Okay, so I'm jumping the gun a bit on the New Year's resolutions. But as we step into the crazy feeding frenzy that is the holidays, I'm reminded that I need to exercise my speechwriting muscles as much as my speedwalking ones. For me, the best way to do that is with a mix of reading, writing and listening. "Something different every day should keep the writer's block away" (I hope).
In addition to what I consider my "interval training" of blogging, attending conferences and networking, I have set myself the following daily goals:
- Complete one page of the Appendix in "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know" (E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Vintage Books [Random House], 1998). This is an excellent resource for us speechwriters to fill in our own "cultural literacy" gaps so we can do our part to enrich conversation and communication on every level.
- Read one chapter in a speechwriting-specific book OR two general magazine articles, to keep up-to-date on both current events and best practices in speechwriting.
- Listen to one speech to keep my ears tuned in to the poetry of writing.
In my next couple of posts, I'll list my top book, magazine and speech resources for each of these exercises. I look forward to hearing about yours as well. Remember, exercise is always more fun and productive when you've got a workout partner.
Here's to our health!
