This Mindset Shift Will Take Your Writing to the Next Level
You don't need to be good, you need to be...
I’ve read quite a few books on writing.
Heck, I’ve read more than one book called On Writing.
I’ve read Stephen King’s On Writing, I’ve read William Zinsser’s On Writing Well, I’ve read Bird by Bird Anne Lammot, and a bunch of other writing books as well. A few weeks ago’s article for this newsletter was a reading list of all the books that have actually made me a better writer.
What I’ve realized about books about writing is that a lot of times, these books don’t really teach you a whole lot.
A lot of times, books about writing tend to make you a worse writer because most of the time, the time that you are spending reading (learning about writing) would be better spent actually writing. Actually perfecting the craft.
See, if you really want to be a good writer, you need to stop thinking of writing as an art.
You need to start thinking of writing as a craft.
“So good they can’t ignore you.”
This is both a quote and the title of a book by Cal Newport.
The book is great for anyone to build skills in writing or anything else, but what really makes it special is that it debunks a fundamental myth about life that most are of us taught from a very young age:
“Follow your passion.”
So Good They Can’t Ignore You talks about why instead of just focusing on passion or outcomes, you need to develop the ability to fall in love with the process. Instead of chasing outcomes (“I want to be a professional baseball player” or “I want to be a bestselling author”), chase the goal of mastering the skill.
Become obsessed with creating a good piece of writing today. Then do it again tomorrow. Then the next day.
Word by word, brick by brick.
Or, as is the title of one of my favorite writing books:
Bird by Bird.
A parallel from the mat.
I always tell this story to people when they start competing in Jiu-Jitsu, but its lesson applies to writing too, so I’ll write the story for you here in a condensed version.
When I was 12, I got cut from my middle school basketball team.
More specifically, I didn’t make the first cut, and I cried a lot.
After I got cut, I started wrestling because my mom thought it would be a good idea.
In the beginning, I was terrible at wrestling. I was weak and chubby, and I didn’t understand how to move my body in a way that I could apply techniques effectively to resisting opponents.
In my first year of wrestling, I had a 4-14 record.
In my second year, when I was supposed to be getting better, I lost more matches. I finished my second season with a record of 4-28.
I got annihilated on the mat.
Getting better doesn't look like getting better.
When you look at the story objectively, you might think that in my second year, I got worse at wrestling, but that’s not true.
I knew more wrestling moves in my second year. I was better at the sport. I was a better training partner. I knew the rules of the sport now, understood terminology, and knew how to train better for wrestling.
However, I didn’t have a lot of competition experience in my first year, and I joined a more competitive wrestling club in my second year. Most of my matches were against people who had several years of wrestling experience — much more than me.
As a writer — or any craftsman — you need to understand that getting better doesn’t always mean that you are going to get better results. Higher highs are not a good indication of success, especially in the beginning.
Instead, you need to look at the complicated stuff.
How do you feel about your work? How is the flow? What do people (whose opinions you care about) think about your work?
Pay attention to all the metrics, not just outcomes.
That is the most important mindset shift that any writer can make.
Closing Thoughts
The mindset shift from starving artist to devoted craftsman might be small and minute to some, but it is essential if you’re looking to build your career as a writer.
So many beginners at different skills spend so much time learning, and not enough time acting.
In Jiu-Jitsu, online instructionals have become very popular in the last few years as a way for people to supplement their learning.
However, what most people don’t realize is that if you want to be a great grappler, you need to max out your time on the mat first and then supplement your training with online instruction, strength and conditioning, or whatever else you want to add.
Writing is the same. The best writers are avid readers, but they never read more than they write.
You need to spend as much time as you physically can doing the thing. Creating first. Getting reps first. Working on the skill first.
From there, look to study.
Be a craftsman first, a student second.
Do the work.
If you liked this post, share it with friends! Or, give it a ❤️ so that more people can discover it on Substack :)