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Creating an Information Collective – Be Smart and Visit those who know

29 Oct

I love advice and I love information….so much so that I am a bit of a junkie. As a journalist it was my job to explore the unknown and I thoroughly enjoyed doing so. Today, as a freelance writer and novelist, I still explore the unknown and am almost compulsive about it. I am, as my spouse would tell you, the perfect trivial pursuit partner and when a family member needs research done they now, I’m their person.

Not everyone needs to be an information hound but it is important, as a writer, to put together what I like to call an “information collective”. (sounds kind of space agey huh?) The purpose of this collective is so that you have a series of resources where you can gleam information about the things that affect you as a writer. (or even as a person) I have been writing for over 30 years but I know that there are a lot of very experienced, very intelligent folks out there who know more about the world of writing than I do. It’s not that they are older or smarter; it’s that their experience has been different so they have come across a different pocket of information than I have, just as I have a different pocket of information than they have.

I believe, (and this is just my opinion) that the thing that kills a writer the fastest is arrogance. When we think we have “arrived” and no longer need any help…we are stepping towards our doom. Gaining knowledge is an ongoing, take-a-part- in-it activity. Just like if you stop gathering food you will starve as a person, if you stop gathering knowledge you will starve as a writer. Taking this into consideration…that information collective is essential to you as a writer.

What should your collective include? Well, that’s up to you…mine includes writing advice I both enjoy and need, writers that inspire me, and information that I feel is essential to my being the best writer (and person) I can be. A lot of my resources are about writing, but some are also about being Zen and calm, or being a better person in general. Some of my resources (blogs and such) are just plan enjoyable or they make me laugh. The most important thing about my resources are that they speak, in some way, to me personally.

Here are a few of mine….(folks don’t be surprised if you are included in this small list…this is just a sampling by the way…)

  • Make a Living Writing – This is both amusing and practical. It is well written and doesn’t bore me. (not boring me is important when getting into my collective)
  • The Healthy Warrior – Carol, the writer of this blog, really does her research and offers some interesting tidbits about taking the healthy road. I enjoy the blog and I often use some of the information. (Helpful is good in a blog that is a part of your collective)
  • Journey of Jordanna East – When I first started blogging there were a handful of writers who were encouraging, Ava, the writer of this blog, was one of them. Her blog has been fun to follow. I enjoy her no nonsense view of writing. She’s honest and I like that.
  • Yuvi Zalkow – Yuvi is a Portland, Oregon writer who just plain cracks me up. He has a video blog and a regular blog where he showcases what he is learning about the writing world as he trips through it. Yuvi is funny but he is also informative.
  • Om Times – I’m constantly seeking answers for a lot of things and one of them is how do I live my best life? This little magazine was suggested to me by a friend and it is full of interesting articles on a number of things. I really enjoy it.
  • The Renegade Writer – I admit it, the name intrigued me at first but then I started following the content of this blog and I enjoy it. It has a lot of information and it doesn’t bore the socks off me.

These are just a few of the links within my collective; you of course, will build your own based on your needs as a writer. I would encourage you to do so and not only create the collective but once you have, continue to go back and visit each of the links at least once a month if not more. We all need to be connected to sources of information that will help us be better writers so why not custom build your source list. Mine continues to grow, sometimes daily, and that makes the collective even more interesting. So take a moment today and begin your information collective….I guarantee you will find it useful and it just might make you an even better writer.

Special Note: Thank you to all the writers listed here and who populate my collective. You have no idea how much you help on a regular basis. You have become my information collective family…. (no that doesn’t mean I’m getting you all Christmas gifts…)

 

© The Writer’s Advice, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

 
2 Comments

Posted by on October 29, 2022 in Inspiration, Writing, Writing Tools

 

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2 Responses to Creating an Information Collective – Be Smart and Visit those who know

  1. October 29, 2022 at 9:47 pm

    This is a very heart warming post Jai. I agree with you, we all need an information collective. As a young writer, (well not so young in age but young in my writting career and accomplishments) I’m very appreciative of my information collective. I’m happy to say that you are one of my main sources. Thanks for the name mention in your post; I’m deeply humbled and honored. II intend to visit the other blogs you’ve mentioned. Thanks for sharing..

     
    • thewritersadvice

      October 29, 2022 at 10:52 pm

      I calls them as I sees them Carol and your blog is really interesting and helpful especially now while I am trying to get my feet under me eating healthier.

       

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