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Getting Good: How I'm Trying to Be a Better Writer - Scott H Young

scotthyoung.com · 1,415 words · saved by 1 readers

No, not the debilitating kind of perfectionist, who can never finish a project, but the long-term kind. After publishing over a million words, I’m still convinced I can write a lot better. I want to share what goes on behind the scenes, showing some of the experiments (failed and successful) I’ve done over the past five years to try to improve myself as a writer. My hope is that they will help you too, on your path to mastery. The problem is that just getting a lot of practice isn’t enough. K. Anders Ericsson’s research shows that, “adults perform at a level far from their maximal level even for tasks they frequently carry out.” Repetition is enough for the basics, but it doesn’t lead to mastery. I’ve seen this in my own writing. In the beginning, simply writing every day was enough to force me to improve. But, beyond a point, more time spent writing didn’t make me better as a writer. Ericsson explains that simply showing up to work isn’t enough. You need deliberate practice, hard and

I have a confession to make: I’m a perfectionist. No, not the debilitating kind of perfectionist, who can never finish a project, but the long-term kind. After publishing over a million words, I’m still convinced I can write a lot better. I want to share what goes on behind the scenes, showing some of the experiments (failed and successful) I’ve done over the past five years to try to improve myself as a writer. My hope is that they will help you too, on your path to mastery. Why is Getting Good So Difficult? The problem is that just getting a lot of practice isn’t enou

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