Edith Updike

“Edith has only one speed and that's "go." Her attention to detail inspires writers to be more concise in their reporting. This is evident in her work managing 17 weekly publications at Anton Newspapers. Edith not only instructs you on how to become a good writer, but gives the necessary tools to be consistent in news coverage, while giving snappy, punchy prose to copy in need of a clean-up. Her writing/editing skills would be a great addition to any group, whether it be news, public relations or otherwise. She brings out the best in a writer; something many struggle to accomplish.”

“It’s intimidating to write ANYTHING for Edith Updike, so this isn’t the easiest recommendation I’ve written. Her insistence on using every word with purpose (she calls it “being pithy”) and her impatience with lazy writing are just two of the many lessons that have taken me far in my professional career. As my writing professor and advisor to my graduate thesis at Columbia University, Edith’s instruction and mentoring made me a better writer, strategist and leader. Seven years after the first class with Edith, she remains the supreme authority I invoke when explaining to executives why they can’t make a presentation with wordy Power Point slides. Her down-to-Earth approach to teaching and coaching writers made for the most memorable moments of my time in graduate school. One of my favorites: “Repeating the same word over and over in a piece is like drinking a good beer— the first sip is cold and refreshing, but by the end, it just tastes stale and boring.” Edith is much more than a great writing professor— she also trained me to be a strategic thinker in every area of marketing communications. While advising me on my graduate thesis, Edith kept me focused on first defining the problem in the simplest (pithiest?) terms. I’m certain the successful outcome of my thesis was most attributed the guidance I received from Edith. When I enrolled at Columbia, I wanted to get an Ivy League education, and Edith was the stand out professor and mentor who delivered the rigorous and challenging experience I sought. Any organization or individual would be wise to seek out Edith as a strategic advisor, marketing communications leader, professor, or writer. P.S. If she were reading this recommendation, I’d like to think she’d offer this feedback: • The lede draws me into the story. Why is this professor so intimidating? • Great example of a lesson learned from Edith about something everyone can relate to: boring Power Point presentations • The postscript was probably unnecessary and maybe a little too informal for LinkedIn, but is a good example of how you learned to use humor in your business writing from Edith.”