Read on for news and updates, links to examples of my work, thoughts on writing and fundraising, book reviews and other musings.
Words about Words - April 2020
If you’re a subscriber to my monthly newsletter, Words about Words, you’ll have already received today’s blogpost in your email inbox yesterday. If you’ve missed it, or haven’t subscribed yet (there’s a box at the bottom of the page), here it is for your enjoyment…
Welcome to Words about Words
In this month's edition I'll share some of the things I've been working on (the next section), some links I found interesting (scroll down to about halfway), and what I've been enjoying culturally (scroll down to near the bottom).
Words I've written
In addition to writing for Lonely Goat Running Club, I've produced two short pieces for King of Shaves, purveyors of great shaving stuff.
Will, the founder of the company, tasked me with writing 'interesting, engaging content' that isn't just the usual "how to" or news article you might expect on such a website. Beyond that briefest of briefs, I've got free rein, which has been fun.
The first piece is called "Why do you shave?" and explores the relationship between shaving and identity.
This was followed by "Sprezzatura" which is about putting the effort in to look effortless.
I'm pleased with how both turned out, and have enjoyed working on the third piece - a sci-fi short-story - which should go live at 10am this Saturday.
Over at Lonely Goat, you may wish to read my "Beginners guide to running", written to help people who are taking up running as part of their daily exercise routine during the coronavirus lockdown.
If you're an experienced runner struggling to feel motivated at the moment, then "How to get your mojo back" might be of interest.
Here on my site, I've published:
A review of Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson (a great book);
A brief look at things I'm missing during the coronavirus lockdown;
And a detailed appraisal of a great piece of fundraising writing I received from the ever-excellent Surfers Against Sewage (which should be of interest to all businesses, not just charities).
Useful and interesting links
Words about Words is not all about me. Here are some links to pieces I enjoyed reading and that may interest you too.
"Yes, your tired mind is slowing you down" (by Brad Stulberg for Outside Magazine);
"Fundraising feats continue despite London Marathon's postponement" (by Sean Ingle for The Guardian);
"Ten lockdown self-care tips for writers" (By Gareth L. Powell for Curtis Brown Creative);
"Cities have been invaded by cars. Now they're being liberated" (by Gavin Haines for Positive News);
Cultural highlights
It's been a struggle to engage with the cultural world this past month. Nonetheless, a few things have helped break up the 'run, work at the dining table, sit on the sofa, sleep, repeat' cycle.
"Earth" by EOB (aka Ed O'Brien from Radiohead) has barely left the turntable.
Thanks to the great film, 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' I now read haiku in a New Zealand accent.
The Idler's series of Thursday night Zoom chats has been fun. Guy Singh Watson from Riverford was featured a fortnight ago, with the actor Dominic West last week.
I've got into 'Queer Eye' on Netflix in a big way!
Until next time!
That's all for now - thanks for reading. Keep an eye on your inbox for the next Words about Words, arriving on the last Thursday in May.
All the best,
Jonathan
PS: You can receive Words about Words every month by signing up using the box at the bottom of this page.
What I’m missing so far
My wife, Heather, and I are both able to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic. We appreciate that in many ways this is a privileged position as so many people are either having to work in situations that are putting themselves at risk, or worried about not being able to work at all.
That said, the disruption to the norm is still difficult to deal with. For us, a large part of this is because we’re able to work, but not necessarily able to enjoy the fun stuff that would ordinarily balance out the time spent working.
I was thinking about all the things I’ve found myself missing - some of which have been a surprise to me - and decided to jot them down here. Then, when this is all done, I’ll try and work through the list.
It’s naturally Southampton-centric, and there will be things I’ve missed, but here, in no particular order, are some of the things I’m missing during this lockdown:
Friends and family: We get to speak through the internet, but how great would a hug be right now?
Cafés: In particular, The Art House, No. 329 Coffee House, Coffee Lab and Mettricks. I also want to visit those cafés I’ve not been in before.
The sea: Getting in it, trying to surf on it, sailing, just being near it.
Travel: UK trips to London for culture and Bristol for friends and family. I’ve been craving a return to Morocco, Spain and Portugal, too.
The Isle of Wight: This could have been in the ‘travel’ section, and overlaps with ‘friends and family’ and ‘the sea’, but it deserves it’s own heading. I miss friends, family, and the physical geography of the Island itself.
Live music: Big gigs are great, but I really want to get hot and sweaty in The Joiners. I also want to get to a nightclub or a festival and dance until the sun comes back up.
My training group: I am a member of Southampton Athletic Club and train with Noel O’Dowd’s coaching group at the athletics track on a Tuesday. Or at least, I used to. I can’t wait to get back to the track and run with other people again.
Cream teas: Both Heather and I have done a bit of baking the past few weeks (Heather more than me), but I really, really want to go to Setley Ridge in the New Forest and sit in the sun enjoying a massive scone and loads of clotted cream and jam, with a pot of tea. Yes, I could recreate this at home, but it’s not the same.
Eating out: This might just be my top hobby, so I’m missing going to restaurants a lot. I would like to get back to Kali Mirchi, Mango Thai, Lakaz Maman, The Social (their roast dinners are incredible!), and visit places I haven’t been to yet.
Record shops: Flicking through the racks of records at Vinilo or any record store, in any town.
Book shops: Looking through the shelves or books at October Books or any book shop, in any town.
Not feeling this underlying sense of uncertainty: I’m sure we are all craving the clear headspace that a resolution to this situation will bring.
There are also some things I’ve enjoyed during the lockdown that are either new to me, or that I have returned to, that I would like to carry on into ‘normal’ life:
Speaking to friends and family more.
Baking and eating cakes at home.
Yoga.
Walks with Heather at dusk.
If I remember, I might return to this blog post in the future and see whether I did do any of these things in the post-lockdown world.
How about you? What are you missing, and what have you enjoyed that’s new?
I don’t have a comments section on this site, so feel free to play along in your own head. If you would really like to, feel free to let me know by emailing or getting in touch via social media (links at the bottom of the page).
I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Surfers Against Sewage getting it right
A look at the excellent cover letter I received from Surfers Against Sewage this week…
As a child, I spent a lot of time sailing dinghies and falling in the sea. There were a couple of summers where I would lose my voice. I can’t be certain, but it is possible the poor water quality of the Solent in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s was the cause. Since then, I have been a supporter of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).
In that time, SAS have evolved from a relatively small, single-issue campaign group, into a formidable force in the world of environmental advocacy. They’re a small team, making a big impact. This success is no doubt in part due to their excellent supporter care.
The tone and frequency of their communications ticks all the right boxes and the Pipeline newsletter/magazine is genuinely interesting to read. It’s not just an exercise in self-congratulation - “look at the amazing work we’ve done” - but a vehicle for thanking supporters and sharing interesting articles on the challenges and opportunities for the marine environment.
The most recent issue of Pipeline arrived through my door this week, accompanied by the cover letter below. Scroll down quickly and give it a read - especially the fourth paragraph.
I was surprised and impressed.
Here is a charity that cares so much about their supporters, it is telling them how to reduce the amount they give.
This isn’t information buried deep in their website, but the fourth paragraph on the cover letter, in the centre of the page. They’ve even given the email address of the appropriate person to talk to.
Yes, this paragraph comes immediately before a request for donations (this is a letter from a charity to its current supporters - a request for funding is to be expected and is absolutely OK), but when was the last time you saw a charity actively provide information on how to give less?
I don’t know the demographic composition of SAS’s members, but it is probable, given the charity’s area of work, the majority live in coastal areas. UK government statistics show that coastal regions are among the most deprived (based on multiple indices of deprivation) in the country. Therefore, there is a strong possibility there are SAS members who are worried about the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on their jobs and personal finances.
By providing information on how to reduce the amount of their monthly giving - effectively saying “It’s OK if you need to do this” - SAS will bank a great deal of goodwill with those supporters. Even if they receive less money from them right now, they won’t lose that supporter entirely.
Much of SAS’s work is advocacy and campaigning, which requires the support of a legion of ambassadors and volunteers. It’s not just a case of giving a few quid and that’s the end of it. SAS supporters email their MPs, sign petitions, write letters to polluting water companies, give talks in schools, conduct beach cleans, host fundraising events, and extend the reach of the organisation far beyond that which the head office staff could achieve on their own.
Maximising the engagement of this passionate, committed supporter base is arguably more important to a campaigning organisation like SAS than maximising the £/donor figures.
Yes, more money means they’re able to do more work, but this letter suggests to me that SAS recognise the long term “return on relationship”, plus sensible organisational and operational changes, is what will help them overcome any short term loss of income caused by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The cynic might argue they’re only doing this because it makes them look good, or because of some reverse-psychology nudge-theory tactics that will result in an increase in donations. Maybe it is. I don’t work for SAS and I don’t know any of the people who work there so I have no insider knowledge of their intentions. But, based on what I do know about them, and what I receive from them as a supporter, I don’t feel that to be the case.
Instead, I would argue that this letter - opening with an honest statement of the difficulties they’re facing, then recognising that their supporters may be facing similar difficulties, before closing with a donation request - shows this to be an organisation that recognise and appreciate the deep connection they have with their supporters.
As I said above, I expect a letter from a charity to include a donation request. That’s OK.
But a letter from a charity acknowledging the difficulties the supporter might be facing, and giving their blessing should they need to give less? That is unusual.
That they have done this - looking beyond the immediate needs of the organisation’s income and expenditure figures, and out to their place within their community - implies a level of care and attention to detail that is encouraging and reassuring to someone who gives SAS money with the expectation they will do great work with it.
It may well be the case there are loads of charities doing this, but of the charities I support, SAS are the only one who have sent me a letter like this.
If you’re reading this and work for a charity, I would encourage you to think about what you can do to support your supporters right now. Indeed, even if you don’t work for a charity, consider what you can do to support your clients or customers.
I’m not saying this to admonish or be judgmental of anyone who hasn’t sent a letter like this - and I recognise I’m not telling you anything revolutionary that you wouldn’t instinctively already be aware of - but intend this as an external prompt to provide you something to think about if you get the opportunity to do so.
I have worked at charities and completely understand how stressful and all-consuming it can be to fundraise during a crisis. I can only imagine what it must be like trying to deal with the current situation which is unprecedented and has no obvious end in sight. With furloughed staff, reduced income, and a whole world of uncertainty, taking the time to stop the day-to-day ‘fire-fighting’ and look at the long-term, bigger picture is hard.
However, if you’re able to do it, and take 5 minutes to put yourself in your supporters’ shoes, there’s a good chance your fundraising will benefit as a result.
And to the team at Surfers Against Sewage, if you’re reading this, keep up the good work!
It’s Good Friday
It’s a Bank Holiday - albeit an unusual one given the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic - so I’m not going to write a proper blog post today.
Stay safe, everyone - and I hope you’re able to find a way to enjoy the long weekend.
Book review: Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson
I’m going to try to get in the habit of writing brief reviews of books I’ve read, that may be of interest to people visiting this site. Last week, I mentioned Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan. This week, it’s Endure: Mind, Body and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson - which I highly recommend.
I run, quite a lot, and have goals of running faster than I have before. That’s what attracted me to Endure, as I am intrigued by the role that my brain may play in whether or not I am able to push my own limits when training or racing. That said, the book would be of interest to anyone who wants to get the best out of themselves, whether you’re a runner or choose to test yourself in other ways.
Don’t expect any quick-fix ‘this is what you need to do to get an extra 5% from yourself’ tips though. I don’t think it’s a spoiler for me to say that - after all, if such a quick fix existed we would all know about it.
Instead, what Endure offers is a comprehensive overview of what scientists believe is happening in your body, your brain, and how the two interact with each other when you’re doing an endurance activity. Armed with this information, you should be more aware of what you are experiencing (the differentiation between pain and effort is helpful, for example) and better able to respond in a way that improves your chances of getting the result you want.
This has all been said elsewhere, in other reviews, though.
What I would like to look at here - as a writer who is always looking to improve his own writing - is why I think this book works so well.
I raced through this. Yes, it’s a subject that interests me, and I was already aware of and enjoy reading Hutchinson’s work, but that’s no guarantee that this would be a good book.
The subject matter is primarily sourced from academic journals and interviews with exercise physiologists and other scientists. Presented in the wrong way, this could have been dry and difficult to wade through for a reader who isn’t already an expert in these fields. What Hutchinson does is present this information in a way that makes sense.
It would also be easy to present this information in a way that lacks a narrative or any sense of momentum to hold the reader’s interest. Hutchinson avoids this by weaving various threads through the text.
Each chapter has at least one real-world example, an endurance feat or failure, that illustrates and ties together the academic studies referred to in that section.
Beyond this, Hutchinson includes stories from his own personal experience, which helps the reader (many of whom are likely to participate in endurance sports) relate to what he is explaining. Certainly, the passage where Hutchinson describes the latter stages of his debut marathon felt uncomfortably similar to my own experiences.
Finally, as an umbrella over the top of all of this, a motif that reappears at regular intervals, is the story of Eliud Kipchoge, Lelisa Desisa and Zersenay Tadese’s ‘Breaking2’ attempt to run the marathon distance in under two hours.
The effect of these different narrative arcs - micro, meso and macro - is to give an impetus that a straight academic review may be lacking. I think it is that makes Endure work so well.
What was in my March newsletter?
[You may or may not know that I have a monthly email newsletter. You can sign up to receive it using the box at the bottom of the page. For those that hadn’t signed up in time to receive my March newsletter, sent yesterday, I’ve included the text below.]
At the start of February, I took the plunge and opted to go solo, working as a freelance writer and charity fundraiser. This decision was made a lot easier by the fact that I was able to significantly increase the amount of time I spent on what had been my side gig - writing for Lonely Goat Running Club.
It's been a fun few weeks so far, even as we adapt to the changing world courtesy of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.
I would prefer for this newsletter not to be all about me, so I'll share what I've been reading and other recent cultural highlights.
Books
Barbarian Days: A surfing life, by William Finnegan is excellent and I have enjoyed reading it a lot. Even if you're not a surfer, you should give this a go.
I don't want to provide spoilers, so won't give too much detail, but it's a memoir told through the lens of his relationship with surfing throughout his life. Beyond the waves he catches, this is also a book about the changing world of the second part of the twentieth century and start of the twenty-first.
Music
At the start of March - before the coronavirus lockdowns - I went to the Saturday night of the BBC 6 Music Festival at the Roundhouse in London.
EOB, the new project by Ed O'Brien of Radiohead was excellent, but the highlight was Róisín Murphy. I was aware of some of her solo work, plus that with Moloko, but her show was far, far beyond what I had expected. It was incredible.
Murphy is a dynamic, captivating performer, and the re-worked live versions of her songs show that bands shouldn't always just play their songs as they were recorded.
Art
My friend, Nina Fraser, an artist based in Lisbon, was due to have an exhibition open this month, but this has had to be delayed.
Instead, she has decided to host an online auction of some of her pieces. You can find full details on her website.
The auction closes at 10pm (Portuguese time is the same as British time) Saturday 28 March, so don't hang around and miss your chance to own one of Nina's unique pieces.
My writing
If you're a runner (or just interested in what I write) and haven't already done so, you may wish to check out the Lonely Goat website.
The following pieces probably have the broadest appeal beyond the Lonely Goat community: "Goals - stay in charge", "International Women's Day", "How to adapt your plan when your race is postponed", and "Going solo: Running when social distancing".
I've got a blog on my website [You’re reading it!], where I've started posting every Friday. "Why the 'S'?" was fun to write, and explains why I've chosen to brand myself with my middle initial.
That will do for now. I look forward to sending you another update in a month's time.
Thank you for reading.
[If you enjoyed this and would like to get my monthly newsletter, sign up using the box at the bottom of this page]
Covid-19 coronavirus resources
Sorry, I intended to publish a more conventional blog post today, but like everyone else, I’ve been thrown off kilter by the Covid-19 coronavirus situation.
Instead, check out these essential resources that I’ve found helpful when trying to understand what’s going on:
Finally, look after yourself and others around you and follow the official advice relevant to your location and condition - and hopefully we’ll get through all this sooner rather than later.
Why the ‘S’?
You may have noticed that this website is jonathansbean.com with a middle initial ‘S’ between my first and last names. You may even have wondered - especially if you’re someone who knows me - why I’m using the initial here when I don’t use it at any other time?
The answer is pretty simple…
Because there are a surprisingly* large number of Jonathan Beans out there and I wanted to make it easy for people to find me, rather than one of the other ones.
By including the initial, I should pop up near the top of search results and I was able to have consistent names across my web address, Twitter and Instagram.
‘Hang on’, you might say, ‘How do I know which Jonathan Bean you are?’
Let me help you.
I am not any of the following Jonathan Beans:
Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Microstructural Kinetics Group at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy;
American-based illustrator and author of books for children;
Freelance website designer and photographer from the Peak District;
Chief Marketing Officer at Sinch;
Right-handed batsman and occasional wicket-keeper;
Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Arizona;
Professor of History at Southern Illinois University;
Co-Founder and Director of Hampden Insurance Partners Management (Cayman) Limited.
Nope, I am none of the above - though I’m sure they’re all great guys and it would be fun to meet them.
Instead, I am the Jonathan Bean who grew up on the Isle of Wight; lives in Southampton; went to Leicester, La Trobe, and Southampton universities; worked at the Jubilee Sailing Trust and Wetwheels; reads, doodles, grows veg, runs, loves the sea, enjoys gigs and art and eating out; creates the content for lonelygoat.com; and is now offering his services as a freelance writer and charity fundraiser to you, dear reader.
If you want asset management advice, a cricketer, or a microstructural kineticist, I’m not your man.
If you want high quality writing for your charity or business, then get in touch and let’s see how we can work together.
+++
PS: The ‘S’ stands for Simon. It’s my dad’s name.
+++
*Surprising to me, at least. I suppose with 7 billion people on the planet, there’s bound to be a few of us with the same name.
Hello! Thanks for visiting
Welcome to the very first blog post on my brand new, shiny green website. Isn’t it exciting?
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Jonathan and I am a freelance writer and charity fundraiser.
I live in Southampton on the South Coast of the UK, and I like to run, grow veg, go on ‘urban walking holidays’* with my beautiful wife, Heather, doodle, and get in the sea as often as possible.
I also really love words. Reading them, writing them, listening to them, trying to understand where they’ve come from, and playing around with how they’re represented.
This led me to develop a career in the charity sector working as a charitable trusts and foundations fundraiser, where I get to wrangle words into application forms and letters to encourage donors to support the amazing things done by the charities I’ve worked for.
Outside of work, I also write for fun. I’ve always got a notebook and pen close by, have a couple of novel ideas on the go and even won first prize in a ‘flash fiction’ competition (writing a story in just 100 words is surprisingly tough!).
Towards the end of 2018 I was asked to contribute some articles to a growing online running community, Lonely Goat Running Club, which started my freelance writing career in earnest.
Now - in 2020 - I’ve left the world of full-time charity employment to commit more time to Lonely Goat and also fly solo as a freelance writer and charity fundraiser.
It’s an exciting time.
Which leads me to ask…
Does your charity, business, blog, newspaper, book, or best-man need some high-quality writing?
Or, do you need a hand with an article, essay, presentation, website, speech, CV, application form, annual report, or thank you letter?
Perhaps we could work together. Please, get in touch (07421 812 321 or hello@jonathansbean.com) and we can have a chat about what you need and how I can help.
I look forward to working with you.
***
[*AKA: strolling around Spanish cities looking for places to order “dos cafes con leche y churros, por favor”.]