Learning new things is important. It seems like such a simple thing to say, but it isn’t something we always prioritize.
So many people stop challenging themselves, stop learning new things. They get comfortable and think themselves exempt from continuing to learn and improve. And that’s a good way to stagnate.
And as writers, it’s especially important to keep learning because…
You never know what you might need to know.
Writing is a strange process in that any piece of information could come in handy at some point.
Your first book might require knowledge on the healing process from a stab wound to the gut or how long someone could live without water. Your next might require learning how bears show affection or what appliances were common in turn of the century kitchens. Another might require knowledge of food storage that requires no electricity, how to make candles, or even the exact speed of light.
Depending on the book and the characters (their hobbies, their jobs, their interests), there’s no limit to what you could conceivably need to learn.
(Btw, all of the things listed above are things I’ve either researched for a book or knew ahead of time and used in a book.)
You can never know everything.
There’s just so much to learn. Every new thing you learn can potentially open up more questions.
Which could provide perspective for your book or potentially inspire another.
People who don’t think they need to keep learning just aren’t aware of how much they don’t know.
It turns out that people who think they know everything and have nothing more to learn… really know very little. They haven’t learned enough to see what they’ve done wrong and thus think themselves the best.
And no one wants to be that person.
So, keep learning.
Keep improving.
Because if you stagnate, your books might.
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