As an author, information technology has flipped the script on how we write. The three major areas it helps are: 1) rough drafts, 2) collaboration, 3) publishing.
With that being said, let me provide some examples.
Drafting
The key to rough drafts are speed. The faster you get words on paper the better. I call it word-vomiting. In the past I used to hand-write or type out rough drafts. The problem is, you think much faster than you can type or write. If you’re not fast enough, you can lose some great ideas. However, now that smartphones have a dictation feature speed is a non issue. You can talk much faster than you write or type and the phone will capture the nearly all of your words. Despite the fact that a degree of fidelity lost in translation this is still far more effective for the rough draft. You can easily mitigate errors in future drafts and editing.
Collaboration
After your drafts are done, you eventually need to send your work to an editor. In the past this used to be a cumbersome process of e-mailing back and forth. Version control can quickly become problematic. However, with collaboration tools like Google Docs, Google Hangouts, Skype, and MS Project (to name a few), teams can quickly coordinate in near real time. This speeds up the process and while allowing effective collaboration.
Publishing
Lastly, publishing has always been the bane of a writer’s existence. Particularly new authors. Although many are great at creating engaging stories, they’re not that skilled at obtaining legitimate publishers. However, with the advent of self-publishing and it’s adoption by behemoth companies like Amazon, information technology has provided a great venue for first time authors to showcase their work. Furthermore, large publishing houses can rate “new talent” based on real life sales, opposed to taking large risks with no name authors. What about you? How do you use technology to write in the 21'st century? PS.com... If you want to see more on this topic, and why I believe everyone can write their own book, check out the following video:
Follow Josh onYouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Tipperdy Or Twitter: @Joshumusprime
Or Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepolymathparadigm
And you can his NaNo progress here: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/tipperdy
And he has a book on military transitions here: http://www.amazon.com/About-Face-Josh-Coker-ebook/dp/B00N4GYB84/
"One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals." -- Writer/Novelist, Michael Korda I couldn't agree more. But what happens when you don't achieve your desired outcome in the projected time? How do you stay focused when a goal is taking for~eeee~ver? How do you stay motivated? MANIFESTATION LISTS Manifestation lists are a great tool to keep you in the right mindset. Basically you write down everything you've achieved in the last few weeks/months. Anything counts as long as you think it's important. Maybe you finally got little Jonny to put his shoes on the right feet. That counts. Your elf-wizard, Dumbledork69, just leveled-up and you can finally use that destruction tome on the goblins in the Golden Wood. *points wand in your general direction and screams, "lightning bolt!"
Write it down.
"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible." --Billioniare and multi-best selling author, Tony Robbins We all tend to be our hardest critics. Sometimes we focus so much on the new goals we've set for ourselves that we forget how much we've already done; how much ass we already kicked. Any time I feel static, bored, or unproductive, I use manifestation lists to remind me of recent accomplishments. When I see everything on paper, it puts things in perspective. This keeps me motivated. and helps maintain momentum. The following is a real life sample of my most recent manifestation list.
Become a sexy superhuman:
Ran a 5k--finished in 28:35
Did more cardio--ran/sprinted over 25 miles last month
BEAST MODE--achieved 430lb low bar squat with perfect form and solid depth #BAMF #squatslayer
Deadlifted 500lbs #deadliftdestroyer #alldayson!
Professional Polymath:
Selected as a program manager in my company; providing more value to my company and leadership to those I serve
Took more college courses--the psychology course I'm in right now is blowing my frick'n mind
Family Freedom:
Took family to RenFest--ate the shit out of some turkey legs!
Went sailing with two close friends--had a peaceful time on the water and learned a little bit about boats too
Attended my cousin's wedding--partied like a rock-star
Attended "Dad's make a difference" day at kid's school
Visited relatives for thanksgiving and celebrated my grandfathers 70th birthday
Become greatest story teller EVAR:
Won NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month)--wrote 52,000+ words. My NaNo page is here
Maintained a badass youtube channel--released 30+ new videos, recieved 500+ more views than last month
Became a toastmaster--won first two table topics, won best speech on my ice breaker (first speech), won best evaluator and was nominated to be Seargant at Arms
Got first batch of published books--time to start handing them out to people!
But enough about me.
What's yours? Let me know some of your recent achievements. How are you manifesting your dreams/goals/desires? If you haven't, take a second to figure out what you could knock out in the next week or so? Why wait for New Years when you can make resolutions now... If you want even more information on the manifestation lists, check out my YouTube video here:
I'll close with a quote from my one of my favorite orators ever, Earl Nightingale, who said: "We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile." -- author and motivational speaker, Earl Nightingale
Follow Josh on Twitter: @Joshumusprime
Or Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepolymathparadigm
And you can his NaNo progress here: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/tipperdy
And he has a book on military transitions here: http://www.amazon.com/About-Face-Josh-Coker-ebook/dp/B00N4GYB84/
Hey guys what's going on? Josh here from Polymathics, the blog that helps you become a modern day renaissance man.
And today we're talking about a topic that I love...
NaNoWriMo
Any of you guys know that is? I think some of you do, but for those of you that don't, I will tell you. Have you ever imagined your novel sitting on the bookshelves of Barnes and Noble? Right next to Hemingway, or Orson Scott Card? Well now is your chance! Because November is National Novel Writer's Month. Hence, "NaNoWriMo." For the neophytes in the room, let me elaborate. Essentially writers from around the wold get together and pledge to write a novel; at least 50,000 words! Now this is the prime opportunity for you to write a story. If you've been waiting and putting it off, or said, "Awe I can never be an author." This is the prime time to prove that theory wrong.
Let me tell you why.
First, you're gonna have tons of support. There are lots of people on the interwebz and the YouTubez (like me) giving all kinds advice; showing you the ropes. Also there are local communities throughout the various states and regions. Each with their own liaisons and writers groups. Here you can mingle with other writers who are going through the same struggles; the same tribulations; the same writers block. You meet some wonderful people. It's one of the greatest experiences I had. My first novel, I had been struggling to for over a decade. Then I decided to do NaNo (based on a friends relentless nagging...) and less than thirty days, I had the first draft completed! I was so pumped because finally I had accomplished this lifelong goal that seemed to allude me. The words were on the paper. I could see the proof; the fruits of my labor. To top it off, there was a nice winners certificate that they gave me. I got to show it off to everybody on Facebook and Twitter. What a badass I was... It was wonderful.
If you've ever considered writing a novel, highly recommend. Just in case, I've listed all of the pros and cons here on my YouTube channel:
Anyways, National Novel Writing Month Just started a few minutes ago, so I better get to typing...
If you'd like to follow my progress or learn more about NaNoWriMo, checkz outz the following linkz belowz.
Follow Josh on Twitter: @Joshumusprime
Or Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepolymathparadigm
And you can his NaNo progress here: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/tipperdy
And he has a book on military transitions here: http://www.amazon.com/About-Face-Josh-Coker-ebook/dp/B00N4GYB84/
Have you ever been in college class when suddenly the professor drops a crazy word on you? You know, the word that you've never heard of before? In this video I give an overview of one of the ultimate vocab mysteries: the definition of ‘polyhistor'. Sound interesting? Checkz itz outz...
If you'd rather read, I've left a transcript below for your convenience. TRANSCRIPT
Hey guys, what's going on? Josh here from Polymathics, the blog that helps you become a modern-day Renaissance man.
And today we're talking about a topic that’s very near and dear to my heart. It’s one of my favorite words: "Polyhistor".
What is a polyhistor?
You've probably heard this term used by a professor or someone in academia.
So, according to dictionary.com, a polyhistor is ‘someone of great and varied learning’. It comes from the Greek; ‘poly’ meaning many, ‘histor’ meaning education or learning. And you can also use the adjective form which is ‘polyhistoric’.
With that being said, what does it mean? Essentially, in the old days, and this is a very ancient word; it actually predates ‘Renaissance man’ and it predates polymath. This was a person who had multiple expertise. Some synonyms are: Renaissance man; polymath, your every-man, your universal man, or the perfect courtier. And, as I've said in other articles, all of these were represented by Leonardo Da Vinci and Galileo. And even in modern times we have these people, like Steve Jobs.
And,believe it or not, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
These are individuals who have diversified their skills and been very successful. They used their abilities to bring man into a new era of enlightenment or understanding--or bad ass movies--however you want to see it.
So that’s the term, and that’s what it means in a nutshell.
Just one more thing before I go about the clarification of this word. Because it's more ancient it’s actually used a lot less. The terms that you’ll hear the most will probably be polymath or Renaissance man. Those are the two most popularised words.
Until, next time, take it easy.
Follow Josh on Twitter: @Joshumusprime
Check out Josh's blog here: thepolymathman.blogspot.com/
You can buy Josh's book here: http://www.amazon.com/About-Face-Josh-Coker-ebook/dp/B00N4GYB84/
It's been over a decade since I decided I wanted to write, and today I'm proud to announce that my first book, About Face is available on the Kindle.
Illustration by Samantha Peterson
That's right! I am FINALLY a self-published author. This is one step toward my ultimate goal of becoming the greatest story-teller of all time (and then taking over the world ***strokes beard*** Muhuhahahaha). But that's a topic for another blog post... When it comes to military transitions books, veterans are given a firehose of instructions. How to dress, how to write a resume, how to give an interview, blah, blah,blah… This information overload, can overwhelm military members to the point of inaction. About Face provides quick tips that cut through the BS, so you can take action immediately. Once you’ve finished reading these badass tips, you’ll be able to identify common pitfalls that most military members make, and change your course before it’s too late. Not only that, but you’ll be able to navigate the unknown jungles of the corporate sector with confidence and ease.
In the end, you’ll regain control of your career and get the job you deserve.
Whether you’re active duty planning to get out, a veteran who’s already transitioned, or a supervisor who wishes to assist your troops, About Face will give you the tools you need to make the right decisions. Furthermore, family members will benefit from this book by identifying what is expected out of their military spouse, and assisting them with this major life event.
So go ahead and give it a shot.
It’s only 25-ish pages long (an hour’s investment of reading time) and will save you years of anguish down the road. Below is an excerpt from About Face. ENJOY....
STATEMENT: Batman, (AKA Bruce Wayne) is the most badass superhero in all comicdom. (<-- That’s a period, indicating the end of the conversation)
More badass than Flash or Wonder Woman. And yes, even more badass than Superman (that’s right, I said it).
Why?
Because unlike Supes, or Flash, or the rest of the Justice League, his badassery comes from within. He’s just a regular guy like you and I. He has no superpowers. He can’t fly, or shoot frick’n laser-beams from his eyes. Instead Batman relies on his intellect and badass bat-gadgets to get the job done. He uses an impressive bat-bag of bat-tricks (baterangs, batmobiles, batbelts, and bat-etc..) to protect Gotham from the machinations of criminals, like the Joker.
Batman has different tools for different situations. Each of them tailored to the specific needs of the problem.
The same holds true for your new career.
TAP Class is just one tool in the toolbox. Like the Batsuit, you’ll use it in almost every encounter. But there will be times where you’ll need different, more advanced tools to face the challenges that are certainly lurking in the alleyways of your future. Of course there are several books out there (like this one), and YouTube has a shit-ton of informative videos (like my YouTube Channel) to help veterans with their transition.
The following are a few suggestions on how to increase your badassery:
Read Books: There are a ton out there. From interview tips, to social media management, and negotiating salary, there are a ton of books out there to help you out. I try to read one a month. This keeps me fresh and up-to-date with emerging strategies, technologies, and trends.
Youtube: If you’re not much of a reader, then there’s always videos. According to YouTube’s statistics page, YouTube has over 6 billion hours of video. Believe it or not, 100 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute! The great thing about Youtube and similar repositories is that they’re updated daily with new, groundbreaking information. The other added benefit is that you can search for very specific answers to very specific questions.
VA Online Resources: Although they’re not always the most user-friendly, or up-to-date, sometimes you can find some real gems buried away in this material. Check out the “Resources” section at the end of this book for a few of these helpful links.
If you'd like to read the rest of the book, please click on this linkwhich will take you to the Amazon page.
For example, technically you can eat red meat every day (don't ask me why anyone would want to do that...). But let’s say that you decide to eat burgers all week. Sooner or later, your taste buds are going to get as bored as a kid watching Transformers 4. Eventually, you’ll lose your interest. Your appetite will stagnate, because your palate desires variety. (Unless it’s Five Guys. Let’s face it, that shit’s delicious!). However, if you switch things up; eat tacos or meat-lovers’ pizza or spaghetti and meatballs, then you can happily continue eat red meat like a boss for months on end.
The same holds true to any skill you’re trying to learn.
Repetition alone is not the key to success.
You must have variety.
Variety maintains interest.
Like sex, sometimes you need to change positions to get a better angle. This spices things up and engages the mind. It allows you to view the subject from multiple angles.
I call this the polymathic mindset.
This polymathic approach keeps you engrossed in the topic for the long term. You get the full experience by enjoying all of the different “flavors” a subject has to offer. Furthermore, you can satisfy your hunger for knowledge without neglecting your desire for variety.
If things are feeling stagnant, try looking at the problem from a different angle. If you’ve been reading books on the subjects, try switching it up and listen to them on tape. Or, better yet, try videos. If you’ve been chained to your computer for weeks, try to go out and get physical. If you’re used to doing sprints on the track, try doing them on hills, or in the pool, or on a bicycle.
There are endless combinations to choose from. You just have to get creative.
Moreover, there are several parallels to life--and success--just waiting to be experienced through sports or physical activity. The more radical the change, the better.
By J. Rachel Spencer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
What do the following (below) all have in common?
Galileo
Stephen King
Oprah Winfrey
Joss Wheadon
Hugh Jackman
Thomas Edison
50 Cent
Steve Jobs
They're all polymaths, and they're all consistent. Nowadays, everyone fusses about quality versus quantity. Especially in the corporate sector. Should we get things out fast and focus on the quantity? Or should we take our time focus on quality? Neither is critical! Sure, both help in certain situations. But nothing is more convincing and effective than consistency. Consistency is key. It's the best strategy for long term success. Continually bringing a message that's congruent with your beliefs, style, and voice is what will separate you from everyone else. Whether we look at Da Vinci or Einstein (or Schwartzneger), polymaths throughout history focus on this one thing. Consistency. It is a staple of the modern day renaissance man and it may be the one thing holding you back. It's showing up at the gym--even when you don't feel 100%. How do you think Arnold got so damn "paaamped-aaap" anyways? It's writing on a Friday night--even when you'd rather be out partying (yes that's me right now...). Do you think Steven King could have been nearly as prolific of a writer, if he had went out for beers with the boys every weekend? It's being there for your children--when they need you, not just when it's convenient for you. You never know, your kid may end up becoming the next Gates or Zuckerberg... It's making sure projects are turned in on time--not late and mired with excuses. How do you think the public would have reacted if Steve Jobs pushed back the launch of the iphone due to "personal issues"?
People want someone solid. Someone they can depend on. Someone consistent. I'll end with a quote from one of my favorite speakers ever, Tony Robbins: "In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It's not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently."
Some scholars believe his dad abandoned the family, while others
note that he may have died.
Poe started writing poetry and criticisms at the ripe old age of 13.
Because of poor money management he only attended college for a semester.
He joined officer school at West Point Military Academy to pay off gambling debts.
Soon after, his drinking habits
caught up with him and he was kicked out!
He only turned
to writing as a job after becoming desperate for work.
He married his 13 year old cousin
and lived with her for 7 years until she died an untimely death at the
hands of tuberculosis.
Because several of his stories are told from
the first person point of view, and because the characters know
intimate details of drug use, several critics believe that Poe was
pulling from his own personal experiences.
According to myth, he died under mysterious
circumstances which many attributed to his heavy use of alcohol.
Needless to say, Poe's life (and death) was as sad, mysterious, and crazy as his writing.
Salutations Interverse! Some of you may be asking, "What the heck is a polymath anyways?" Or more importantly, why is this blog worth your time... The below video serves as an introduction of sorts; to the polymathic mindset and why it's so important for poeple now-a-days. Enjoy.
For those who would rather read, I've placed a modified transcript below:
Hey guys how the going!
Josh here from Polymathics and let me tell you first how excited I am that you're here!
You have no idea what it means to me. I've been putting a lot of effort into getting this thing going. So you know bare with me as the site starts to build up with more content. But my hope is that no matter how small the piece of information is, that you can find something--some tidbit--that you can take back to your real life; and apply it to some sort of problem or project that you working on right now. And get great results.
So, I hope you see value in that.
And the purpose of this video is to serve as an introduction of sorts. So I'm not going to explain to you what all the buttons do. You've been to plenty of web sites before to know how that works.
So what is a Polymath anyways?
Because I'm sure some you guys are asking. Right?
You probably never heard of the word, so why should you care?
So let's get right into it!
The term "Polymath" comes from the Greek, and it's broken down into two root words:
"Poly" meaning many.
And "Math" meaning subject.
So in the Renaissance this would refer to someone who was an expert in several different fields. Leonardo da Vinci is a perfect example of this. You know--The Everyman. Artist, philosopher, scientist, inventor etc… This is not to be confused with a jack of all trades and master of none. No. No. No.
That would have been a common workman.
There's a bit of a difference between your local smithy, and Leonardo Da Vinci. So, the nuance here is that a polymath would have been a jack of all trades master of ***SOME***
And therein lies the true key.
The polymathic mindset; the way that they look at life, and attack problems. So because of their mastery they could look at problems differently? It wouldn't just come at them from one one angle, or from two. They could see it from multiple angles; all at one time. Because of their mastery in different fields, they were able to make connections between seemingly unrelated topics. And because of that, instead of seeing multiple problems, what they really did was identify big problems--as a whole---and where the root of the issue originated. And then they were able to tailor the appropriate solution.
It's this same mindset that allowed humankind to enter into new horizons. A new era of understanding and invention, bringing mankind new heights.
So let's look at the way technology has advanced over the past few decades. Information is coming out at an alarming rate. And the problems that we face today are far more complex than former generations. More convoluted than those that our fathers faced, and more difficult than thos of our grandfathers.
And that calls a different approach.
Ever since the Industrial Revolution (roughly around that time frame) we--the Western culture--have focused on a "specialist mindset".
The age of the monomath.
Sticking to one thing and being good at it. Going to school and aquiring one skill--usually the same one your parents learned. Working for company for years and years and years... And finally retiring and living happily ever after.
But that was the twentieth century. This is the twenty-first. Times have changed!
Well now (as time progressed) we're starting to see that technology is taking care of those more simpler tasks. And what people are really good at, is getting creative solving problems that computers/robots/automation can't. And that's really where I feel as though the pendulum is shifting from the monomath to the polymath.
The purpose of this site is to give you the tools--and more importantly--the mindset on how to become a modern-day polymath.
We see them popping up everywhere nowadays. People who are skilled in several different fields and different subjects. This allows them to come up with solutions; grand solutions to great big juicy problems. And if we (as the human race) intend to ever get off this rock and do anything further, then we need more people like that.
So I hope that this gives you an idea of what a polymath is, and I hope I didn't bore you to tears. = )
I promise I'm not always so serious!
I have Avenger's paraphernalia and x-men stuff. And I'm a huge Video Game Nerd... AND a movie buff. So I'm sure there'll be lots of conversations about that.
Honestly there's a whole mindset that goes along with being a polymath. It seeing the world from a different point of view (ompared to what the normal everyday person would anyway).
And in just by the fact that you're here visiting right now, and stuck through this long introduction, means that there's something inside you; that you're telling yourself this makes sense. So, if you find this interesting, if you want to learn more, please continue stop by.
As I said before, hopeful you you can find just--even that one piece--of information that you can apply to your everyday life or to help with a problem, or some sort of product that you have going on--it will be worth your time.
But anyways... until I see you next time, take it easy!
