I Learned Some Important Things While Reading Content Produced By Others

Here are 5, no 6, no, wait: 7, okay, 8. . .*sigh* 9 things that you can learn from me learning from others

1. If you hold the clap button down, it keeps going. I wish someone had told me that earlier. I was pushing down the button each time I wanted to add the clap. Not only did I get a blister on my finger, I got blister on my thumb (Yes, a Dire Straights reference). I also developed carpal tunnel finger on the very finger I use to insert into my nose for some amateur obstruction removal surgery. The splint makes that very difficult, now.
2. My number of followers pales in comparison to many others. I know, don’t compare yourself. It takes time, I get it. I recently (yesterday) reached 100 followers! Wow, I thought! I am SO popular. Soon, I’ll have 101, then 102. . .no, I won’t keep counting like that. So, moral of this story is, get a pen name account, always look at the number of followers someone has, get jealous, and trash their writing in responses to their stories. NO, NO, just kidding. Instead, do what I now do: Read everything they write, learn from them, find out who clapped for YOUR articles, and follow them, read their stories, clap for them, give a response to their writing and it will return to you geometrically(again, not sure what that means, but I read it in one of those stories of a guy who has thousands of followers). Remember, we as writers (most of us) want to get read, and, at least for me, I want to know how my article was received by the reader and how it affected them (Affected? Effected? I can never get that one right). So, write a note to the writers you are reading, even a short one. Dr. Illumination says, “We embrace feedback. We don’t take criticism as personal. It is essential for our growth. Guidance on dealing with negative criticism is provided in the attached article.” Frequently Asked Questions
3. There are some really great writers out there with really great stories and really interesting backgrounds and how am I ever going to compete with that when every one of them wants to make money and be famous and writes way more prolifically then me. . .STOP! Okay, so the moral of this story is, again, do not COMPARE your self to others. You are unique and you have your own point of view, experiences, and unique way of telling a story. Do you, not them (yes, sexual double entendre).
4. Some people are great with coming up with lists. I don’t know, I can only come up with 4 things. Could’a sworn I learned 5 things. . . Oh, here’s one more:

5. It’s okay to write shorter stories. Even Dr. Illumination (sounds like a super-villain, huh?) has said that we should try to write 500 words or less, even 300 words. He said something like, it makes our writing more focused . . .or something like that. Unfortunately, I didn’t mark that spot in the story. Or mark the story. Or the author. I think it was him. . .

6. Okay, I learned something new while writing this article: keep track of the stuff you want to put in your own article so you can link back to it. “Sorry about that, Chief.” Who gets that reference? Anywho, if you find a quote or a fact or a story that has good stuff in it, bookmark it for later use. I didn’t do that and now I have to go back and reread all the articles again. Which, actually is a good thing because I will see things I missed the first time, and learn more. . .

7. Oh here’s another one! Bookmark your favorite articles and go back and re-read them frequently. There are lots of things you miss in the first reading that you can pick up on the second, or third reading.

8. Okay, last one. Read the article more slowly. You’ll have better comprehension and retention of the information in the article. Seems like common sense, right. Well, like most of you I am a fast reader. My ability to comprehend what I read is very good due to the schooling and careers I have had. But, that was a different kind of reading. Plus, it might make the writer money, however that works these days, if you read slower.

9. Last one: Try to make the number of things in your list more. . .even, or common. Like, “Five things” or “Ten things. . .” For some reason, “Here are 9 things I learned. . .” just doesn’t sound very much like I get the concept of lists.

Stay safe, and Write On!