Working with Words

Any educator who has been asked to write knows that working with words can be layered and complex. There is so much to consider: What are the words supposed to do?Who are they for? What should their tone be? Whose voice do the words represent? And how do we choose some words over others given limited space? These are just a few of the considerations encountered before and during the crafting of any text. Writing is rarely simple or straight forward. This issue presents writing in the context of museum education and offers insights into the ways a variety of museum educators choose and frame their words. Words dominate much of a museum educator’s everyday work. Museum educators use words to teach, to inspire, to build community, and to define leadership values. Knowing how to choose the right words is a critical skill for instigating change; word choice involves politics that are sometimes obvious yet more often subtle. As co-guest editors we believe that knowing how to work with words is fundamental to the effectiveness of all museum education. Within our stance that “words matter,” we further assert that museum educators need to be able to write well. In the context of museums, clear and concise writing reaches audiences. This issue opens a conversation into the practice of writing by museum educators, revealing insights into how our contributors have wrestled with the challenges of working with words. The authors are experienced writers who, because of their experience, have conducted the meta-level thinking required to discuss the creative and intuitive process of word choice. We asked the contributors to this issue to hone in on their decisions around selecting and arranging words for specific contexts and to discuss the issues that arise when they write. By revealing these varied processes, we hope this issue provides guidance to others facing similar writing challenges. All writers can learn from reading and studying literary traditions. We asked Toni Wynn to consider how being a poet influences her interpretive museum writing. Her piece, A Poet, Wayfinding, is a lyric essay that explores the Venn diagram of her writing of poems and writing for museums. Wynn uses her poet’s ear, choosing her words carefully and honing in on what is most essential, both in her poems and in her interpretive museum text. Story is another literary form that underlies museum interpretation. Museum professionals often claim to be telling stories – but are they? And how effective are those purported stories? Guest editor Katherine Whitney interviewed Amelia Wong, Digital Content Strategist at the J. P. Getty Trust, about her upcoming book How Museums Tell Stories. In a wide-ranging conversation, Wong dissects the museum field’s