The idea was popularized recently in Outliers, a book by Malcolm Gladwell, that says 10,000 hours of practice can turn anyone into an expert. Somehow, way down deep in my gastric region (oops...sorry for the visual), I just knew that if I cracked open some rocket science books and read for 10k hours, that I wouldn't become one of NASA's top dogs. It's not that simple.
This is not to say, however, that putting time and effort into a skill won't improve your aptitude. I'm just saying it takes more than reading about writing to master the craft. Things like:
- Take workshops
- Go to conferences
- Interact in face-to-face critique groups
- Branch out into different kinds of writing to broaden your range (poetry, for example)
- Try teaching writing techniques to kids
Reading craft books is a valid way to grow as a writer, but it's not the only way.
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2 comments:
Hmmmm....I wonder if I've ever spent 10,000 hours on any one thing....More great advice, Michelle. Have a blessed week!
Oh, then just belonging to a basket weaving club won't make me a basketeer? Guess I'd better get to weaving now - I'm not sure I have 10,000 hours to turn into a really good basketeer, but thanks for the tip
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