Words about Words - August 2020
Welcome to Words about Words
Hello there,
Words about Words is my monthly newsletter, sent out on the last Thursday of the month, and then reproduced here the following day for those who haven’t yet subscribed to receive it by email (there’s a box at the bottom of this page should you wish to subscribe).
As per usual, in August's edition, I'll share things I've found interesting, entertaining or useful (the next section), followed by a some of my own work (the bottom section).
Read on...
Interesting, entertaining or useful
'Every Day's A School-Day'
Steffie Haynes, a primary school teacher from the Isle of Wight, shares her thoughts on creating a peaceful world, starting with the next generation. I think it's of interest even if, like me, you don't have children.
In Steffie's own words, her "personal perspective runs as wide as geological time and as short as a ten-year-old’s attention span. It goes as global as ocean systems to as local as veg from a school garden." (Full disclosure: Steffie is a friend of mine, but I wouldn't recommend her blog if I didn't think it was any good!) LINK
'Oranges are Orange, Salmon are Salmon'
"Oranges require orange to be. They are a colour expectation. If an orange is not orange, it is no orange. [...] For centuries, oranges were orange and still, orange was not a color."
This is a fascinating read about colour, nature, food, and perception, by the spatial practitioners, Cooking Sections (aka Daniel Fernández Pascual and Alon Schwabe), featured in The Paris Review. LINK
'Adam Kay: "My writing is best when it's at its most naturalistic"'
You may be familiar with Adam Kay's work. His memoir, This is Going to Hurt, sold over a million copies in the UK. In this interview with Curtis Brown Creative, he shares some tips on finding your writing voice, and information about a scholarship for black writers to join CBC's novel writing course. LINK
'The Least Expected Day: Inside the Movistar Team 2019'
With the Tour de France just about to start, this look inside the Movistar cycling team's 2019 season - focusing on the differign fortunes of its lead riders - is worth a watch.
It probably helps if you're a cycling fan, but I think this should also be required viewing for people who have to manage the conflicting ambitions of brilliant team-members. It's on Netflix. LINK
'Newsletters could be the next (and only) hope to save the media'
Oliver Franklin-Wallis looks at the recent increased popularity of email newsletter subscriptions for Wired. Despite writing this newsletter that you're reading, I currently don't have personal ambitions to earn an income from it.
That said, it is intriguing to see how journalists are turning to an independent, direct subscription model now that the conventional publications they previously wrote for are struggling. LINK
"Sometimes you just got go sit on a log"
I'm not a huge fan of DJ Khaled, but I had to smile at his wonderful, earnest appreciation of the natural world and the benefits of getting outdoors. If you don't watch this and smile, then maybe you need to get on a bike and head out into the forest yourself. LINK
'Mieko Kawakami: "Women are no longer content to shut up"'
I'd not heard of Kawakama before I read David McNeill's interview in The Guardian. I'll confess, I clicked on the article as I wanted to read her views on one of my favourite authors, Haruki Murakami, but ended up adding her novel, Breasts and Eggs, to my 'to buy' list. LINK
Things I've been working on
There's been a couple of projects I can't share with you yet (including a massive jump out of my comfort zone), but here are some new things of mine that you can read...
Lonely Goat
Last month, I promised an in depth look at the 80/20 Training Method, which you can now read here... LINK
My website
Over on jonathansbean.com, I've shared my thoughts on why it is important not to sell yourself short: 'Don't call yourself an "Aspiring Writer"' Pop over and have a read. LINK
Until next time
Thank you for reading August's edition of Words about Words - I hope you enjoyed it. Keep an eye out for the next edition, arriving in your inbox on the last Thursday in September.
And remember, if you need any writing, or charity fundraising support, feel free to get in touch for a chat.
All the best,
Jonathan