Stolaroid Stories

In this episode, I tell a personal story that might make you reflect on how you try to avoid uncomfortable situations. Listen to what happened to me in August 2022 while I was camping in Portugal. It might give you something to think about.  Episode Links Join my private email list at https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ for:  announcements about my bookclubs and programs special discounts language learning tips nonfiction book recommendations inspiring true stories free events I organize content updates (new blog posts, podcast episodes and more)

Writing consistently can be hard. In fact, doing anything consistently can be hard. But why? My partner Aloha and I had a long conversation about this and came up with 5 reasons. Here they are. Let me know if you have others. *** Join Better Writers - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/

Here's the link to the (anonymous) survey - https://s.surveyplanet.com/z2yvlesg Thank you!!! (The book I mentioned is "The Mom Test" by Rob Fitzpatrick)

Someone on YouTube left the following comment on one of my videos. "Can you comment in regard to writing about something you had been thinking about for years and thought was a somewhat novel concept, only to find someone has already written a book on the same subject? So then, you're left wondering if you have anything of value to offer on it. This is somewhat discouraging. The subject is an overview and explanation of an element of design work that is often overlooked in architecture. Thank you. If you feel like this writer, I'd like to invite you to consider a few things. Join Better Writers -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/

I used to consume lots of content. I used to listen to podcasts while running or driving, watch YouTube videos when having breakfast, and read online articles while queuing at the supermarket. I would squeeze in a bit of learning every time I could. I no longer do that. In 2023, I read Kerri Sackville's "The Secret Life of You: How a bit of alone time can change your life, relationships, and maybe the world." Kerri's stories made me realise I wasn't spending enough time "alone with my thoughts," I phrase I now love. I invited Kerri to share her stories and ideas on my channel. She's an Australian media personality. She's appeared several times on national Australian TV and radio, and she's a regular writer for Sunday Life Magazine, Sydney Morning Herald, and Melbourne Age. She's also the author of 5 non-fiction books. "The Secret Life of You" is her latest one. Read it. It'll change your life. Thanks to those who submitted questions for Kerri, and enjoy the conversation. "You cannot produce original thought without quality time alone in your own mind." -- Kerri Sackville, "The Secret Life of You" KERRI'S LINKS - The Secret Life of You on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-You-change-relationships-ebook/dp/B0BNPG9CDL - Kerri's website - https://www.kerrisackville.com.au/ - Instagram @kerrisackville - Facebook @Kerri.Sackville MY LINKS Better Writers - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private (The episode is also available on YouTube - https://youtu.be/8UFjWDJhCWE)

Isn't it true that on a planet with 8 billion people there will always be someone more skilled and talented and qualified and experienced than us? Being the best in the world shouldn't be the minimum requirement for showing our work. Listen to my ramble for more. LINKS Subscribe to Better Writers for free. You'll get 1 short email a week to help you achieve 1 goal: become a better writer. -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ I forgot I blogged about "Show Your Work" by Austin Kleon -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/show-your-work/ Visit my website - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/ Watch the episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/Vec1hXYIlp4?si=eRXxAEYqCLTvS3_-

A few weeks ago, I published a video titled "You Have a TINY Book in You. Write It." My story resonated with many people. Some viewers asked me specific questions too. This video is to answer those questions. Hope this helps! LINKS Subscribe to Better Writers for free. You'll get 1 short email a week to help you achieve 1 goal: become a better writer. -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ The "tiny book" video - You Have a TINY Book in You. Write It.   My (tiny) book - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/any-langu... My website - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/

Kathleen Adams is one of the most prominent and established voices in the field of therapeutic writing. She's a best-selling author, speaker, and psychotherapist. She's the founder and director of the Center for Journal Therapy, the premier source of education and training on the power of writing for healing, growth, and change. She's also the director of the Therapeutic Writing Institute and adjunct faculty at the University of Denver, where she teaches Writing and Healing, a 10-week course. In an internet poll, Kay was listed (with Anne Frank and Anais Nin) as one of the three most significant influences on contemporary journal keeping. I learned about her work when I read her first book, Journal to the Self (1990), a classic that has helped define the field of journal therapy. I then had the privilege to meet Kay to ask her questions about journaling. - What is journaling? - Why is it helpful? - What misconceptions do people have about journaling? - How can we start journaling? - What journaling techniques are there? - Is it better to keep a handwritten or digital journal? - Should you journal only when you're sad? - How can you become a better writer by journaling? Kay and I hope this recorded chat will inspire you to write down your thoughts more often. Enjoy the episode here or watch it on YouTube --https://youtu.be/8FvaRuz21uM KAY LINKS - Kay's first book, “Journal to the Self” - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/353624.Journal_to_the_Self - Kay’s Books - https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/F7818742-54B0-4A8F-8DED-F5CFFC3B2148 - Kay’s gift for you - https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:us:571b7eb5-8dfa-4d29-8c3f-70d583a05bd9 - The Center for Journal Therapy - https://journaltherapy.com/ - The Therapeutic Writing Institute - https://twinstitute.net/ MY LINKS - Subscribe to Better Writers. You'll get 1 short email a week to help you achieve 1 goal: become a better writer. -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ - My website - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/

"Avoid the passive voice" is cheap writing advice that helps no one. I'll tell you why in this rant. Join Better Writers - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ Watch the rant on YouTube - https://youtu.be/eQJpUhZi9-g

You can write a TINY book today. You don’t need to have a talent. You don’t need to have an extraordinary life. You don’t need to have a big audience. These days you don’t even need a contract with a publisher. I had none of those things, and yet I published a tiny book — one of my proudest achievements in 37 years. You can do that too. LINKS My Book - https://www.amazon.com/Any-Language-Want-Fabio-Cerpelloni/dp/B0CDYT58HW Visit my website: https://fabiocerpelloni.com/ Watch the video on YouTube - https://youtu.be/2TrxmpeiKAM

"Several Short Sentences About Writing" by Verlyn Klinkenborg. I struggled not to highlight every sentence in this book. I loved it so much. It surprised me in so many ways and taught me things about writing I had never heard before. Here are my key takeaways, nerdy stuff only writers will find interesting. LINKS Subscribe to Better Writers for free. You'll get 1 short email a week to help you achieve 1 goal: become a better writer. -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ The blog about linkers - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/avoid-overusing-linking-words/ The blog about this book - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/several-short-sentences-about-writing/ Watch the episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/UEJmxMuKecg CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 01:05 The writer's job 05:39 Writing by implication 09:00 Transitions and logic 14:05 In your head 18:20 Write what 24:00 Conclusion

In 1997, Derek Sivers (accidentally) started CD Baby, the largest distributor of independent music in the world. Ten years later, he sold the company for $22 million. What did he do with the money? Did he buy a Ferrari? A mansion? A private jet? He gave it all to charity. He then became a TED speaker and a writer. He's published 5 books: - Anything You Want (2011) -- Best business book I've ever read. - Your Music and People (2020) -- Best marketing book I've ever read. - Hell Yeah or No (2020) -- Best book on productivity and decision-making I've ever read. - How to Live (2021) -- Best book on life philosophies I've ever read. - Useful Not True (2024) -- Best book on beliefs I've ever read. Derek Sivers is the person I've watched, read, and listened to the most since I got an internet connection in 2000. No joke! I could’ve asked him questions about music, business, productivity, marketing, or public speaking, but many YouTubers and podcasters have done that before. For 1.5 hours, we talked about one thing only: WRITING. - What brought him into writing? - Which writers inspire him? - How did he write his books? - Why succinct writing?- Why does he not use semicolons? - What does he do to actively improve his writing? - Does he have a sentence he's particularly attached to? We discussed this and other nerdy stuff about writing. Enjoy! DEREK'S LINKS His (succinct) website - https://sive.rs/ FABIO'S LINKS Better Writers - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ YOUTUBE LINK for this episode- https://youtu.be/jI3efiQ2u_M CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 03:30 Starting to write 11:30 The influence of bad writing 15:55 Reading reviews 19:00 Different reasons for writing 23:20 Writing "How to Live" 28:43 Writing one sentence per line 34:34 The influence of writing songs 39:06 Derek's best sentences 40:00 Imitating other writers 44:51 Reading old books 47:15 The work is the practice 53:25 Publishing daily? 01:04:00 Why succinct writing 01:05:30 Using stories to illustrate a point 01:07:05 Semicolons 01:07:45 Reading with a writer's mind 01:09:50 Academic writing 01:12:40 Writing for English as a second language speakers 01:15:00 Next book? 01:17:30 Being disciplined 01:19:28 Saying just enough 01:30:30 Conclusion

Behind any creation, there's the work of a mind. That mind is often fearful and insecure. "They might not like this. They might not like ME." You're an artist. You can't afford to let someone else's mind harm your own. But you're also an artist who wants to be liked and accepted. Do you have the courage not to be? I invited my friend, Bree Aesie, to talk about this. Bree studied psychology and has been building on the internet since 2020. Consistently. She's the host of "Into the Story," a wonderful storytelling podcast for learners of English I wish had been around when I was a learner myself. You'll learn more about the psychology of creativity, and hear about our fears, frustrations, and joys as creators. Enjoy! (You can watch us on YouTube too -- https://youtu.be/eSJQR-TuBq0) BREE'S LINKS Into the Story (Bree's show) - https://intothestorypodcast.com/ FABIO'S LINKS Better Writers - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ We mentioned... - Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell - The Practice by Seth Godin - Alan Watts (British writer) - Laurie Skreslet (Canadian mountaineer) - Sound School podcast with Ira Glass - This American Life (podcast) CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro 03:15 Bree + creating 09:10 The practice 15:55 Sincere vs serious 19:10 Move your body 26:00 The Lizard Brain pt.1 29:20 Creating is satisfying 37:35 Originality 41:30 AI for creativity 47:20 The Lizard Brain pt.2 54:40 Productivity and discipline 58:40 No.1 tips 01:02:10 Conclusion

Suggestions on how to cut the fluff in your writing (watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/MTll-KJl0ps?si=Szxbcuu_radtBZGL) Join Better Writers, my weekly newsletter for online writers who speak English as a second language. I share writing tips, insights, and resources to help you do one thing: become a better writer -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ My website -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/

Henneke didn't see herself as a writer. She didn't even think she was creative. In school, English was her worst subject. The next was Dutch, her first language. Henneke never kept a journal, never wrote a poem, never published anything. Later in life, she realised there wasn't that much magic about writing, and discovered a passion that led her to some amazing achievements: - Publishing “Blog to Win Business,” a book that was recommended as a must read for business writers by Inc.com and HuffingtonPost. - Landing an interview with Inc.com and Forbes.com on the topic of seductive writing. - Being named one of “50 Incredible Women in Marketing to Follow” by Search Engine Journal. - Writing for Sally Hogshead, a Hall of Fame speaker. Today Henneke describes herself as an "irreverent writer and educator on a mission to stamp out gobbledygook." Her courses, books, and clean-looking blog -- Enchanting Marketing -- teach both first and second language English writers how to improve their writing skills. What can we all learn about writing, blogging, and engaging storytelling from Henneke? You're about to find out :) (If you prefer watching, here's the link to the YouTube interview - https://youtu.be/_EYrp406itY) HENNEKE'S LINKS - Henneke's LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/hennekeduistermaat/ - Enchanting Marketing - https://www.enchantingmarketing.com/ MY LINKS - Better Writers, my weekly newsletter for online writers who speak English as a second language. I share writing tips, insights, and resources to help you do one thing: become a better writer. -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/ - My website -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/

3 simple things I did to improve my written English grammar (watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/RFYp-3Q3lws) Join Better Writers, my weekly newsletter for online writers who speak English as a second language. I share writing tips, insights, and resources to help you do one thing: become a better writer. -- https://fabiocerpelloni.us6.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=47708257f1b95e40a2a89f367&id=40e2df9c6a www.fabiocerpelloni.com

Watch the episode on YouTube -- https://youtu.be/xWr4AxlLgLE Philip Charter is a short-fiction writer and an educator from the UK who's worked as a writing coach since 2018. He uses his expertise as a language teacher and as an author to help multilingual professional writers develop their skills and future-proof their careers. He also runs the world's best community for multilingual pro writers. In this episode, we talked about: - His passion for writing - Finding writing ideas - Online writing - Creativity - Helping multilingual writers We hope this is helpful to you. LINKS - Phil's website - https://www.englishwritingcoach.uk/ - Better Writers (my private email list) - https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/

We often mistake being creative for being original, but these are two different things. Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/ofQkI4x2ais?si=hr-4mPkeUzhDtad3 *** Sign up for Better Writers, my weekly newsletter for online writers who speak English as a second language. 👇 https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/

Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/uYHQ7crDwjU?si=Lt59Cnjjx815xQYl "Non-native English Voices" is a Medium publication for people who have learned or are still learning English as an additional language. It’s for those who are aware their English isn’t as good as their first language but understand that showing their writing to the eyes of an audience is essential to becoming great writers. If this sounds like you, you’re welcome to join. Free of charge, free of judgment. Join me here - https://medium.com/non-native-english-voices/write-for-non-native-english-voices-c505e0d44009?sk=d078b6a9154aa280e6a3cba247b36de2

Reading online is not like reading on paper. (Watch on YouTube -- https://youtu.be/jj3y4l2bQyU) *** Sign up for Better Writers, my weekly newsletter for online writers who speak English as a second language. I share writing tips, insights, and resources to help you do one thing: become a better writer. Here -- https://fabiocerpelloni.com/private/