Ask A Mentor: Recommended Resources?

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Recommended Resources?

Compiled and edited by Julie Tereshchuk

Dear Mentors,

What resources (books, articles, Ted Talks etc.) do you recommend, and why?

Yours,

Eager to Learn

Dear Eager to Learn,

Here are two resources that I often recommend for high-value, low-cost training.

Poynter.org is a trusted resource for those wanting to fine-tune their editing/writing skills. Poynter’s News University provides many free and low-cost courses online. While Poynter’s mission is to support journalism, many of their 100+ courses would make sense for any communicator.

Here are a few topics currently listed: Drone photography, digital tools, news literacy, copyright law and fair use, how to write about numbers, rules and non-rules in grammar, how to be a better listener and how to be a better interviewer. These are just a few of the courses available. Costs range from $0 to $149. Some in-depth or on-site courses cost more.

For editors, I recommend checking out the resources at ACES, The Society for Editing. In addition to online training and certificates, they organize editing boot camps and an annual conference, coming March 28-30 in Providence, Rhode Island. Members include editors in corporate communications, book publishing, academia, government and the news media.

Poynter and ACES co-sponsor training toward certificates in accurate, audience focused editing as well as basic editing.

Sandra Kleinsasser

Dear Eager to Learn,

Don’t have time to read every new business book? Blinkist provides a 7-15 minute summary of the main takeaways, in PDF or audio format, that you can read or listen to right from their app.  Also, a subscription to Harvard Business Review keeps you up on all the most recent, and most relevant, trends and research in business.

Maura Thomas

Dear Eager to Learn,

I find myself sharing the book https://designingyour.life/the-book/ – the worksheets are simple but help create a framework for thinking about how to prioritize different career opportunities in light of the goals and values you’re trying to work towards. The book came out of one of the most popular courses at the Stanford d.school and is a quick read: deceptively simple, but really valuable. They also have a workbook, certified coaches, and a new book coming out in fall – the ideas are clearly hitting the mark with the intended audiences.

Jenny Magic