We are all writers and, I’d hazard to guess, voracious readers as well. No doubt you have a tremendous list of novels and books on craft piling up on your nightstand, end table, book shelf… passenger seat of your car…
But as writers we get more than entertainment from books, we get lessons. As the Writing Career Coach I also get lessons from business books, marketing lectures and online teachers.
This week’s blog is actually an excerpt from my upcoming book, “52 Weeks of Writing Success”. I decided to share this because whenever I work with writers or business owners I find that they are great on ideas, awful on follow through. This is all about helping you with follow through.
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When you’re reading a book, how do you apply your learning? Stop reading this right now and get a notebook.
Seriously, stop reading now. I’ll wait.
On the first page you’ll write down the titles of books you want to read. As you read them, you’ll check them off in the left margin. Seems easy enough, right! Now you have one place to list all the things you’d like to read. These are the titles of the books that you would like to read to help expand your understanding of building and creating a strong story, with excellent craft and a sustainable writing business.
Some will be books that I’ve suggested to you, others will be books that you hear about from friends and colleagues. Now, turn the page and write the tile of the book.
About 2/3 of the way over on the paper, write a line from top to bottom from the title line to the bottom of the page. While you’re reading the books, take notes on the key points on the left side of this line. This will help you keep your notes together as well as give you a central location to focus on what you need to learn, why, and where you’re going to find that information.
On the right side, write actionable steps that you’re going to implement immediately. As you implement them, check them off just like you checked off the books from the “to be read” list. Do more than read. Take action.
If you have any questions on the book list or you would like to suggest some great books to read, contact use through our website at WritingCareerCoach.com.
— Tiffany Colter, Writing Career Coach