The “Honing Your Craft” Challenge
Here are the links for today’s update:
And here are the two videos I mentioned at the end:
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[thrive_toggle color=’grey’ title=’Secret Bonus Video 2′]Quality on this one is a bit rubbish, unfortunately. But the message is excellent:
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Hope you enjoyed today’s update! Let me know about your challenge below. :)
Please leave a comment below.
Note that I don’t reply to all comments, but I do read them all. If I don’t reply to your comment, it most likely means that I agree with what you say and don’t have anything meaningful to add, myself. I appreciate and read all comments and your comments play an important part in what I write about, so keep them coming.
Spammy comments are always filtered or removed. No surprise there.
Hey brother thanks for the warm video, i have hybrid connect and love being around go getters. Would love to have you on my podcast “Entrepreneur Adrenaline” as a guest speaker … Blog writing is what i hate and that is what i will do here put a few hours aside getting better :) the issue is i need to free up 2 hours , that i can do :)
Thank you, Paul! I’d love to be on your podcast. I’ll send you an email so we can discuss further.
Hi Shane,
The link to the second video doesn’t work. I like your message.
Thanks for the heads-up! Just fixed the second video embed.
Beautiful waterfall! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Wanda! :)
This sounds really cool. I’m in the middle of something similar as well (mandatory daily writing). I can recommend a few other great resources I’ve found helpful (will definitely checkout the book you recommended).
The first is a book called “The Boron Letters” by the “prince of print,” Gary Halbert. Here’s a link to the PDF but it’s also available on amazon. http://woodleigh.vic.edu.au/assets/docs/The_Gary_Halbert_Boron_Letters.pdf
It’s basically a series of letters (containing marketing lessons and copywriting tips) that Gary Halbert writes to his son from his prison cell. Gary Halbert, if you don’t know, is one of the best direct mail marketers of all time. Definitely worth reading.
The second is a book I picked up on Copywriting called “The Copywriter’s Handbook: A Step by step guide to writing copy that sells” by Robert Bly. Really great info in there, especially for beginners to the copywriting world.
Also, awesome video Shane. This is a really high quality video recording!
Cheers,
Jordan
Thanks for the recommendations, Jordan! I’ll give those a read.
thanks for the Halbert link, Jordan!
Hey Shane, I’m reading “Made to Stick” right know, I think it is a great one too, you might know about this one…
I saw the first video a while ago, the guy is pretty cool… : ).
I’m not sure if I can have 2 hours per day now to do a “new thing”, but I think I can use more time for some projects that I am working on right know.
I am going to dedicate 2 hours to create a webinar that I’ve been creating very slowly… so I can speed up this project.
Take care…
Ah, Made to Stick! I love that book!
Also: the idea of the challenge isn’t necessarily that you find 2 extra hours to do something new, but rather that you dedicate at least 2 hours to focus on something and hone something you should be doing anyway.
Hello Shane,
I can type pretty well but I need to look at the keyboard and use only 2 or 3 fingers per hand (bad form). I’ve decided, since I’ll be blogging more, to improve my typing skills. Found a free test and games online. The test is here: http://www.freetypinggame.net/free-typing-lesson.asp My favorate game, so far, is Desert Typing Racer: http://www.freetypinggame.net/play14.asp . It’s actually FUN! Have scheduled 1 hour per week (like a music lesson). Will try to boost that practice time though.
Will buy the book. You’re the second person who has recommended it.
This Sunday Update was like a 3-course meal: a nice fresh take on Shane’s latest challenge, followed by a generous visual serving of awesome water in motion, and made complete with 2 scoops of Louis CK ice cream.
Feel free to add more Louis CK shenanigans into future Sunday Updates :)
I’ve been doing consistent freelance writing for the last 3 months, ~5-6 hours per day. Just these last 3 weeks, I’m beginning to notice improvements in my writing. Words tend to flow much better. The blank page is becoming less fear-inducing.
It’s funny that you re-visited “The Grind” today, b/c just a few days ago, as I was finishing a paragraph that felt pretty effortless, I thought, “So this is what Shane was talking about in The Grind”.
Gonna take you up on your challenge:
2 hrs per day building content for 2 of my neglected niche sites. I’ve been writing for others, ignoring my own projects, so this will be a good exercise in making my own projects a priority again.
“Sadness is poetic.” ~ Louis CK
Hi Shane,
I’ve decided to follow your lead and create my own 2hr/30day challenge.
My focus will be overcoming my fear of being seen to be a fool — aka “public speaking”/”video blogging” by jumping in front of the camera and hitting the record button.
Here’s to new and developing skills
Fiona
Hi Shane
up for the challenge.. I want to hone my curating skills for my site.
I used to write my own content and now I’m going more for a magazine style incorporating more of other people’s work but its a real skill to get it right and keep it interesting for your audience and not just have a bunch of links.
Thanks
Christine