How long does it take to become a good writer?
The answer might surprise you!
A question I find myself asking is: How long does it take to become a “good writer”?
While this is a great question, it has a disappointing answer: “It depends.”
Fortunately, there is a long version of that answer. But before I move on, please make sure you are subscribed! And if this article has helped you, share it with your writing friends. The more, the merrier!
Let’s begin.
It depends on how much you practice…
Somebody once said it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill—that’s 20 hours of practice a week for 10 years!
If you’re serious about going pro, it may take you even longer than that, but this leads into my next point…
It depends on what your goal is…
A few months is enough to build a strong foundation, such as learning the art of grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. However, mastering the craft of writing can take years—you could even argue it’s lifelong. A true master of their craft never stops improving.
How quickly or slowly you progress entirely depends on your goals. Do you want to publish a novel, or do you simply want better articulation? It’s important to make that distinction, because one goal takes 10-15 years, while the other only takes a few months.
Defining your goals will narrow the scope of your journey tremendously.
It depends on how you learn…
The quality of your learning material is key—it can spell the difference between good writing and great writing. Without high quality learning material, your journey might last last longer than it needs to.
If you learn using a specialized course, those 10,000 hours might be closer to 8,000—depending on how you study. If you’re not on a budget, online courses are a great resource for learning the art of writing. But if you are on a budget, there’s no shame in going to community college. All my homies love community college.
If you are self-taught, that scope dramatically varies; anywhere from 5, 10, maybe 20 years. Why? Because if you learn the wrong habits, they become harder to undo, which can hamper your progress. Additionally, you’ll lack the insight and feedback of a professional instructor.
No matter how you learn, you can’t do it in a vacuum. Sharing your work and getting feedback from readers and other authors will improve your writing—a lot. Without feedback, you might reaffirm the same old mistakes.
Temper your passion with high-quality learning, and you will become a pro in no time! Cough cough. Granted, it will still take you 10,000 hours! But… my point remains. Cough.
In conclusion:
— Define your goals
— Find a trustworthy reader who can give you honest, constructive feedback
— Enroll in community college or a writing course
— Strive for 10k hours of experience - and then 10k more
— Remember: your work is never done. There will always be room for improvement.
I’m Adrian and this is Brainstreams — thank you for reading this far. If you’d like to support my blogging journey, make sure to subscribe and comment!