A lot goes through your mind when you're told you have terminal cancer and could have as little as 18 months to live. "What should I do with my remaining time?" "What treatments should I do to prolong my life?" "How shall I say goodbye to those I love?" I'll say more in my coming memoir about my rollercoaster cancer journey. Today, after receiving the all-clear for the third year in a row, I wanted to pay tribute to those who offered their unconditional support to me, as I faced the biggest and scariest challenge of my life. Without their backing, I might not be here with you today. Among those unsung heroes was @Jeffery Wang, whom I first met in a professional capacity. Years earlier, Jeffery had founded the Professional Development Forum, a nonprofit aimed at giving a leg up to struggling young Sydney professionals. It was a labour of love that inspired many, including myself, to support him. After my diagnosis with "stage four" bowel cancer, Jeffery didn't flinch. He treated me as though I was just as alive, as relevant, and as worthwhile as I'd always been, even when I'd begun to doubt it myself. Jeffery met me for lunches, connected me with others, and carried on inviting me to social events, as he'd always done. Looking back, I believe that love like Jeffery's (and there are many more people I could mention, including several in this community, whose compassion I'll never forget) contributed as much to my recovery as any medicine, surgery or treatment. So, when Jeffery asked me to be a guest on his podcast, 10 Lessons Learned, to discuss my health journey, and other significant life events, I was only too happy to oblige. In fact, I'd secretly been waiting for the opportunity to share the big life lessons I'd learned after everything I'd been through. The 10 Lessons format gave me the opportunity to present these discoveries in a concise, logical, and engaging format. Jeffery, of course, was the perfect host. He was curious, sincere, gracious, and generous. This is the fruit of our conversation:

If you missed our storytelling masterclass last night, I urge you to go watch the recording in the Classroom. We had enormous fun and learned lots from @Vera Sprothen, a published author and former Wall Street Journal writer. Here's the link: https://www.skool.com/elitewriting/classroom/9fc7b988?md=579059b5d8714afb9d60dabb0900db51 Vera offered deep insights into the art and craft of storytelling that no writer should ever forget. Some highlights from the call: 1. Vera emphasised that storytelling begins with a deep curiosity about people, their lives, and the world. This curiosity drives the discovery of unique stories and angles. For experienced writers, this serves as a reminder to stay open to unexpected inspiration and to approach every subject with a fresh, inquisitive mindset. 2. Vera highlighted the importance of empathy in storytelling, especially for human-centric narratives. By putting oneself in the shoes of characters or subjects, writers can craft stories that resonate deeply with readers, allowing them to "walk in someone else's shoes." 3. Vera stressed the need to understand and write for a specific audience, tailoring content, tone, and pacing to their knowledge, values, and emotional state. Experienced writers can refine their craft by consciously aligning their narrative choices with the audience’s perspective, ensuring relevance and connection throughout the story. 4. Vera described storytelling as a careful weaving of quotes, atmosphere, context, and significance, avoiding lazy reliance on excessive quotes or irrelevant details. 5. Vera underscored the critical role of strong beginnings and endings in maintaining reader engagement. A gripping opening, whether scenic or news-driven, hooks the reader, while a well-crafted ending provides closure or resonance, often circling back to the start for a sense of completeness.

Dearest Friends, Our long-awaited next live class will happen early in March. On the call, you'll get to meet and greet the amiable @Nicolas J, a former Bloomberg News colleague for whom I have tremendous admiration. We'll discuss how writers can exploit ChatGPT to their advantage. Nico's been playing with the technology ever since it came out, so he knows a thing or two about its power and limitations. Nico also has a wealth of knowledge about other writing topics. By the way, folks, I'm sorry for the recent radio silence. I'm in the process of moving home. After that, I'll be able to give you my full attention once again! ***** Oh, did you notice I published a new episode of The Alchemy of Writing Podcast on Spotify? You don't want to miss my interview with @Grant Butler, who reveals how to make big money writing and editing for large companies. It's already getting a ton of plays: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GV4DUHiQFg5001oDII5uT?si=F3d2N1uHRVycSceZG5VstQ

There's a school of thought that tells writers to avoid "very." Subscribers to this viewpoint argue the word, generally used for emphasis, is lazy and boring. Why write "very angry," they say, when "furious" is simpler and more evocative? I often find myself using "very" for emphasis, especially in casual or rushed communication. But I agree it's usually better to find a stronger word that captures the meaning "very" hopes to convey. Below a list of commonly used "very" phrases compiled in a post I recently saw on X. I removed the answers so you can practice finding replacement words that avoid the need for further emphasis. Post your own answers below, but don't read anyone's else's until you've had a go yourself! very angry very bad very beautiful very big very bright very boring very clean very cold very dark very difficult very dirty very easy very exciting very expensive very fast very funny very good very happy very high very hot very hungry very loud very low very old very poor very quiet very rich very sad very slow very small very smart very short very strong very stupid very tall very thirsty very tired very ugly very weak very young

Thanks @Shani Raja for setting up this lovely community. Great to see a few familiar faces and can't wait to get to know new ones. I'm keen to improve my writing and communication so its punchier,, clearer and flow better. As I believe I have good ideas that I'd like to share with the world. If you would like to share your wisdom and learning that you've accumulated over the years, please get in touch! I run a podcast that seek to make the world a little wiser, lesson by lesson.