Looking to Learn

Do you ever have an idea and at first you’re like, this is GENIUS, and then it’s more like “Ooo what was I thinking?” or pushing the idea away forever? 

I’m guilty of this a lot. 

But, I did have an idea. 

Reading and Writing, Oh My

I love reading. I love writing. At times, I love reading about writing. Occasionally, I write about reading too if I write a book review.

Even when I’m not writing, I’m often thinking about writing, and how to become a better writer. I work in corporate communications which involves a wide variety of writing styles and projects. I also freelance a bit which can also provide variety. 

The variety provides a good reason to nerd out. I basically have my own mini-library of books on writing. Have you ever thought about how many different forms of communication there are? And how much you don’t realize you’re utilizing those different types? A lot of people like to think writing is just stringing words in a particular order that sounds good. There’s a bit more to it than that. 

I’ll let you in on a little secret - writing is pretty much always (And I won’t say 100% because only the Sith deal in absolutes) about persuading the reader. Are you trying to inform? Sell? Entertain? When you’re writing, you need to do so in a way that keeps the reader going until you’ve made your point.

So, yes, I like to dabble in different types of writing. For one, I think it makes me a better writer overall. Different goals require different techniques. Sometimes, these goals overlap or mesh. I can’t say I have a favorite type of writing. 

Discipline and Focus…by Self

Sometimes my focus isn’t the best when it comes to my writing goals. And, sometimes, that variety makes trying to plan overwhelming. And then I end up not doing anything. But I’m at a weird time of life right now, and I want to use that to learn. 

I’m trying to maintain my focus by scheduling out blocks of time to do certain things. Like reading before bed. And, reading for fun, not learning. More recently, I have blocked out a time to work on my fire department admin duties. We train weekly, but due to my useless and messed up leg, I can’t train. Often, I watch. Occasionally, there are times I can participate. But my damaged leg (I don’t even know how to describe it at this point without using curse words) typically makes it impossible.

I felt really smart for thinking of this, and it is simple as hell so it isn’t anything that clever. But! That time dedicated to training is there regardless of if I can participate. Scheduled weekly. So, I decided I was going to take those couple hours and work on my admin stuff. It is time already accounted for, still gets me out of the house for a bit, and I get stuff done. Win-win-win. 

So that is kind of what I’m trying to do with learning. I’ve been taking classes, kind of focusing on digital marketing, through Udemy, Google, and HubSpot. I have recently gained free access to Udemy, so I want to take advantage of that as much as I can. I need a time block. 

But I also have a bunch of physical resources sitting on my bookshelf. What am I going to do about those? 

I’ve grouped them together, and I’m going to focus on one book at a time and, the goal being, writing a blog post about the book. There should be multiple wins here. 

Basically, I’m going to read books on writing and then write about said books on writing. 

It might seem weird that I am so excited for something so simple, but lately I’ve learned I need some structure. I love learning, but sometimes I get lost in the things I want to do because there’s too many and I always feel like I’m running out of time and am going to miss my chance (What chance? I don’t know). 

I’ve shared the books below. They might seem like a lot…it kind of is. I think it is also a good representation of how diverse writing can be. I have a few professional writing goals, and I hope this will help me further develop those. I don’t want to read all the same subjects at once; I might schedule it like a round robin. 

Let's take a gander at that list (the topics aren’t in any particular order):

We’re Gonna Learn

The Byline Bible Susan Sharipo and Peter Catapano

The Elements of Journalism Bill Kovach & Tom Rosenthal 

Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Writing by Kelly James-Enger

The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing by Zachary Petit

Guide to Magazine Writing Kerrie Flanagan
I think these ones are pretty self-explanatory. I’m still intimidated by some aspects of freelance writing. Honestly, I kind of think it is a confidence issue. But I digress. I have written a handful of articles, and it is something I would like to do more of (once I figure out what I’m going to write about). Pitching and journalism go hand-in-hand.

Concise Guide to Technical and Academic Writing by David Bowman

Strategic Writing for UX by Torrey Podmajersky

The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert Bly

The Subversive Copyeditor by Carol Fisher Saller 

The Copyeditor’s Handbook by Amy Einsohn and Marilyn Schwartz 

I feel like these books are the more operational “how-to’s.” The nuts and bolts of your writing. This is what you need to do to get the job done.

Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide  by John Cleese

Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose by Nicole Fenton and Katie Kiefer Lee

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

On Writing by Stephen King

If the previous section was about the nuts and bolts of your writing, this section provides the finesse.

“On Writing” and “On Writing Well” are excellent books. Although I’ve read them before, I might need to read them again. Stephen King’s “On Writing” was actually the first King novel I read - and I’ve loved each one since. 

Creativity and style go hand-in-hand, and I’m hoping to ignite some creativity. You have to develop your own style - you know, be yourself because everyone else is taken? But that doesn’t mean you have to do it blindly or alone. Learning from others can be really valuable in finding your own voice.

DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community by Gabriela Pereira

The Personal MBA by John Kaufman

Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller

All three of these are bestsellers with their own following and readers who swear by their teachings. If you’re a writer, like it or not, you’re a business. You are a brand. Good writers need to be good marketers. Why should people read your work? Give them a reason. And just because yours might be the only name listed, writers can’t always work alone. You need to have a community of support. Editors and beta readers just touch the surface. Even though the “DIY MFA” is focused on creative writing, some things aren’t that different. 

(Yes, I know “Building a StoryBrand isn’t in the photo.)

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody 

Fiction Writing Master Class: Emulating the Work of Great Novelists to Master the Fundamentals of Craft by William Cane

Creating Characters: The Complete Guide to Populating Your Fiction by Writer’s Digest Books

Author in Progress: : A No-Holds-Barred Guide to What It Really Takes to Get Published by Therese Walsh 

The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt Handbook by Andrew J. Chamberlain 

Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction: How to Create Out-of-This-World Novels and Short Stories by Orson Scott Card and Philip Athans

Fiction. The struggle is real. I don’t know what it is, but something just doesn’t click for me. I really, really want to write a book. I have a few book ideas. I have never gotten very far in actually writing said book(s). I have notebooks filled with outlines, characters, and even scenes. But it doesn’t go much further. I think part of my problem is the extremely high ratio of nonfiction to fiction books I read. I’ve been reading more fiction lately, but I think I need to immerse myself more in fictional worlds. I definitely notice what I don’t like - like when a thriller twist is easy to spot. But then I’m worried about doing the same. Hopefully, the mix of reading and writing will help me improve my fiction writing skills.

This might take awhile. I might give up one book in. But I’m hoping by directing myself, I can teach myself a thing or two. I’m going to start with one of the books on fiction. My other hope is that I will keep myself interested by mixing up the content - that I don’t need to learn everything about copywriting or UX writing or novel writing all within this set time period I’ve determined for myself and am now stressing over.

I really don’t know how this part of the plan will work, but I’m aiming to do some type of learning before I start work each day. My internal clock likes to start the day around 5 AM (the rest of me disagrees). I’m thinking maybe take advantage of that period, like a half hour or so, and give my brain a little boost before the work day starts.

All of this could end up being a stupid idea. We’ll see. But I’m lowkey excited to have some type of organization and goals when it comes to learning and improving as a writer.

Probably the last thing I need is more book recommendations, but if you have any writing or professional development recommendations, let me know!