The Value of Not Listening
The amount of content available to internet users is mind-boggling.
And LOUD!
Much of it is free, too, which adds to the noise. (Things that cost money are often easier to ignore.)
Pretty sure you all know how the internet works.
Now here’s the hard part: At what point do you stop listening and say, “Enough!”
I am reaching that point.
In fact, my friend and writing coach Suzanne Lieurance of WritebytheSea.com suggested I have reached that point.
But isn’t educating yourself valuable?
Well, of course it is.
But drowning in information is not.
Have I learned everything there is to know about writing?
Not by a long shot.
However, the information I can glean from these courses and all the hours I spend listening to and reading content is not worth not writing.
We only have 24 hours a day.
For me, some of that is spent sleeping.
Some is spent making coffee.
Some is spent walking my (beautiful new) little dog!
Those are things I must do.
Watching content that I’ve likely seen or heard before is not a must do.
You know what it is?
It’s a ploy.
It’s procrastination disguised as productivity.
If I’m listening to writing webinars, guess what I’m not doing?
Writing.
If I’m reading books about writing craft—also not writing.
Does this happen to you?
If your hobby/passion pursuit isn’t writing but some other lovely thing, stop wasting your time in an online class.
You likely know enough already.
Start doing the thing!
I just read a great quote from Kevin Kelly’s book, Excellent Advice for Living: Live your life as a prototype.
Do things!
Make things!
I’m not saying don’t learn new aspects of your craft ever again.
But for now, do your thing.
Just do it! (Thank you, Nike.)
You’ll probably surprise yourself with how much you already know.
Then, after you’ve got some projects under your belt, start learning a new trick of your trade—the key word being “new.”
You are not doing yourself any favors consuming an avalanche of content.
You need to do the things.
Have fun!
Until next time,
~ Gail
Countdown: 26 more weeks of 2024 (We’re halfway there.)
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I totally agree. I stopped watching all those webinars months ago when I realized the hosts and guests were not telling me anything I didn’t already know because the webinar went sideways. The advice and instruction coming from social media sites that were supposed to help me market my “brand” and help me connect with other writers wasn’t working for me. They were also making me feel that I couldn’t achieve my goals as a writer. Finally, I wasn’t writing enough to finish my next book. So I stopped listening.
Hi Rose. They’re kind of addictive though, aren’t they?! Good for you for stepping away to finish your book. What are you writing?
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