I dig computers
I came across the image above via my Pinterest feed. As I love writing and its glorious accouterments: typewriters, journals, pens, stationery…all such lovely things for me…this image sung to me.
It makes me think of Kerouac, typing madly upon his spool of paper. Poets, journalists, writers of years past, clicking these keys magically. Yeah, I know these folks didn’t Bullet Journal, but at least the book has a classic style.
So, that’s how I started my day. How about you?
If you’ve read this site for a while, you’ll know I’ve been considering comms as a formal career path for ages. Here’s some additional background into how I got here.
I started studying photography back in junior high. I fell in love with writing in high school. These are the related things that have lingered in my life the longest. They’re also key things that brought me into blogging, though my love of technology also helped with that.
Over the years, I’ve spent time creating web content, creating and managing social media accounts, writing strategies, blogs, Google and Bing business pages. I’ve created social media audits. Crafted press releases. Google and Facebook ads. Flyers, postcards, billboards, Facebook pages, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram accounts.
And the web! I built and managed websites on WordPress, Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace. I also used Microsoft Front Page and FTP. And, holding an ATA in web design, I’ve built sites with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Also, I’ve managed newsletters. Back in the olden days, I wrote mailings in Quark, Publisher, and InDesign. With that, I loved my design classes focused on InDesign and Photoshop. I created email newsletters in Outlook, but have also used Mailchimp extensively. I’ve also used several CRM tools and built many types of campaigns within that.
Video? Yeah, I’ve created and edited videos in Premiere Pro. I’ve run cameras, audio, and media for live events and livestreams. I’ve streamed them via both YouTube and Facebook.
There are the basics: creating decks in PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Mediashout.
I did public policy and advocacy work for AARP, where I created postcard mailers, flyers, and t-shirts for a telemarketing campaign in Montana.
I worked for a printing company, where I got to do paste-up and other press assistant work, as well as bindery and bulk mailings.
So, I have an extensive background in this stuff. And it’s all stuff I’m proud of. I guess I see this as not so much a pivot, but as a focus. It’s where I’ll focus my skill growth and development. For instance, I’m leaning towards working towards a Communications Degree through WGU. I also want to spend some time diving deeper into data analytics, as I think that’s a crucial part of comms going forward.
I watched this video yesterday from Network Chuck, and went and followed his advice.
Basically, I asked Claude Fable Five to consider my resume, what I’ve posted on my blog, and social media, tell me what kinds of themes you see, what I’m missing and what I should be doing. I was expecting something about project management, perhaps IT, maybe admin work. I was not expecting this summary:
Nor was I expecting this: “Careerwise, that points to communications/digital stewardship for mission-rooted local organizations (which you’re already doing at EWC and Trinity, and which the web-consulting lane extends). Lifewise, it points to the writing.” So, I’ve long loved writing. It’s what I do in order to process life, whether that’s my haiku, or longer journaling, it’s what my soul loves and needs. Way back when, I quit a computer science major to study writing. My heroes are writers. It makes sense in so many ways. And, as Claude points out, I have >2k subscribers of this blog. I guess I’m doing something wright, er, right.
I’ve spent so much time exploring career options, trying to find the right place for me in this career world. Years of work, really. Even so, this was an eye opening exercise.
Writing has long been highly important to me. As such, it is also a focal point of my insecurities. I nickpick myself hard. Needless to say, it’s very affirming to read this from the AI luminary Claude Fable Five. I still have work to do to quell my insecurities, of course.
So, related to this, Claude suggests the following for my work: “Aim the job search at communications and community engagement roles, not IT or PM”. I’ve been working with it today to build a plan to move forward. I’ve started by tweaking this website, as well as my LinkedIn profile. I’m not in a raging hurry, so I’m fine with baby-steps.
It’s also recommending WGU’s Communications Degree as a pathway for growth, which is something I’ve played with. My hope is for an employer to cover that via tuition benefits. However, I might want to start that on my own, as neither of my roles offer that right now, and are unlikely to offer that sooner.
So, years of work, both exploring opportunities as well as writing/creating, I’m pleased to see this alignment coming forth. As I plan this pivot into something that aligns nicely with my interests and experience, I see a LOT of work on the horizon. But not a sense of dread. Looking forward to the next wave in my career.
“You may not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page”.
~ Phoebe Waller-Bridge
I have given out similar advice for decades. My main variant: “It’s easier to edit than to create”. I’ve seen how paralyzing perfectionism can be. With this, I’ve also found that the most challenging part of any project is starting.
Anyway, I hope you have a fantastic day leading into a fantastic week.
Good ol’ Grammarly! I don’t generally pay attention to these updates, but this one struck me.
As I value my writing skills, this made me happy. I’m lapping the competition? Cool!
I’m more productive than average and have higher mastery, too.
And I’m more creative, or at least have a broader vocabulary, than most:
I find this satisfying as I deeply value my communication skills, especially my writing. The hard work I’ve done over the years has benefitted me. Which I find wonderful.
One of my digital friends, Bernie, wrote this blog post featuring Maria Popova, a writer I admire greatly. In the article, Popova writes about the grief feels upon the passing of her beloved friend Emily Levine. She explores how poetry impacted that journey, and how it can help us all manage the finitude of our lives. I love her line “[N]ow that Emily has returned her stardust to the universe…” as a descriptor of death. Makes me think of Carl Sagan’s line that we’re all made of “star stuff”. There’s infinity within our finite nature. So very Zen, I guess.
Anyway, I highly recommend Maria’s post, and all of her work.
My blogger friend, Pooja, wrote this post today: “BLOGGING ADVICE YOU SHOULD IGNORE“. If your blog is important to you, check out her advice.
Here is one I want to highlight:
Anyway, it’s a good post and worth reading.
This morning I was talking about the importance of brevity in communication. Elegant prose has its place, of course. But when you’re communicating information, say in a corporate environment, in the blizzard of information that is today’s modern landscape, crisp, clear language is critical. Bullet points, sentence fragments, focus on key elements, don’t bury the lede.
“Wait”, you might say, “isn’t this guy studying web development? Why’s he going on about writing and communication?” Well, remember what purpose a website serves: communication. It’s a delivery mechanism for information. Interactivity, color schemes, layout all need to serve the function of the site. Cool features, in and of themselves, at best are distractions unless they serve the reader/viewer.
So, with that, remember, when it comes to most “business writing”, focus on the bare (bear?) necessities.
Woolly Muses, a blog I’ve followed for awhile, posted their contribution to today’s FOWC (Fandango’s One-Word Challenge), with the key-word “verbal“. I enjoy these challenges, and I believe they solidly grow my creativity.
So, here’s my contribution:
words dance off my pen
verbal graces in sunlight
moving through silence
Great advice for the new poet…and for the old. Of course today we always have our phone with us, capturing our thoughts, poem scraps along with photos. There’s research supporting pen-and-paper’s superiority, for what that’s worth. Ultimately, the best solution is the one you use. As long as you’re confident in capturing your ideas, your brain can focus on creation.