Writing has always seemed like some mystical, enigmatic force to me. As a child, I used to read my favorite books and watch my friends develop elaborate creative writing pieces of their own, and I would wonder how such inspiration could be conceived within a single person’s mind. Growing older, reading academic papers has been a similar experience; I’ve marveled at the ways the authors could not only conduct brilliant research but also present it eloquently. 

When I decided to pursue editing, I knew that I wanted to be part of that storytelling process. I don’t have an inclination towards writing original pieces, but when I read, I’m always imagining how I could help authors refine their work and make it even better. I got my first taste of this as a writing tutor for Green River College, where I would assist students with both copyediting and developmental editing, helping them create their theses. Doing this allowed me to get a peek behind the curtain into what the larger writing and editing process is like, but it wasn’t until coming to work at the Center for Engaged Learning that I was really able to understand how much of a community-based activity writing truly is. 

Writing is Community-Based 

Writing itself is a communal act. Academic literature in particular draws heavily from pre-existing work, and this post is no exception. While searching for secondary sources, I came across Kevin Roozen’s contribution to the Naming What We Know collection, which focuses on crystalizing theories of writing studies. Roozen argues that writing is inherently social. No matter the platform, even if the author acts alone, simply documenting a message implies the consideration of an audience’s needs. Diary entries and notes to oneself are not exempt from this, as an author can be their own audience (Roozen 2016).  

There are, of course, countless ways that authors are more directly influenced by others. As stated in the Elon Statement on Writing Beyond the University, authors are bound to be inspired by the media they’ve consumed, for example, since nothing is created in a vacuum. The act of writing is done on technologies that were invented by others, and authors almost always consult people throughout production, like beta readers, editors, colleagues and peers, experts in the field, and often the audience themselves (Bleakney, Rosinski, and Moore 2024).  

This is where my job comes in. 

Publishing as Dialogue 

As a publishing intern, some of my duties include copyediting, fact-checking, and improving a digital piece’s SEO and graphics. I’ve gotten an in-depth insight into the amount of collaboration and revision that’s involved with publishing even the smallest piece. As I sit here writing this, in fact, I can’t help but think of all the work that lies ahead once the writing itself is finished.  

The draft will be sent to my supervisor, who will make suggestions for edits, and she’ll send it back to me, where, as both author and editor, I’ll decide which changes to implement. This will repeat two or three times, and then we’ll begin the process of finding images, creating graphics, and settling on quotes to highlight. Finally, we’ll create a draft post on CEL’s blog, where we’ll tailor it to be more accessible and SEO friendly. Once that’s complete, it will be reviewed a final time by a fresh pair of eyes, then scheduled to be published on a set day. 

Clearly, this is in no way a solitary process, but before this internship, I never would’ve considered all the steps that go into making writing fit to be published. The process I’ve listed above takes weeks, and that’s for publishing a blog post, which is possibly the shortest editing process. Every bit of added length increases the amount of steps and time involved, and full-length books can take months or years, even with multiple people working on them.  

Conclusion

I’ve come to realize that writing is a means of relationship-building, one that connects author, reader, and editor alike. By communicating a message, seeking and giving feedback, and engaging with outside perspectives, authors create communities that promote literacy and spark meaningful discussion. 

As I return to CEL next fall, I’ll be looking for opportunities to grow my understanding of publishing in both its technical aspects and as a form of scholarship and art.  

References 

Bleakney, Julia, Paula Rosinski, and Jessie L. Moore. 2024. Features of Writing Beyond the University (Elon Statement on Writing Beyond the University). https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/publications/elon-statements/elon-statement-on-writing-beyond-the-university.

Roozen, Kevin. 2016. “Writing is a Social and Rhetorical Activity.” In Naming What We Know: Threshold Concepts of Writing Studies, edited by Linda Adler-Kassner and Elizabeth Wardle. Utah State University Press. 

About the Author 

Sophia Sta. Rosa works as a publishing intern at the Center for Engaged Learning. An undergraduate student majoring in both Strategic Communications and Professional Writing & Rhetoric, she has a passion for reading and engaging critically with media and hopes to enter the publishing industry as a book editor after graduating. Along with her internship at CEL, Sophia is also a Communications Fellow. 

How To Cite This Post 

Sta. Rosa, Sophia. 2025. “Publishing as Community-Building.” Center for Engaged Learning (blog). July 11, 2025. https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/publishing-as-community-building.