How Sean's Headline Writing Course gives you slow but deep learning.
I usually learn fast. That doesn't mean it all sticks.
Sean's headline writing course introduced me to a new way of learning – slow but deeply embedded learning.
The six week course included course materials sent out before the start and a forum where we all posted our homework… daily. At least that was the plan.
This learning method seemed very slow.
On the first call we just thought of topics like ‘bees' and ‘airport'.
This was followed up by posting topics, every day, in the forum.
As week one turned to week two, I realised that this ‘slow' learning was going in much deeper than fast learning.
The energy and feedback from Sean and the group helped to keep the momentum going for daily posting. There was gentle encouragement and a lot of fun.
It's amazing that homework felt enjoyable
Homework felt enjoyable and a respite from the pressures of client deadlines.
Without the group posting on the forum, I think it would be difficult to keep it going. Learning from each other and seeing people improve helped us to recognise our own progress. The forum included questions and discussions about the learning method.
It is easy to get stuck in a rut and use the same well worn phrases over and over. Exposure to the work of all the other participants (from around the globe) helped shake up my own habits. Playing with unusual terms was challenging but also felt exciting. I never really ‘got' nonsense poetry and it made me feel uncomfortable. This course gave me the space and freedom to play with language again and create some nonsense words that I have already used in articles and an e-Report.
Why I would recommend this course
The learning sticks. By building up headline writing incrementally over 6 weeks, the technique for producing compelling headlines is firmly embedded. Like riding a bicycle.
Learning in a group yet being able to do that from my computer, early in the morning, late at night or over the weekend has been a fantastic experience.
Any downsides?
The hardest part of the course is keeping the daily posting going. If you miss a day or two (or a week) you lose momentum and we have ended up all finishing at different times. The group energy is very powerful and if I was doing this again I would take the course when I didn't have a holiday booked.
Just want to say ‘thanks' to everyone for your valuable input on the course and thanks to Sean.
