Wit’s End
Wit’s End
Studios
Making sense of chaos.
One word at a time.
Nina Jagannathan | Writer, Overthinker, Occasional Wise Person
Welcome to my digital corner of the universe. If you’re wondering about the name, let’s say that after years of helping friends edit their cover letters while listening to their existential crises, “Wit’s End” felt fitting – both for my state of mind and what I hope to offer others.
The Winding Path
Born in the chaos of New York City and raised across America’s patchwork of cultures, I’ve collected perspectives like some people collect souvenir spoons. Iowa City, Los Angeles, Gainesville, Stony Brook, St. Louis, Cincinnati – each place left its mark on how I see the world and the stories I tell.
My academic journey began with the entirely practical decision to study biomedical engineering at the University of Iowa (because what better preparation for a writing career than calculating stress fractures in artificial hips). Not content with just one technical field that would eventually lead me elsewhere, I doubled down with a master’s in electrical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.
Armed with degrees that impressed my parents and confuse my writing clients, I proceeded to construct the world’s most non-linear career path:
- Managed aspects of Illinois’ power grid (without causing any major blackouts, thank you)
- Directed fleet operations (discovered vehicles have personalities, too)
- Navigated the psychological labyrinth of direct marketing (turns out I’m fascinated by why people make the choices they do)
- Fortified digital ramparts in cybersecurity (where paranoia is a job requirement)
- Enlightened minds in higher education (only occasionally using engineering metaphors that made humanities students stare at me blankly)
Through it all, I discovered that my superpower isn’t understanding complex systems, it’s translating them into stories that make sense to actual humans.
The Method to My Madness
My writing combines engineer-brain precision with a philosopher’s curiosity about what makes people tick. I’ve spent enough time in corporate environments to speak their language fluently, but maintained enough distance to see the absurdity in jargon like “synergistic paradigm shifts” and “value-added leverage points.”
When approaching any writing project, I bring both analytical rigor and creative vision – a rare combination that comes from having lived in both worlds. I believe the best writing feels effortless to read, precisely because someone put in the effort to make it so.
Life Beyond the Laptop
When I’m not wrestling words into submission:
- You’ll find me analyzing hockey statistics while emotionally supporting (shouting at) the Chicago Blackhawks
- Pretending to detect notes of “burnt cedar and overripe plum” at wine tastings while just enjoying the company and conversation
- Exploring restaurants with the strategic precision of a military campaign – research phase, reconnaissance visits, and eventual conquest
- Speaking to animals in a voice several octaves higher than my normal speaking voice (while maintaining that they are the only ones who truly understand me)
- Appreciating stand-up comedy both as a performer (though currently on hiatus) and as an audience member (where I collect inspiration for my writing)
What’s Next
This site is evolving – much like my career path and understanding of semicolon usage. More content and projects coming soon, possibly in a somewhat logical order, but no promises.
In the meantime, if you need a writer who can make complex ideas accessible, find humor in the mundane, or help you get out of your own creative “wit’s end,” I might be your person.
Let’s Connect
Have a project in mind? Want to collaborate? Just curious about how someone goes from calculating electrical currents to crafting compelling content? Drop me a line below, and I’ll get back to you faster than I can overthink a dinner menu (which is saying something).
Whether you’re looking for professional writing support or just want to chat about hockey, wine, or the Oxford comma, I’d love to hear from you.
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep Going.”- Sam Levenson (a quote I keep on my desk for those days when words refuse to cooperate)