In a weekend conversation, we were talking about the times in which we had grown in our lives and our careers. In his life, he took an interest and went after it. In my life, I went beyond my comfort zone into new areas. In both cases, we grew. In the case of careers, same thing. He and I have always agreed that in order to be a better artist or creative person, you have to extend yourself. Gather up those experiences like shells on a beach. You know, reach beyond what you already know.
How do you do that, you ask? For me, it took traveling, joining things, trying new areas, and reading like books were about to disappear forever. I moved (no, you don’t have to), and I built a new base somewhere else. I built new friendships and found new hobbies. The travel was probably the most enriching, but not far behind was the volunteering at the food bank and the teaching of English to foreigners. If you don’t want to/can’t travel, volunteer. Nothing opens your mind to other worlds like seeing it through someone else’s experiences.
While you’re doing that (and enriching your life a bit), you’re also building up a more interesting base from which to write. That’s not important just for fiction writing, either. Nonfiction writers need just as big a well to draw from. But if you’re not convinced or can’t really see the correlation/opportunities, you may need a little more of the extending going on.
Try this – sit down today and find one area you’ve always had a fascination for and read something about it. Then think of how that could translate into an article. Don’t search with the notion that this is something you have to translate into an article. Search with the mindset of “I want to learn more about this.” That’s all. If an article idea comes to mind, go with it. If not, you’ve just extended your knowledge base.
Same goes for writing for different industries. Often I’ll see writers say “I never did that, so I had to turn the job down.” My question has always been “Are you sure that was a good idea?” Sometimes the mental blocks we put up aren’t valid. I remember my writing test for a magazine job I was sure I wouldn’t get, sure I didn’t qualify for. I thought “What the hell” and put together a quirky little piece on restaurant duct fires with info from a press release. I nailed it. I was hired and now I had to crank out articles every month on topics I’d never heard of. It’s now become my specialty, and I can’t tell you how it’s made me grow as a writer to take on unfamiliar territory.
Some topics you’ll never see me take on – hardcore math. I’m terrible at math. Three college tries, so to speak, before I could pass that class. But here I am, writing for CPA publications and finance magazines. Uh, have you guys seen my checkbook? It’s because I don’t have to calculate. I can understand the concepts just fine, and they’re interesting. It’s my way of tackling math indirectly. But that first job – yes, I was more than a little concerned about the outcome.
It’s okay to know when something won’t fit, but only if you’ve tried already and haven’t really enjoyed the experience, understood it, or liked it. Don’t say “It won’t fit” unless you try it on. Seriously. You could be wrong.
So take a class, volunteer, join a writer’s group, attend business conferences, go to that Twitter tweet-up, and expand a little. Pick up a habit, like going to the park/mall once a week and studying people’s habits as they walk by. Read a new magazine – start with The Atlantic or The Economist – and delve into new subjects. Meet new people, interview old friends to learn more about them, develop a mentality of seeing all this great stuff outside your current comfort zone and wanting to try it. You won’t fail – how could you? You ask questions of experts and learn from doing. Even if you decide it’s not for you, you’ve already accomplished more than inertia will ever get you.
So how do you extend beyond your current boundaries? How have you taken interests and turned them into career enhancements?
One of the reasons I freelance is that I can follow anything that interests me and get paid for it. That's the way I've lived my life.
I don't operate by "I Know" and niche myself into a prison. I live by "I want to learn."
Amen, sisters! ;>)
My writing ideas may be developed while sitting at the computer, but rarely do they appear there. They come from wondering about other people – especially their stories – about how things work, about "what if's." I'm not sure I've used this curiosity to "enhance my career," but it sure makes life more fun.
At the top of my list for expanding my world would be volunteering and reading non-fiction and good fiction. Travel's good, too. Went to the Badlands last week – Did one little river really do all that? Hm-m-m!
My Traveling consists of the mundane; going to the grocery store, going to the post office, etc. For some reason, some of my best ideas spark during these trips. Like when I'm comparing bread choices.
It's funny how that works. Some people can get them while sitting in front of the computer, so they can quickly jot the ideas down. I have to go to somewhere boring to get them. My little notebook and pencil have become an extension of me. If I forget them or lose them- I feel naked.
There are a few topics, like math, that I just can't do justice like others can. I don't worry about it. I just focus on what I can do.
Very interesting synchronicity … the Loop playwright's group is amid discussion about the "write what you know" flaptrap (hmm, look up flaptrap), and I guess we all agree that "write what you want to know" is a much better way to live. I agree with Devon; if something grabs my interest, I'm going to assume that there's a bunch of readers who will also take notice. Considering my whole writing career is purely accidental, I don't hold much by following rules.
Joseph, I totally agree. Curiosity makes a better writer (and a more interesting person).
Devon, exactly. I wouldn't have had the experience of learning about qualitative risk engineering (and believe me, there's not much I retained there!), nursing, sales, finance, emergeny physician topics, accounting software, life settlements, hotel insurance….better yet, clients see the versatility and aren't afraid to let me take on their topics.
Cheryl and Wendy, so true. Sitting at a computer all day is the best way to suck the very life out of a person. 🙂
I gave up my job and moved abroad, thinking I'm a trailing spouse and what the heck am I doing. But it's led to more opportunities than I ever would have had at home. Taking risks is worth it sometimes–even if they seem to be for someone else's career instead.
Chantal, you of all people have reached beyond the comfort zone! I've enjoyed you blog immensely, and I bet the richness in your writing has come from your experiences.
Hi, I am not too sure what was the thought behind writing this article but it works extremely well as an inspirational post. I loved it.
I always had apprehensions and still do, about trying out new things. But, I have promised myself I am going to, even if it means getting into unfamiliar territory.
BTW, I was wondering if you are the same Lori in Critique Circle.