DianaHale

Writers

Malcolm Gladwell’s Master Class

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Malcolm GladwellHave you seen the advertisements for the website masterclass.com? I loved the concept when I first noticed it.

Imagine learning acting from Samuel L. Jackson, tennis from Serena Williams, or cooking from Wolfgang Puck. When I saw that Malcolm Gladwell had a writing course on the site, I knew I wanted to take it.

You probably know that Malcolm Gladwell is the author of several bestselling books, including The Tipping Point, Blink, The Outliers, and David and Goliath. He has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996. I have always been fascinated by his ability to think outside the box.

If you have any interest in writing nonfiction, Malcolm Gladwell’s master class is worth your time. I watched all 24 lessons in one day, while furiously typing notes. It was like sitting with him in his Manhattan apartment while he talked about his writing process and his experiences. My favorite lessons were the ones where he described his interviewing style and his story-telling techniques.

One thing I like about the masterclass.com website is the option to upload video questions for the instructor. I also liked the course outline that was provided for download.

Take a look at masterclass.com. I know you will find something you want to explore.

J.K. Rowling – Very Good Lives

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JK Rowling HarvardToday one of my Facebook friends posted a short excerpt of J.K. Rowling’s commencement address at Harvard University in 2008.

I found the excerpt so moving that I immediately watched the whole speech on youtube!

In 2008, this speech quickly became the most-viewed commencement address on Harvard University’s website.

In 2015, the speech was transformed into a gift book entitled Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination.

Sales of this book will benefit Lumos, a non-profit international organization founded by J.K. Rowling, which works to end the institutionalization of children around the world. It will also benefit university-wide financial aid at Harvard University.

I highly recommend watching the entire 2008 Harvard University commencement address.

You can watch the excerpt here.

J.K. Rowling – A Rags To Riches Story

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J.K. RowlingYou probably know that J.K. Rowling is the British billionaire author of the beloved Harry Potter series of fantasy novels for children.

I love the story of J.K. Rowling’s rise to fame and fortune!

J.K. was always very imaginative. She wanted to be a writer, but her father encouraged her to choose a more practical career – like being a secretary. Her mother encouraged her to follow her heart.

J.K. Rowling attended the University of Exeter. After graduating, she moved to London, and began working as a researcher and secretary at Amnesty International.  Later she moved to Manchester.

In 1990, the idea for the Harry Potter series came to J.K. while she was stuck on a delayed train between Manchester and London.  As soon as she got home, she started to write the book.

J.K. Rowling eventually moved to Portugal, where she taught English as a foreign language. She continued to work on her book in her spare time.  While she was there she married a local television reporter, and they had a daughter. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last long.

J.K. left Portugal and moved to Edinburgh, Scotland to be near her sister. She saw herself as a failure because she was a divorced, unemployed, single mother who was dependent on welfare benefits. However, J.K. did not waste her time. She focused on her writing.

In 1995, J.K. Rowling finished her manuscript for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The book was submitted to twelve publishing houses, all of which rejected the manuscript.

A year later, the book was finally accepted by Bloomsbury, a publishing house in London. In June 1997, Bloomsbury published Philosopher’s Stone, and it won several book awards.

In October 1998, the book was published in the U.S. under the title of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Harry Potter became a huge commercial success, and a franchise that continues to grow today.

In three years, J.K. Rowling went from being a single mother on welfare to one of the richest women in Great Britain!

It has been estimated that more than 400 million copies of J.K. Rowling’s books have been sold worldwide. Every 30 seconds, someone in the world starts reading a Harry Potter book.

I think the lesson we can learn from J.K. Rowling’s story is that you should follow your heart!

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

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Angela DuckworthAngela Duckworth, Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, has spent years analyzing what it takes to be successful.

In her recent book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, she makes a convincing argument that it takes much more than talent.  You also need to have grit.

But what is grit?

Angela explains that “grit” is comprised of passion and perseverance.

Passion is what makes your goal fascinating and meaningful for you. It has two elements, which are deep interest and a sense of purpose.

  1. The first element is intense “interest.” Your attention is completely captivated by your goal. There may be aspects of your work that you don’t enjoy, but overall the activity should excite you.  Passion begins with enjoying what you do.
  2. The second element of passion is a sense of “purpose” or meaning. You have a strong sense that what you are doing could benefit other people. It is a feeling of connection to the service of other people.

Perseverance is the drive to keep moving toward your goal. It also has two elements, which are daily practice, and hope or resilience.

  1. The first element is that of “daily practice” or consistency. Without discipline and effort, initial talent will never develop into something fruitful.  Every day you work to get better than you were the day before. You are constantly moving forward and progressing.
  2. The second element of perseverance is “hope or resilience.” This is the feeling that you can and will overcome all adversity, setbacks, and failures.  It is the feeling that your goals are within reach.

Angela Duckworth has found that people with these characteristics reach their goals more often than people who do not.

You can learn more about Angela Duckworth at her website or by listening to her TED talk.

Low Cost Freedom

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Seth GodinI love Seth Godin! He has written 18 best-selling books about business and marketing, and I have read most of them. He also writes a blog post on Typepad every single day, of which I am an avid reader.

Today Seth talked about our freedom to change a habit, to change our minds, and to change our expectations.

It takes effort to change a habit. It takes courage (and sometimes humility) to change our mind or our expectations. Fortunately, we have the freedom to change all three. Is there any other form of freedom that comes at such a low cost?

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