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Reading: Your Brain’s Barbell
Epiphany. I’ve had one. I’ll probably have another one
tomorrow. Startling things come to me and I’m so excited I can hardly stand
myself. This particular epiphany hit me in the midst of signing up
to follow one more blog. It occurred to me that I’m not writing; I’m reading.
While there is nothing wrong with reading, it does begin to get in the way of
writing. Or does it?
Writer’s Block, the weekly radio
program I do each Tuesday, requires an incredible amount of reading. In the
interest of not asking dumb questions, I try to read the work of every writer I
interview. That means in addition to my leisure reading, I’m reading two other
books a week,
plus the blogs I keep up with (Jane Friedman,
Robert Lee Brewer, Carol Tice, writetodone.com, Shelf
Awareness to name a few). In April I also took an online workshop with Kelly
James-Enger, an online class with Dan Blank,
the My Name is Not Bob
platform challenge, and the Poem a Day
challenge. Not to mention checking in at the Writer’s Digest website where there is
a wealth of information for writers. There’s more, but my point has been made.
Where in all of that is there time to write? Oh, and by the way, can anyone say
social networking?
Writing Challenges Build Writing Skills
The platform and poetry challenges helped to put some
of this in perspective. I am making time to participate in both challenges and have
not missed a lick, although I am still working on the interview-an-expert
thing. The poet has climbed
its way out of the abyss of my fear of rejection and blossomed. I’ve made an
incredible number of contacts and awakened to the value of twitter, Facebook and Google+ (although
I have yet to figure out what the URL is for that one).
Writing has been set aside in this quest to be more, learn
more, try more, experiment, expand, connect. Or has it? All those people I
mentioned did a lot for me over the last month. They helped me find reasons to write,
focus, prioritize and grow. So thank you Jane, Robert, Dan, Kelly and everyone
else who took the time to write, so I could read, so when I write, I’m better
at it.
Who helped and how:
Platform
Challenge: Prior to participating in this challenge I was unclear what
building a platform meant. I was clueless when it came to social networking,
didn’t know I could ask someone to guest blog on my site, or ask to guest blog on some other writer's blog, felt reluctant to create or join networks of writers, and never
considered that by doing so I would become more connected.
Poem a Day Challenge:
I’ve always enjoyed writing poetry, but it was my silly little secret. Well,
not really. I’ve published my poetry in a book
of daily devotionals I wrote and on my Joy in the
Morning blog, but until the challenge, I didn’t have much confidence in my
work. Now I see its value and appreciate its worth as a way to kick start
creative thinking.
Blogging 101, Dan Blank:
After more than two years of blogging I finally get it that there is more to it
than banging away at a keyboard and praying someone happens upon my site. His
helpful comments in response to the assignments forced me to grasp the fact
that I have NO GRASP at all of things like SEO and keywords. I have a ways to
go, but I’ll get there… someday.
Kelly
James-Enger: My background is in print media and producing words by the
buckets is no problem for me. As a reporter and editor my work was paid for
with no problem. When I turned to freelance work I put the emphasis on FREE.
While I have been paid for my writing over the years it has been spotty at
best. Kelly reminded me in her workshop that there is a huge demand for good
writing. It’s up to the writer to find a way to reach that market and provide
what the market is looking for. The business side of writing is as important as
creating that outstanding article, book, or blog.
Jane Friedman: Where
do I begin? Both Jane and Robert
Lee Brewer have a wealth of great content on their blogs and their guest
bloggers have tons of must-read tips. Jane also posts discussions about the
publishing industry in all its current dysfunctional glory, as well as outstanding
advice about the craft of writing. Please check out the slide
deck of Jane’s presentation at the Missouri Writers Conference about
evaluating the first page of your novel.
If you don't have
time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that,”
Stephen King wrote. What was my epiphany? All that reading I do? It’s getting me
ready for the next thing I’m going to write. It’s my brain’s barbell building
my writing muscle.
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