Recently, our staff writer Allison Scott reached out to Honors alumna and author Jess Zafarris to discuss what her career has looked like after her time at DePaul.
Tell us a little about yourself!
At DePaul, I majored in English literature, with minors in cultural anthropology and Arabic. After that, I went on to grad school at the University of Colorado Boulder, where I earned my master’s in Journalism. With the Honors Program, I had the privilege of experiencing unique service learning and study abroad opportunities, including language and anthropology work in Morocco. My studies at DePaul would kick off my interest in journalism and the development of language, which would ultimately lead to my passion-centric career as an author and creator who writes about etymology, as well as my primary career in media.
Can you tell us a little about your journey after graduating from DePaul? What did you plan to do, what are you actually doing now, and how did you end up where you are? What advice do you have for other DePaul students who might be interested in similar careers, or just in general?
Since then, I’ve worked in nearly every type of media imaginable, including print and broadcast news, digital and social media, and book publishing. I’ve earned accolades in particular for my work modernizing legacy brands and bringing exceptional, storied journalism to new audiences across channels. I’m a frequent speaker, producer, and emcee for conference stages in the media space, and I regularly appear on podcasts and in video series offering advice on journalism, book publishing, marketing, advertising, and etymology.
But perhaps the element of my career I’m most proud of is my two etymology books, Once Upon a Word (Rockridge Press 2020) and Words from Hell (Chambers 2023). Through them, I blend humor, wonder, and education to unlock knowledge and introspection about the words we use every day. Meanwhile, I promote my books and share my love of word origins via my blog, Useless Etymology, and a TikTok channel (@jesszafarris) with 87,000 followers.
My best advice for students is to follow the breadcrumbs of your passions when pursuing your career path. Even if you have to work in roles that aren’t your favorite to get where you want to be in life, you will find fulfillment in the things you do love. Always have a side project or something that excites your curiosity to work on when you’re not sure what will happen next.
Terry Pratchett wrote, “It doesn’t stop being magic just because you know how it works,” and that’s the spirit I try to apply to everything I do, especially when investigating the stories hidden behind the words we use every day. Always dig deeper, look farther, keep asking why and how. You’ll never find an end to delights hiding in plain sight.
For those who may just be learning about your books Words from Hell and Once Upon a Word, can you provide a little background/synopsis? What was your motivation for writing these pieces and what are the main themes you hope audiences will take away from them?
I was first invited to write a book back in 2019. Rockridge Press had determined that parents and educators were looking for works surrounding word origins for a middle-grade audience, and they found the tone of Useless Etymology to be lighthearted, approachable, and entertaining. Thus was born Once Upon a Word, an examination of etymology for kids ages 9 to 13.
In the process of writing this book, I found that many words were infused with history and origins that simply weren’t appropriate for children, whether through violence, sexuality, or embedded bias.
I noted these words and developed a book concept, which I later pitched to the acquisitions editor of the Chambers and John Murray press line when we crossed paths during podcast production. That book would become Words from Hell, which explores all the nefarious, naughty, and unseemly secrets hidden within our everyday language.
Anything else you would like to add?
Be deliberate and selective about the words you choose. Be voracious about collecting new words for your lexical and authorial arsenal. Always look up words you’ve never met before. And above all, wield your words for good, for creativity, and for the cultivation of knowledge.
Thank you, Jess, for your time and responses!
Leave a Reply