample opportunities to network with Army writers. But as I mentally catalogued lessons and observations from the day, prose didn’t even make the list. During a break from the drive (shamefully spent in a Taco Bell drive thru) I jotted down my takeaways from the workshop.

A Statement of Priority

Before I made it out of the beltway, I concluded that the power of the event was that it acted on the message that quality professional writing strengthens the profession and is, in fact, a priority. Leaders in and out of uniform reinforced the Chief of Staff’s emphasis on professional writing by virtue of their time and attention, to say nothing of their remarks. Constraints on time and resources provide ready excuses to defer investment in Soldiers’ development, but if leaders like General Brito, General (ret.) Brown, and Lt. Gen. (ret.) Dubik can make time to focus on developing writers, the rest of us have no excuse.

Process over Product

Approaching Richmond, I considered how I would apply the day’s lessons to my own writing. The value the writing process, apart from the final product, took root in my mind as the preeminent theme of the workshop. Speaker after speaker described how writing (not publishing) has clarified their thoughts, organized their ideas, and made them better communicators. While there is immense value in contribution to the body of professional knowledge, there is likewise value in disciplining our approach to writing. A focus on clarity, conciseness, and precision benefits all military professionals, whether writing for Military Review or sending an email to the staff. In short, the writing process is at least as important as the writing product.

Making Time for the Profession

Somewhere east of Raleigh, it occurred to me that Army leaders don’t need much to steward the profession and develop critical skills. By all means, if you can get From the Green Notebook’s Joe Byerly or Georgetown University’s Dr. Heidi Urban to show up to your battalion LPD—do it! But what we owe the Army and our Soldiers is the time and command emphasis to focus on a skill that won’t show up in many measured readiness metrics. Grab a copy of the professional writing special issue of Military Review, or request reach-back support from the fine team at The Harding Project or assistance from your local Dubik Writing Fellow. Leaders can host writing workshops with no investment but their time.

The Next Writing Workshop

Three-hundred and twenty miles (and two Crunchwrap Supremes) from Arlington, I returned to Fort Liberty finally able to put my finger on the impact of the day. AUSA’s Writing Workshop: Powerful Prose fully delivered on the promise to support the Chief of Staff’s call to revitalize our professional discourse. Most importantly, however, it proved the concept that the only barriers to developing better writers are time and leader emphasis. Connecting individuals with the drive to contribute to the profession in their free time is powerful and doesn’t cost a dime. There is more leader emphasis on professional writing today than at any point in recent Army history. Likewise, there are more resources available to support writers, and fewer barriers to publication now than ever before. With all the venues for military professional writing available today, leaders have no excuse not to share experiences, analyses, and observations.