Resolutions 2024 – Learn More
I’ve always believed that continuous learning is an important part of doing anything, so naturally it’s part of my writing philosophy. Whether you are just starting on the journey, or long in the tooth, everyone has something new to learn or they stagnate. It’s kind of the neat thing about being self-aware—that we can always grow and change and become more. Otherwise, we might as well be a mushroom on a log, which doesn’t sound very fun at all.
So, how do I meet the goal of learn more? There’s a million writing classes and workshops that I could take. That’s fine, but also finite and limited by time/schedules and money. Besides, I’m kind of obstinate. I respond poorly when told what to do and how to do it. So, it’s important to find other ways to grow that can be approached a little more organically.
The following self-guided, self-discovery techniques work best for me.
Reading: Reading is a great way to keep learning. No, this is not an excuse to escape into a novel or a slew of short fiction (not that I need an excuse). But experiencing firsthand how a good storyteller crafts their tale is a great way to learn. Bad stories teach too. Seeing what not to do in black and white can help keep the cringe out of your own work. I try to read a wide diversity of authors—genre, voice, identity, background, etc. Reading people who look differently than me, speak differently than me, think differently than me, experience the world differently than me is absolutely critical to growth as a writer. Reading the same kind of thing over and over teaches nothing.
Relationships: Cultivating relationships with other writers who enjoy talking craft is another great option. I’m not snobby about who I learn from. Everyone has a unique perspective and has something to teach. Again, talking to people who aren’t like me expands my worldview. Even people who are new to writing have completely wowed me with their fresh ideas and insights. If I ever become so self-important that I feel I can ignore gems of wisdom based on someone’s experience, identity, background, culture etc., you have my permission to slap me. Perhaps the subtitle under Learn More should be Don’t Be a Dick.
Doing: Finally, trying and experimenting are great hands-on learning exercises. Don’t be afraid to fail. It’s an excellent teacher, even more so than success. Think of it as training. You won’t win a baseball game if you don’t practice the pitching and the catching and…well all the other things. Balls will be dropped. But you pick them up and try again, and before long you start catching more and more of them. (Aaaaand one of my critique partners just got a giggle that I, of all people, just made a sportsball reference.)
Bringing this back to my Resolution—Learn More—for 2024 I plan to commit to doing these three things. I’ve added some exciting reads from diverse authors to my TBR pile. I’ll allot some of my spoons to building relationships in various author communities. I’ve already helped implement a weekly craft discussion in one of my writing groups. And of course, I’ll keep on writing, trying things, failing, and celebrating what I learn from that.
How do you plan to Learn More in the coming year?
