22nd Edition: Alternate universes, Writing well & Calling in support
22nd Edition: Alternate universes, Writing well & Calling in support
Thanks for being here
Hey everyone,
I know the past couple of weeks have been tough.
We’re trying to support Ukraine, while carrying on with our daily lives. It’s hard to reconcile the two realities. So if you’re struggling to do so, know that you’re not alone.
I was debating if I should pause this newsletter. What’s the point of promoting tips on learning design when Ukrainians are fleeing their homes for safety?
But then, the message below landed in my inbox.
Education is a path to opportunity. And to peaceful resolutions.
So I’ll continue to promote tips on learning design, while continuing to support Ukrainians. Here’s a list of potential organizations you can donate to if you’re keen to do the same (shout out to Growth Currency newsletter writer, Dylan Redekop, for the suggestions):
🏥 Ukrainian Red Cross (this is where I’ve donated)
A former boss once said, “the miraculous thing about disasters is the nation’s ability to come together”. He was referring to Australians’ response to devastating wildfires in 2020. His words came to mind when I saw the photo below.
It’s inspiring to see so many nations come together to support Ukrainians. May we continue to do so until they’re peacefully home. ❤️
Now, here are three gems I want to share with you:
An experience to inspire: Write of Passage - Cohort 8
“We bled on the page together.”
—John Nicholas’ poetic take on our student experience in Write of Passage - Cohort 7
He was referring to our vulnerability in sharing our ideas and experiences—not to mention our work in progress as we moved from drafts to publication.
Fast forward five months, and we’re one week deep in Cohort 8. This time, I’m a mentor. And I feel crazy lucky to count myself part of this incredible team driving premier online learning.
Our writing community is a quilt that firmly holds us together while enabling us to stand out. Everyone has a unique voice. A style all their own.
At any given time you can find lead mentor, Charlie Bleecker, reeling us into a piece on family dynamics with hooks like, “I can’t fucking stand my sister”—or fellow mentors Joojo Ocran and Simone Silverstein walking us through the art of storytelling, and the challenges of reclaiming your maiden name after a divorce, respectively. Not to mention a slew of people bringing authentic lenses to entrepreneurship, web3, fitness, psychology—and pretty much any other topic you can think of.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Write of Passage is the Chicken Soup for the Soul of courses.
✍️ If you’re interested in joining the next cohort, sign up for course updates.
A resource to consider: On Writing Well cheat sheet
You can’t run a great course without the ability to write clearly.
Whether you’re drafting copy for marketing materials—like emails, landing pages, Tweet threads and LinkedIn posts—or writing instructional content, exercise prompts, and student feedback, you need to be clear and succinct.
On Writing Well is an excellent resource for anyone looking to sharpen their writing. It’s considered “the bible” for writing nonfiction, but the takeaways are applicable to writing in general.
The chapters on Simplicity and Clutter alone are enough to give your writing a primer.
📘 You can buy the book or read the online PDF version here. Also, check out this overall summary by Alex J. Hughes.
A question to ponder: What would you do?
An irony about making bold moves is you typically have to make a decision before support appears to execute it.
So basically it’s a matter of stepping off of ledges based on blind trust you have in yourself, the universe—or whatever you believe in—that people will emerge to catch you. The metaphorical equivalent of supporting you along your journey.
Easier said than done, right?
Though as someone who’s made solo moves overseas, started writing online, and gone independent as a freelancer, I can vouch for the magic of supporters coming forward to form a security net when you need it.
🪂 Question: Think about something you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t found the courage yet. If you knew you’d be supported, what would that change?
Thanks for reading my 22nd newsletter
My goal is to prompt reflection within this vibrant community of ours, so I’d love your feedback on how I can make future editions beneficial.
Got an idea or burning question I could address? Hit reply and we’re off.
Have a wonder-full week,