Craig Wilson - guest speaker

Craig Wilson had a tough time convincing a bunch of American University students this evening that his life isn’t fabulous. “I have to fight the notion that my life is fascinating. Although, sometimes, it might be,” said Wilson.

Author of The Final Word, a column for USA Today, Wilson works from his home, stepping out for a run during lunch and bringing his dog Maggie to open houses around Georgetown in the afternoons. “I pretend that it’s a postcard…a lot of times that really works for me,” said Wilson about working within the confines of a word limit. He possesses the acute ability to make 85 lines about, well, almost anything, seem like a personally addressed note to readers across America.

Wilson had some advice for the budding writers in room 331 about finding topics, style and interviewing. Clad in a pink and white stripped oxford, ironed khakis and penny loafers, Wilson addressed the group with a distinctly self-knowing, witty, nonchalant air that could explain why he finds it so easy to connect with people, on the job or not.

“I’m always telling my bosses that I’m working 24 hours,” said Wilson. Selecting widely appealing and consistently interesting subject matter for a weekly column still poses a challenge for Wilson, even after writing thirteen years of “The Final Word” and 25 years of writing at USA Today. “Its only once a week but it’s been... years…do I have anything left to say about the Christmas turkey?”

Wilson emphasized the importance of timeliness for topics and reminded listeners that being consciously observant was helpful in spotting interesting things to write about. He also offered somewhat of a fallback, “People love dog columns” he said.

He also stressed the importance of finding a voice—something he has clearly mastered. Wilson said that he takes it as a compliment when his friends call him after the Wednesday publication of his column and say, “Oh my God, that sounded exactly like you.” “When you’re writing something about your life…hello?!” said Wilson, implying that it should be easy. He said reading a piece out loud is the best way to know, “You will hear what’s wrong” Wilson said.

When questioned about interviewing skills he said, “You just have to be very very natural.” He gesticulated through a story about journalism students in another class he visited who were assigned to interview a businessman. The students told Wilson they were planning on going to the businessman’s office for the interview. He shook his head, “Get him out and get him relaxed” he told them.

But if students remember one thing Wilson said, it will be to keep writing concise. He spoke about his experience writing a column, usually profiles, at a small town newspaper in Saratoga, NY. “I look back on those profiles and I think, ‘God, who, besides their mother, read any of those things?” said Wilson, referring to his long-winded pieces. When he was sent to USA Today, he never came back. “Anything you write, you can make better by cutting it,” Wilson told the students. Concise would not be the ideal word to describe his speaking style, but his presence and advice was as popular as his column.

Click here to access Craig Wilson's column.