Why Time is the Secret Ingredient in Your Successful Writing Career
It’s not about paying your dues
Perhaps the most boring advice in the universe is also the most true. It’s boring for a reason. The logic has been heard thousands of times before.
But what if there was a new way to appreciate this sage advice for what it really was?
“To become a better writer, you have to keep writing,”
— said every authority on writing ever.
But what they don’t tell you is why.
WHY do you become a better writer when you write more?
It’s certainly not because hard work always pays off. Sometimes it does, but other times it doesn’t. If we’re being honest, we wouldn’t count on a big break for every writer in every case.
Okay then wise guy, what is it?
The more you write, the more you learn to listen to yourself. And the more closely you listen, the clearer your message becomes.
It’s that simple
You need time to hear what you’re saying, and time to retranslate your message again and again.
If you’re lucky, each iteration of your story becomes clearer, sharper, truer. But it all starts with developing your ear, and specifically, your ability to hear yourself.
Try this: re-immerse yourself in what you were on about six months ago. Make a list of your obsessions. Go on. I’ll wait here. X
Now that you have this list, scribble a few notes on what you’ve learned about the subject since the six month mark. Things like, “Tom Baker lost the role of the Doctor by daring the new producer to fire him — and to his immense surprise, he did — despite his popularity” under the topic “Doctor Who.”
I didn’t know this story six months ago. I know it now. And it shapes the way I’m going to view the whole topic from here on out.
Or: “Fear is a constant companion,” is an idea which has blossomed into “I owe my life to fear on several occasions.” With this retell, I’ll have a different path to my stories.
How time focuses your understanding
Once you’ve seen what you were interested in 6 months ago, and the new, specific ways you’ve developed that interest since then, you’re in a position to appreciate the gift of time.
You cannot develop thought or undertake learning outside of time. We need time not only for the initial thought, but to gather evidence, question what we learn, synthesize, and produce new works based on our understanding.
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