There are many perks to a writer’s lifestyle, don’t get me wrong. I love so many things about my career–making my own hours, working in my cozy home office or in a park, choosing what I write about (except when it comes to client work, where I choose to either take it or not), the joy of putting words on the page, that rush from crunching a deadline, the satisfaction of writing a good sentence. The list goes on and on, but there is one perk that comes before all others.
I became a writer because I wanted to learn. It was that simple.
I am one of those people who would study every subject (except computers and accounting) and I would have 22 doctoral degrees if I could afford being a professional student. My problem was not with the studying, but what happened after I learned something–I would be happy for a minute and then I would inevitably have the urge to learn something new. I was never satisfied with sticking to what I knew. I wanted more.
At this point in my life, I don’t expect that to change. So I set up my life to learn, even if I don’t get credit for it and have no framed papers to hang on my wall.
It’s the process of learning that I love–the reading and research. Tracking down those tiny details that make something come to life. Finding those connections between disparate fields.
I often spend hours reading and exploring the subject du jour. That is why I have an enormous collection of bookmarks on my computers and more than 7000 books in my house.
Today I thought I would share some of my favorite places online to lose yourself in information. I have listed some of my favorite places in the Reference section of this site under Writer’s Resources and Learn a Little Something. I will add more collections over time as the mood hits or I get requests.
Please add your favorites in the comment section. I would love to create a Reader Recommendation Collection and, I’ll admit, add them to my bookmarks for some exploring of my own.