Boom! We are back with an analysis of how writers get better, with deep dives into deliberate practice, constraints, craft books, worldview, perception, and the advantages that we have to create, because we weren’t blessed with them.
Over the past five decades, two ideologies of improvement have pervailed in the world of writing, and both have failed to produce a collective of great writers.
First, there are the independent authors who believe they can become great through just writing, by studying the greats, putting the time in, and existing in silence. Most of these authors reject the MFA approach, but never get their writing or careers off the ground.
Second, there are authors who think that studying craft, only producing stories for Substack/workshops, and networking in the industry will help them produce great literature. Many of these authors do get books published, but almost none of them have an impact on the world of literature.
If we continue with these mindsets, or even combine them, there will be no literary renaissance. Sure, there will be outliers who break through with these approaches, but at large, without a new mindset, without a new approach, the world of literature will continue to decline.
This video doesn’t provide the exact game plan or answers, but rather discusses high-leverage mindsets from both sides of the aisle, including a discussion of my five favorite craft books that can hopefully, as a collective, get us moving in the right direction.
Thank you, guys, for everything, and see you guys soon in the next video!
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