Dear Future Experiencer, Here we cross paths on this journey. You are heading into the uncharted wilderness, and I am on the path home. As a fellow experiencer, I wanted to impart a few pieces of advice on the terrain ahead. I cannot give you my map because the path I took is no longer … Read More
Derek Kessinger
Contributor
Posts by Derek Kessinger
The Error in Justifying your Work
Harvey began telling me what I should be doing with my life. I had known the guy less than five minutes and now he lectured me about how my mistaken approach. My attendance at this mixer was to support a friend, but seemed like another place where I needed to justify myself. Harvey (not his … Read More
How will you survive Experience Institute?
I can hear the concern when people ask me questions about Experience Institute. I understand why people worry how my year is going to turn out. They’re concerned about me being safe and finding a place to stay. They picture my path becoming derailed or people taking advantage of me. They cannot imagine surviving a … Read More
Check Your Story’s Focus or Lose Your Audience
An author’s greatest asset is the ability to shape what details the audience can see. This insight came to me during a talk by Experience Institute all-star photographer Kevin Von Qualen. Kevin showed my class how a great photo really comes down to choosing your focus. A creator, in any art form, must decide what … Read More
battling writing demons: one month, 50,000 words
I committed my November to writing a 50,000-word novel inspired by the NaNoWriMo project. I’m a very self-conscious writer. Writing is a puzzle where the pieces—story, grammar, flow, context, and voice—shift when I add or change a word. If I follow the rules, I can be a decent writer, but I don’t want to spend my … Read More
I Learned How to Pick Better Experiences So You Don’t Have to
My first apprenticeship was not the right fit for me and it ended, on mutual terms, two weeks after it started. I learned a lot from the experience and will use that knowledge moving forward. I want to share my thoughts on picking the right apprenticeship. These principles can apply to any new partnership, consulting … Read More
In all seriousness, the reason I joined Experience Institute
I have a question about Chicago. One of my performer friend Aaron’s many jobs in Chicago is Segway tour guide. When he took me out on a private museum tour during a trip to the city in May, he switched into his “performer voice” to proclaim, “Chicago was actually nicknamed ‘the Windy City’ because of … Read More