Learning from Other Communicators

All of us have our own style of communication. I’ve found that there are many ways to communicate, and the method we choose depends on what we want to say and to whom we want to say it.

The printed and the spoken word are two main ways we communicate. In writing, we can send emails or texts and write blog posts, articles, and books. When we communicate verbally, we can talk face-to-face, meet on Zoom, or make a phone call. 

Spending time with other communicators, I find myself becoming a better communicator.

For instance, this past weekend my writer’s group came together for a retreat. We rented a condominium close to home and converged for two nights.

We shared on a professional and personal level, formally and informally, in a group and one-on-one. I learned a few things about these women in my writer’s group.

1. can work for long stretches without taking a break. G. works best between 10:00 p.m. and midnight. J. likes to wear headphones to cancel noise and to listen to music. 

These aren’t our only differences. Each of us writes in a different genre: historical fiction, fantasy, cozy mystery, and nonfiction.

On Saturday evening, we came together for dinner and a movie. My strength is in the kitchen so I made the soup. G. is technically inclined so she set up the movie. All of us agreed on the movie: “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”

We critique each other’s work every month, so during our retreat, we did the same.

We respect one another on a personal level and extend the same respect when we evaluate each other’s work. All of us are clear and honest with one another, and we use a tone of encouragement and humility. 

This group of women have taught me how to improve my writing with their helpful comments: “Can you give a concrete example?” “ The title seems too long.” “I think this sentence is incomplete.” 

Why Bother?

When it comes to learning from other communicators, there is no better way than to spend face-to-face time with them.