Our business-writing alumna on how she got published
Ariane Chapelle, a consultant, explains how Economist Education’s course helped her write an article that was published in the Harvard Business Review
Ariane Chapelle, an expert in risk management, wanted to sharpen her storytelling skills, so she spent six weeks on our popular business-writing course. Participants on the course are taken through the whole writing process, from planning to self-editing, and apply what they learn in a writing project. After finishing the programme, Ariane found an outlet for her coursework in the Harvard Business Review (HBR). In an interview that has been edited for length and clarity, she tells Economist Education what she learnt from the experience.
Economist Education: What motivated you to enrol in our business-writing course?
Ariane Chapelle: When I discovered the course I thought it was an excellent opportunity, for three reasons. First, I could learn business writing from those I believe to be the best—journalists at The Economist. Armed with that knowledge I could then teach younger members of my team how to write effectively.
Second, I wanted to benchmark myself against the many other participants on the course and get their feedback on my writing.
Third, the storytelling elements of the course made me even more interested, as I would like to move from non-fiction to fiction writing in the future. The course offered a blend of business writing, which I am more comfortable with, and storytelling, where I could challenge myself.
Economist Education: Your coursework was eventually published in the HBR. Could you tell us more about the process?
Ariane Chapelle: I began writing a piece on positive risk management in 2018, urging a more constructive approach to the process of managing risk built on taking positive lessons as well as negative ones, which is the better way to stabilise performance. But I never had the time and discipline to complete it.
When I learnt about the project element of the course, I knew what topic I would choose. I remember isolating myself in a cottage for a week: I can honestly say I have never rewritten a piece as much as I did for this course. Fortunately, the tutors were very helpful in guiding me.
Regarding getting published in the HBR, I was so pleased with the outcome of my writing project that I thought people would read it. I submitted the piece via the HBR website and followed up with an editor through LinkedIn. He asked me to adjust the piece to fit their editorial guidelines, add more examples relevant to their readership, and put extra focus on how risk management is important to small- and medium-sized businesses. My editor did a brilliant job of polishing up the flow of the paper and it was published in September.
Economist Education: Your article garnered significant attention on LinkedIn, with 31,200 views. Why do you think it resonated with such a broad audience?
Ariane Chapelle: It was remarkable for the post to be seen and shared by so many people, lots of whom I don’t know. I think the reason it resonated is that we need positivity everywhere, including in risk management. I wanted to make people aware that risk management can be a booster of performance, not a drag, and that we can learn from our successes as well as from mistakes. So, in the article, we flipped the usual view of risk management.
Economist Education: Could you share some key lessons from the business-writing course that you found valuable in crafting your article?
Ariane Chapelle: I recommend this course to anyone interested in writing. The course is well-structured and the themes are clear. The tutors are highly committed, dedicating significant time to read, and provide feedback on, everyone’s work.
My main takeaways were the injunctions to avoid clichés, find fresh metaphors and focus on structure. The course also helped me clarify my writing objectives, ensuring I can communicate directly with my target audience.
Economist Education: Can you tell us more about the interaction between participants and the course tutors?
Ariane Chapelle: What struck me most was the tutors’ kindness. They deal with hundreds of participants from various backgrounds and with different levels of proficiency. The encouragement can be valuable for any participant, from beginners to people with more experience.
If you’re interested in exploring Economist Education’s business-writing course, click here.
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Business writing and storytelling
The course explores the psychology, craft and purpose of writing with a focus on the choices writers must make—from words, phrases and metaphors to the sentences and paragraphs that make up creative expression.
