Reviewing is always good

As some of you know, on the side I am also a USA Swimming Official. Before a meet, we often sit down and read over the rules as a group and discuss any confusion that we might have. Now, while we all know the rules and see this list in our sleep, there are still times that we need to discuss something. Coaches change training procedures and sometimes the swimmers come up with a new move that pushes the boundaries of a rule. So we talk.

I bring all of this up because I believe that more published authors need to do this every now and then. While they might be successful with their career and see great returns on their books, it is always good to review the basics every now and then. Too often, I see writers that really lose that "special touch" they had when they started writing. In some cases, it might simply be not being ready to make the move to professional writer, but in other cases, I do believe they have forgotten some of the basics.

I am not talking about going back to their earlier form of writing. I do want to see growth and that same "pushing of the boundaries" I see on the weekends at the swim meet. I want them to stop and review those basics and be able to "review" what they have done, and "understand" why they did it, and "know" what the impact is on the reader.

I used to lead a lot of training sessions on leadership management. We would always have people sitting in these sessions saying, "Come on, I've taken this course before." Sure, they may have, but I know for myself that I have always left a session learning something new, even those I have taken before.

So, your homework this week? Go back and re-learn something.

And, just to let you all know. This will be a short week. I will be seeing a few of you in Myrtle Beach at the SCWW. Make sure you check in with me and say hi! And if you haven't registered and you are in the neighborhood, check it out. This is a FABULOUS workshop!

Scott