Today marks the first day of a journey. I recently signed up for an online writing course, the Ship 30 for 30 cohort-based course by Dickie Bush & Nicolas Cole. Over these next 30 days, I will be on a digital writing journey.

I don’t know about you, but I have heard (and read) at least a few dozen times about why I should start writing online. But as with any new skills we decide to learn, we must embrace our reasons for starting.

For my Day 1 piece 🎉 I will dive into the three main reasons why I made this decision and what I hope comes from this journey.

Develop the mindset of a digital writer

One of the cornerstones of digital writing is the habit of experimentation.

Whether it is in writing or breakthrough discoveries more generally, we often only see the successful final product after the tipping point of adoption. The facts about the years of toil and experimentation, cracking the code of best fit, get pushed to the wayside.

Having the mindset of a digital writer is about being courageous (not fearless 🙂) to experiment: test ideas, interpret feedback, and then further hone based on the insights.

After 30 days, I expect that I have grown a sustainable habit of experimentation and creativity that I can carry with me… forever!

Hone my communication skills

In his book “Writing to Learn” the late journalist William Zinsser argues that the writing process plays an important role in our abilities to clarify our thinking and develop ideas. 

As a result of this journey, I expect that I will be able to think and communicate more clearly, both in writing and verbally.

A few resources that I have bookmarked which touch on this topic are:

• Writing to Learn, by William Zinsser

• On Writing Clearly, by William Zinsser

• The 5 Pillars of Digital Writing, by Dickie Bush and Nicolas Cole

Connect with a community of thought leaders

Connection has always been something that I have thrived on. 

In all of the places that I have traveled, some of the biggest lessons that I have learned have been through the stories and perspectives of others. 

My expectation is that after these 30 days I will have connected to a network of curious people and thought leaders with whom I can explore new concepts, share my perspectives, and learn new perspectives on the world. 

In this journey, I am also discovering what exactly I wish to write about. What do I want to dive deeper into and share?

At least from the start, a few topics that I am passionate about and I plan to explore more are the market around plastic waste (and commodities, more generally); some of the things I have learned living internationally, both as a Peace Corps Volunteer and as a digital nomad; and the innovation happening at the intersection between social policy and small business development. 

I expect these will probably change and I am excited about that. I will embrace that habit of experimentation.

Join me on this adventure. Drop a comment below, share your thoughts and let me know if you have any questions along the way!

I'm excited to start sharing what I know online.