I’ve never heard of Jeremy David, but apparently he’s heard of me, because I’m one of the 11 bloggers he tapped for his “Great Writing Challenge.”
It’s an interesting idea, this whole challenge of his.
Step 1: Pick 10 or so people who know what they’re doing
Step 2: Issue a double-dog dare aimed at making them climb all over each other to help you be a better writer for no compensation other than “bragging rights — if you win.”
Step 3: Sit back and watch your blog traffic skyrocket as people talk about your guts/brilliance/foolishness.
It’s ballsy, but I’m reserving judgment on participating.
In fact, I’m really quite surprised that Carson took the time to respond, and at length. (But then again, I think Carson might be considerably nicer than I am, so maybe I shouldn’t be that surprised after all.)
I’m not entirely on board with this idea, and rather than just sit back and see where it goes, I’m going to fan the fire a bit. So here are my questions for you, Jeremy David, and if you want my help, you’ll answer them.
- Who the heck are you, and why should I spend my time helping you? In addition, of course, to the hours I devote every week to maintaining this blog and participating actively in two writing forums, where I provide how-to tips and advice for writers on a pretty much daily basis all things considered? You clearly know how to use Google, since you used it to find me and the other 10 bloggers you’ve tapped. Why not do your own work?
- What’s in it for me? “Bragging rights” doesn’t really work for me. I get paid for this kind of stuff. It’s part of that whole full-time self-employed deal, the way I pay my bills. If you want me to do it for free, I need something a little more compelling than “bragging rights.”
- And what’s this “if you win” crap? Seems to me that the only winner here is you. If there’s some criteria for my “winning,” you need to clarify what it is. You could (dare I say “should”?) do it like the rest of us and figure it out yourself, like with research, classes, honing your craft, and all that, but rather you solicit a free How to Write Successfully for Life course. It’s clever, but I’m not sure I like it, and I’m not sure it’s going to help you anyway. Occam’s (or Ockham’s, if you prefer) razor doesn’t really apply here — we’re talking development of high-level thinking, reasoning, and communication skills. It ain’t happening overnight, so the simple solution isn’t the best, trust me.
What does everyone else think about this? Are you as skeptical as I am? Yeah, I know I’m giving Jeremy a hard time, but I think he can handle it. If he can give me a compelling reason to help him, I’ll do it. But I’m not convinced that he’s serious about this, and I’m not wasting my time on someone who’s just thinking about writing on a whim and looking for the easy way out. Jeremy, make me believe that you’re not that guy, and we’ll talk.
And just for fun, here’s a freebie: Jeremy, your first homework assignment, after you complete the detailed answers to the above questions and leave them as a comment on this post, of course, is to read the entirety of the Inkthinker archive. Then, go over to Absolute Write and read every article in their library, and then read every thread in the AWWC Freelancing forum.
Ready? Go!
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Hey, wait a minute – that’s my son’s name! Well, if he were interested in being a better writer, I’d applaud his attempts to hornswoggle pros into helping him for free. ;)
I’m like you, Kristen. I’m on the fence as to his motives and whether he’s going to ask folks to write his term papers for him. ;)
So, here we are talking about Jeremy. Mission accomplished, he’s thinking, right?
Although it’s an audacious quest, naive, presumtuous and all of that, there’s something about the ballsiness of this 20-something that’s got us responding and fired up. And I have a soft spot for young people.
I’ve responded to Jeremy with intrigue and finger wagging. “Nobody can teach you how to write. You teach you how to write…” etc.
I almost wrote back to him to say “Okay, you’re on. But you have to trade for this relationship. I’ll coach you; you blog about me, I blog about you. After all, I am in business to make a living and this is sort of like an MTV Real World idea meets blogging.”
I didn’t act on my thoughts. What stopped me is that his request/premise doesn’t feel like it has either authenticity or PR longevity. It ain’t got legs. Can’t quite put my finger on why, but here’s another thing: what if he can’t write?
Even if he learns how to punctuate and construct, and he masters all the technical aspects of writing, what if he doesn’t have soul?
Then again, will it ruin your/my/his life to experiment?
One thing’s for sure: he’s getting a bit more traction in the past few days than I normally see…
Big fat smiles all around!
L
Ahh, a challenge of my own. I was wondering who inspired that snarky (and valid) little comment on my website. I honestly appreciate your… wanting clarification… before you continue.
1. Who the heck am I, and why should you spend your time helping me?
My name is Jeremy David Peters. I’m a student slash politician at the University of Victoria, in British Columbia. It’s funny that the first characteristic I thought of was that I am involved in student politics. It’s a vicious and thankless realm of impossibility. But alas, I am entrenched in that world and eagerly anticipate April 30th, when my term is complete. In terms of school, I’m technically a business student – but I’m not one of the cliché suit toting cliquey commerce students that typically come to mind when the word it uttered. Or thought. I am passionate about the environment. I have a bad feeling about where the world is going, and I fear it is too late. Zombies. It’s going to happen. Trust me.
I doubt that I am the only person in the world who wants to be able to write eloquent and compelling literature. Heck, that’s why they offer English courses, right? Unfortunately, my formal education didn’t revolve around those classes. I was too busy doing my silly commerce stuff. So now I am here, close to graduation, regretting my inability to write.
I love blogging, I think it is a powerful medium of communication. I frequently change what I blog about, and now my targets are focused on helping people write better. Believe me or not, I sincerely want to help people who are in my position learn to write better. Yes, there are probably many resources – you highlighted many of them yourself – that can teach someone to write. But they are not cut and dry. There is no definitive step by step guide that teaches someone to write better. That’s what I want to do, and help people succeed.
Why not do my own work? Why do people write research papers? Why have books? Why record anything for that matter. If everyone had to start from scratch anytime they did anything, what would be the point of doing it first. That didn’t really make any sense, but I’m trying to say that I was hoping to start my writing quest by learning from what accomplished people, like yourself, have done before. Then, when all is done, I would refine everything into a simple and effective resource to help people in my position.
What will you get out of this? Credit for being a participant, and the satisfaction of helping people write better. I agree, my little challenge thing was a bit sassy and INFOMERCIALesque. But it worked. Here we are, talking about writing. Would you have responded if I sent you a little email asking for help? I’m not sure. I’ve already learned one thing I didn’t know before: writing forums are a great way to learn to write better. Tip number one assimilated. Celebration.
Before I continue, I’m going to look at your analysis of the great writing challenge:
Step 1: Pick 10 or so people who know what they’re doing
Check.
Step 2: Issue a double-dog dare aimed at making them climb all over each other to help you be a better writer for no compensation other than “bragging rights — if you win.”
X. There are more benefits than bragging rights. I didn’t want to dangle the glowing carrot of altruism in front of your face, but it’s there. Trust me.
Step 3: Sit back and watch your blog traffic skyrocket as people talk about your guts/brilliance/foolishness.
I
think I’ve had 30 new visitors today? Ha ha, maybe the ball just has to start rolling. And if it does, well, that would be awesome. All those Google ads I have on my page might earn… Oh wait a second. I don’t have Google ads on my website anymore. But it would be really cool if I did, and I managed to make like $4.
2. What’s in it for you?
That’s a really good question. First of all, you got to write a really sarcastic post about some random kid (am I still a kid? Whatever). Don’t worry though. I love it. I can handle it. I’m involved in Student Politics remember. I thrive on this kind of stuff. Seriously though. You have valid questions and I am having fun answering them.
When I was saying bragging rights I was jokingly implying that when I win an academy award I’ll go on stage and thank you personally for making me the writer I am today. All your friends, while you’re sitting around the television in your fancy dresses, would be so jealous. I wish I could italicize that so. That would be so cool.
Let’s briefly talk about opportunity costs. Obviously if you had a paying client calling you asking why their copy isn’t done, you wouldn’t say “Sorry, bud, I’m helping this random person for free. Wait in line”. But if it’s raining, and the power’s out. And it’s cold, and your cell phone isn’t working. And it’s dark. And you’re really bored, and you have nothing to do. Not even board games or DVDs. Just nothing. That would be a good time. “If I give my services away for free people will not pay for them!” No. I do not have any money.
What would you actually get out of this? Recognition for your work. When people check out the blog they’ll see all of your contributions and think “Wow! This person is really smart. Maybe I’ll pay for some consulting!” No, I’m not talking about myself. I’m talking about you. Also the readers of your blog would get the benefit of anything you provide because I’d hope you would provide the information to them too. Basically, the reward is helping many people learn to write, and getting some free advertising along the way.
3.And what’s this “if you win” crap?
I’m the only winner? Nope. Everyone’s a winner. You, me, and the people who participate. Even the people in for years who stumble upon these posts. I believe in free information. I’m not about to close up shop and start charging people for what you teach me. No one would listen to me. Why would they hire me when they can hire you? This is about helping everyone. The process I go through to learn how to write will be available for everyone. I’m just the example. A tangible experience people can follow.
I could figure it out myself. I’m sure that’s what you did, and thousands of people all over the world. But times are changing. Information is fast and accessible. Communication is easy.
I agree with you 100%. There is no easy way to improve. If there was everyone and their chimpanzee would be a writer. A good writer too. Then, actually, it would be the bad writers that are famous… because everyone else is good. But that’s a philosophical debate I wouldn’t be able to eloquently defend. So I shant. I love that word. Even though it’s not real. Wait, aren’t “shants” short pants? I think they are. So I shall not.
Becoming a better writer is going to take years. It’s going to involve reading many books. It’s going to involve writing a lot. And I think that’s cool. I do not have hundreds and hundreds of dollars to pay people to teach me to write, so I came up with an idea: a blog that is going to help many people learn to write, and diffuses the task of teaches across many different people.
So there we go. Hugs and ponies. I heart you. I shall begin the archive retrieval process immediately. Or tonight. Certainly before the bell tolls one.
Jeremy, I heart you back. I’m in.
And for the record…
1. Sarcasm? Moi? I was completely serious! No, really. I was.
2. If you’d sent me a dinky little e-mail asking for help, I would have been much more likely to take you seriously. But this was WAY more fun, if you ask me.
Let’s chat. After you finish your homework, that is. ;]
kk
You’re way too nice, girlfriend. Send him your rates for coaching and be done. “Bragging rights” don’t pay the mortgage.
Well, I’m going to admit that even though it’s after 11 a.m., I’m still rubbing sleepy out of my eyes, chugging coffee, and lacking any understanding of what is going on with this Jeremy character. In any event, here are my totally uneducated opinions –
1. I applaud Jeremy for whatever the heck it is he’s doing, for the simple fact that he’s showing some kind of “forward march” approach to interacting with writers and the blogging world. I don’t exactly “get” what the approach is, b/c I’m too restless to read his lengthy comment, but, whatever.
2. I agree with Kristen – I spend way too much time writing for money and my own benefit (blogging, etc.) to take part, haha.
On his own weblog he says he’s in it to help others around the world become better writers. However, in his Challenge post, he mentions no one but himself. Sorry. I can’t see how this benefits anyone but Jeremy, who seems to write just fine as it is.
Okay, assuming someone actually has the time to devote to mentoring someone for free, can this really be done? I mean if someone considers himself a “not very good writer” can you actually make him one? Everyone can improve in the mechanics department, but I’m still of a mind that you either possess *creative* talent or your don’t. So, if Jeremy had included me in his challenge, which he didn’t, the major factor I’d be considering is does he possess latent talent or not.
Sorry but I am thinking that if he’s already at University, maybe he should have sunk some of that money into writing classes, or better yet, google “free online writing classes” for some “free help”. As for bragging rights, I would be asking for a nice ham… Or something! Good Lord, people gotta eat and bragging rights aren’t gonna help that happen!
I’m sorry, but after reading Jeremy’s challenge post and his responses here, I don’t think I’d help the guy. I am not opposed to giving would-be writers advice, and I respond to every such email I receive, but all of Jeremy’s talk about altruism and the joy of helping others strikes me as a front.
“Life is a pain, highness. Anybody who says differently is selling something.”
— The Princess Bride