In January 2022, I signed up for Ship30for30, a cohort-based course teaching the fundamentals of digital writing. The goal is to develop a consistent writing habit, experiment with ideas, and ship 30 pieces of content in 30 days.
Why a digital writing course?
I find writing a struggle. It’s tough to put thoughts on paper, let alone adapt my writing for various audiences and mediums.
Yet, we live in the digital age where short attention spans are common, information overload is the norm, and undivided attention is scarce. Now more than ever, being an efficient and effective communicator is essential.
Being a self-improvement junkie, shipping thirty pieces of content in thirty days feels like a right-sized challenge.
“Writing is a skill, not a talent, and this difference is important because a skill can be improved by practice.” - Robert Stacy McCain
What are my desired outcomes?
By practising the art of writing atomic essays, I hope to become better able at expressing my thoughts and ideas in the written form, and in doing so, more deeply connect with the reader.
Doing an intense thirty-day challenge, with creative constraints will hopefully improve my ability to produce content effectively and efficiently - speed, fluency, style, and clarity.
Lastly, by building in public, I hope to boost my self-confidence and empower myself to become a more self-sufficient communicator. One that isn't afraid to hit 'publish'.
“Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly. That's why it's so hard.” - David McCullough
What does success look like for me?
Shipping 30 pieces of content, a mix of atomic essays, minimalist visualizations, mind maps, and infographics.
Going with the flow, seeing where this experiment takes me in personal growth, the kind of content I produce and connecting with others. In signing up for Ship30for30, I was ready to experiment and push myself when writing. But the thing about building in public is that you are also experimenting with your personal brand.
By identifying what brought me here and being open about my learning goals and insecurities, I hope to liberate myself from the angst of building in public and allow myself to experiment without the constraints of writing on a particular topic or for a specific audience.
With this in mind, success means having fun, being open-minded, enjoying the journey and not taking myself too seriously.
“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Side note
The day after I wrote the above, from the moment I woke up, I couldn't stop thinking about the Otis Redding song Sitting on the Dock of the Bay.
"Sittin' in the mornin' sun I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come Watching the ships roll in And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay Watching the tide roll away"
I couldn't get these lyrics out of my head, so I drew a picture.
Not being able to express my thoughts and ideas sometimes feels like I am sitting at the dock of the bay watching life go by... This is why I signed up for a digital writing course. To develop my communication skills, boost my confidence, and find my voice.
A visual summary of my Ship30for30 commitments
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