Avoid the College. Learn the Knowledge.
“Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.”
- Issac Asimov
I hate people conning me into something that they didn’t do. Authenticity is what I need, which always requires proven facts to back up. In my English writer journey, I only took up the predecessors who are successful authors. About wannabe’s experiences, they do not deserve my time.
In my author's wannabe skillset list, the most fundamental skill - my first step before jumping on the ladder towards my dream – is writing. When you’re holding this book, going through hundreds of thousands of my thoughts and words, I was secretly learning how to write.
Being a cheap bastard, who is always looking for the most cost-effective way to realize the unambiguous dream. First thing first, I looked through the scope of rifle - successful authors.
My friend, Julien Breteau, recommended two books for me to read which Tim Ferris also had recommended, “Bird by Bird” and “On Writing”. Before the first best selling book published, The 4 Hour Workweek, these two books were his bibles. So, I did the same. I bought the books and acquired the necessary writing skills to express my thoughts as clearly as I could in words, to touch your souls.
However, I used to cheat in most of my English classes. The truth is… I suck in grammar. In order to have my precious readers – you – to have a better understanding of a nobody’s life, I learned grammar from an iPhone app: Grammar Girl, which was recommended by another successful author Chris Guillbeau in his book. On top of that, I begged my fiancée to be my personal editor and help me with the grammar.
I had a blog that I update once a week. By brain dumping, I threw all of my thoughts over the table and constructed it in a way that could trigger your coherence. Before releasing every blog post, my fiancée edits it. She has been getting amazing grades in English classes throughout her life without cheating. Godsend.
I was learning from the best of the best without going to Ivy leagues. Meanwhile, I kept contacting other successful authors and asked for mentorship. Eventually I found out all the good writers are self-made. They all have very critical eyes on their own work and learn by themselves.
Without going to one of the Ivy Leagues, check out my costs of self-learning:
1./ Buy “On Writing” ebook from Amazon
cost: USD 6.74
2./ Buy “Bird by Bird” ebook from Amazon
cost: USD 8.26
3./ Get iPhone app “Grammar Girl”
cost: HKD 15.00
4./ Contact successful authors to tap their brains.
cost: USD 0
5./ A private and personal editor
cost: USD 0 (you could have one in Elance by hourly rate USD 10)
6./ A dedicated and burning passion for self-education
cost: Priceless
Read the next chapter: Follow Eminem's Pace
Or table of contents: Brick by Brick