I'm committed to continuing my education. It's so important to me, I have an entire section of my annual business plan devoted to it.
You might be wondering, how do writers continue their education? It depends on the person! There are so many ways authors can enhance their knowledge.
One way I contribute to my ongoing education is with subscriptions to magazines on writing. Two of mine come automatically with my membership to organizations. RWR, Romance Writer's Report, is a monthly magazine put out by RWA, and it's loaded with terrific articles and interviews. ACFW recently launched their debut magazine which will be published quarterly. It's a gem.
Another way is to attend conferences. If you can't afford one or don't have time to travel, there are plenty of great online conferences and many are free.
Just meeting with other writers can add to your knowledge. I learn so much about what's happening in the publishing industry, not to mention plotting tips, contest information, and anything else writing related simply by meeting with other writers on a regular basis.
Fantastic blogs on writing abound. If you aren't sure where to start or are looking to add some new sites to your list, I highly recommend checking out Elizabeth S. Craig's Twitterific round-up each week. She also co-founded the Writer's Knowledge Base, an online emporium of all things writing.
For the fast track on what's going on with the publishing industry, I suggest reading Porter Anderson's "On the Ether" series each Thursday. These are intense posts, centering on the behind the scenes action of Amazon, the big six publishers, and the rapidly changing publishing climate. Porter does an amazing job of staying on top of the latest developments and he adds expert insight into what they mean. I can't recommend On the Ether enough. It's not a quick read, though, so grab a cup of coffee and rope off half an hour.
My recent means of continuing my writing education is a short, daily craft lesson from The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing, which features 77 short interviews and articles written by best-selling authors on all aspects of writing. I plan to read them in order, and I'm assigning myself one each weekday.
If you're in the mood for a new book on the writing craft, check out Jody Hedlund's fantastic list of books for writers.
How do you keep your education fresh?
Have a wonderful weekend!!
I'm a craft book junkie, Jill! And some of my 'craft' books aren't actually about writing at all. I just bought a big, picture book about Castles in Germany. I have more FODOR's map/destination books than I can count and a career encyclopedia that tells you things about jobs like - what you can expect to earn, the hours you'll likely keep, etc. Whenever I'm feel like I need a lift, I head to the reference section of our book store and wander.
ReplyDeleteCan I hang out at your house for a weekend? I want to read all your books and play with your maps. It will be like a writer's playdate! Ha!
DeleteReading. Writing. Craft books. Blogs like those you mentioned. Discussing with other writers. Planning for the future.
ReplyDeleteGreat tips today, Jill!
~ Wendy
I love the Internet because it makes ongoing education SO easy! Thanks, Wendy!
DeleteI'm the queen of craft book and online workshop addictions. The workshops I take either deal with craft or research. Right now I'm talking Forensic Toxicology through the KOD (RWA). I'll probably never use the info in my YA novels, but it's interesting stuff. :D
ReplyDeleteForensic Toxicology?? That sounds awesome! And I don't even write murder/suspense. I'm actually going to mention this one to my RWA group if KOD offers it again--thanks!!
DeleteOoh, I love craft books!
ReplyDeleteI'm a big My Book Therapy junkie - Susan May Warren's craft and coaching community. The first writing retreat I attended was Susie's Storycrafting Retreat and it was a total game changer for me. I love her workbooks and the coaching of both her and Rachel Hauck. They rock!
I also love James Scott Bell's craft books - especially Plot & Structure.
And of course, the ACFW Conference is just plain amazing!
Melissa, I actually found MBT through your site! I'd heard of it before, probably through Lisa Jordan, but I never looked into it until I found your blog. It's a great community! Thanks!!
DeleteThere's so much to take in it seems overwhelming. ACFW has helped me a lot, and there are some craft books that I go back to again and again.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Julie. It can be overwhelming, that's why I spread out my learning over the year. The day-to-day refreshers is through blogs/Twitter/etc... Craft books are every other month or so. Conferences? Once a year. We can only do so much!
DeleteOooh! Good stuff! :) I'm always reading a craft book or article!
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't that surprise me, Jessica? Ha! You rock!
DeleteI second pretty much everything Melissa said. :) Blogs, especially those written by agents (Books & Such Agency has a great one, as does the Steve Laube Agency) are a huge way for me to keep up with what's going on in the industry.
ReplyDeleteI'm so with you on this one, Lindsay. I try to read Books & Such at least 3 times a week. I also love Rachelle Gardner's posts, Steve Laube, and Kristen Nelson's Pub Rants. :)
DeleteWow! So many great referrals for writing tools both in your post and in the comments today! Because I happen to have a very short attention span, some of my favorite craft books are the Everything Guide to Writing... books. The information is broken down into small, digestible bites that I can read, put down and process, then come back to later. I love craft blogs for the same reason--you can learn so much in so little time.
ReplyDeleteAyda, those are great books! I like digestible learning. I don't always have the time to study a craft book straight through!
DeleteWow!! You have a business plan?? That's so...organized! Haha I love it! I learn most of what I know through craft books and trial and error. Really wish I had an unlimited budget for conferences, classes and books!
ReplyDeleteYes, I love my business plan! It's a great reminder of what I want to accomplish and what I have accomplished. I, too, want an unlimited budget for writing. Wouldn't that be awesome? :)
DeleteI read a lot of blogs on writing and have started adding to my craft book library. I also find belonging to a good critique group to help with my education.
ReplyDeletePatti, how did I forget critique groups?? They're the ultimate! They're vital for seeing the strengths/weaknesses in our writing. Great point!
DeleteGreat information! You are so right about continuing our education!
ReplyDeleteI read books and blogs on the craft. Touch base with fellow writers. I do belong to both the RWA and the ACFW, so always tons of great information there...I take what I need. Reading in my genre is also one of the most important tools. Also, I'm planning to attend a few writers conferences this year.
Reading is always educational. I love reading in my genre, too. For one, they're great books, and for two, they help me narrow down what themes are selling and what is being published. Fabulous!
DeleteJill: So many great ideas today! I'm going to check out the blogs and add to my reading list. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love finding new blogs! I've found so many through recommendations from other writers. Have fun!
DeleteYou're a wealth of information, Jill, and it's easy to see why. You take the time to read and learn. Thanks for sharing some of your favorite resources. I'd never heard about the Writer's Knowledge Base. It's awesome.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Keli! The Writer's Knowledge Base has links to blogs on every writing topic imaginable. In fact, some of your posts might be linked! It's great!
DeleteJill,
ReplyDeleteAs I touched on in an earlier post, I have mixed feelings about education, and where I stalled in it. I'm not proud of being a high school dropout, still living at home (The 25th birthday is next month) and I appreciate any support in staying sane during what's proving to be a trying year for me as far as long-term growth.
I'm sorry you're having a rough year. Let's make 25 YOUR year! Learning at home through reading/studying works well for me. I don't have a degree in writing, but I feel as if I should--I'm constantly reading books about the craft and applying the methods to my own work. You don't have to have a teacher when you have a well-written book in front of you. :) Happy almost birthday!
DeleteJill, I see you around other blogs so I thought I'd stop by and check yours out. What a great day to discover your blog. :) I just thought to myself yesterday, I feel like I am in the midst of an intense college course on writing and the publishing industry. There is so much out there for a writer to learn and I wish I would have started years ago. My best advice for an aspiring author would be: Even if you don't plan to seek publication for a couple of years, at least get out there and start learning the industry.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Gabrielle! I feel the same way. Every day I learn more. Your advice about getting out there and learning the industry is right on! :)
DeleteJill, you've always been a great source of inspiration to me. :) I'm a member of ACFW, RWA, and a local group, MozArks. I also read writing craft books, blogs, attend workshops, and hang out with fellow writers. It's so important to maintain professional connections, as well as make new and lifelong friends!
ReplyDeleteNo, You're the inspiration! It IS important to maintain professional connections--good point!
DeleteHi Jill -
ReplyDeleteI'm also a member of ACFW, attend conferences, read, and blog. I love all the great tips and encouragement I get from the blogging community.
Blessings,
Susan
I agree, Susan. Even if it's a refresher on a concept I've studied, I learn all the time from other bloggers!
DeleteCraft books, blogs, conferences, these are a few of the ways I continue my writing education. The industry is changing so fast, having a great network of writer friends helps us all feel a little less lost. I didn't know about the Thursday ether posts, I'll definitely be checking out that blog. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOn the Ether is a great way to keep up with all of the legal wranglings of the publishing changes. I recommend it!
DeleteI just had to comment on the photo because I graduated from Tulane's business school and spent many, many hours in that building!
ReplyDeleteNo kidding? That's really cool! It's a beautiful building, isn't it? Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteJill, I'm behind on my Google Reader reading--but thanks so much for this great mention. I appreciate it! I try to continue educating myself, too--through blog reading, which is like getting a free MFA. :) Thanks for sharing resources with writers.
ReplyDelete