I’ve been a life-long learner. Beyond my formal education at school, teachers’ college and university, I retained my hunger to grow and expand my knowledge. Over the years I've:
Just over a decade ago, following a major sharp turn in my life, I decided to write my way back into sanity. For me, it was only natural that I take courses, read books, listen to podcasts, and attend workshops and conferences to learn about the craft and art of writing.
Part of learning is recognising the point at which you can start to give back. In science, that came early, as it’s expected of graduate students to present seminars to their peers, and to present their findings at the conclusion of their research. As such, I learned to put together an interesting presentation in logical order. I’m grateful for that skill—it’s served me well.
The very first writers’ workshop I was invited to present was on Writing Emotion. It wasn’t a subject I’d given any deep thought to, but it’s something that I do in my writing. Being me, I dived head-first into research. First, I combed the internet for tools and practices and methodologies that would complement my inherent skills and knowledge. Then, I critically analysed books and stories that caused me to have an emotional response.
I learned so that I, in turn, could teach.
The workshop was a success, and I received lovely feedback from the participants. Since then, I’ve presented on short stories, how to write good sex, speculative fiction, and the impacts of AI on writing to numerous writing organisations. I would never call myself an expert on any of these, but I am good at research and sharing what I learn along the way. This has given me the confidence to volunteer as a presenter or panellist at every subsequent writer’s conference that I’ve attended.
Being a panellist is a whole different ballgame, as it depends on a pre-agreed set of parameters that flex and change over the course of the discussion. The mediator can help or hinder the panel. I was once told by a mediator that if I didn’t critically assess movies as I watched them, then perhaps I shouldn’t have volunteered for the panel—it was a panel on writing. At the time I was embarrassed—now, I’m just annoyed that I didn’t tell him to fuck off (another learning moment!). That experience didn't put me off, but I'm now much better at ensuring I understand the scope of the panel in advance.
Anyway, all this to encourage you to stay open to learning. No matter how much of an expert you are in your field, there’s always something new or different out there that you can learn. And honestly, my university was right, one of the best ways to learn is to teach. Don’t be afraid to volunteer to present a subject to your local writing (or whatever) group. Become the expert! (Alternately, get in touch, maybe I can help!)
If nothing else, learning is great for your brain.
- Taken night-classes in art.
- Learned to drive a bus.
- Become fluent in French.
- Qualified (in French) as a marine 3rd engineer.
- Attended marine science conferences on subjects beyond my field.
- Gone to farming seminars.
- Travelled.
- Taken courses in photography.
Just over a decade ago, following a major sharp turn in my life, I decided to write my way back into sanity. For me, it was only natural that I take courses, read books, listen to podcasts, and attend workshops and conferences to learn about the craft and art of writing.
Part of learning is recognising the point at which you can start to give back. In science, that came early, as it’s expected of graduate students to present seminars to their peers, and to present their findings at the conclusion of their research. As such, I learned to put together an interesting presentation in logical order. I’m grateful for that skill—it’s served me well.
The very first writers’ workshop I was invited to present was on Writing Emotion. It wasn’t a subject I’d given any deep thought to, but it’s something that I do in my writing. Being me, I dived head-first into research. First, I combed the internet for tools and practices and methodologies that would complement my inherent skills and knowledge. Then, I critically analysed books and stories that caused me to have an emotional response.
I learned so that I, in turn, could teach.
The workshop was a success, and I received lovely feedback from the participants. Since then, I’ve presented on short stories, how to write good sex, speculative fiction, and the impacts of AI on writing to numerous writing organisations. I would never call myself an expert on any of these, but I am good at research and sharing what I learn along the way. This has given me the confidence to volunteer as a presenter or panellist at every subsequent writer’s conference that I’ve attended.
Being a panellist is a whole different ballgame, as it depends on a pre-agreed set of parameters that flex and change over the course of the discussion. The mediator can help or hinder the panel. I was once told by a mediator that if I didn’t critically assess movies as I watched them, then perhaps I shouldn’t have volunteered for the panel—it was a panel on writing. At the time I was embarrassed—now, I’m just annoyed that I didn’t tell him to fuck off (another learning moment!). That experience didn't put me off, but I'm now much better at ensuring I understand the scope of the panel in advance.
Anyway, all this to encourage you to stay open to learning. No matter how much of an expert you are in your field, there’s always something new or different out there that you can learn. And honestly, my university was right, one of the best ways to learn is to teach. Don’t be afraid to volunteer to present a subject to your local writing (or whatever) group. Become the expert! (Alternately, get in touch, maybe I can help!)
If nothing else, learning is great for your brain.
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