This post is dedicated to a writer friend who is just getting started and feeling a bit down about his ability. It's also for all those who are working to accomplish anything.
Do you know how long it takes to become a master electrician? I googled. 12,000 hours working under a master electrician plus at least 2 years as a journeyman. I mathed, too. Divide that by 40 hours which would be an average work week, and you get 300 weeks...and since there are 52 weeks in a year, it would take almost 6 years to get those 12,000 hours. So, let's say about 8 years to become a master electrician.
To become a master welder takes anywhere from 5 to 6 years.
A master carpenter at least 5 years.
To become a dentist is a minimum of 8 years. And if you want to specialize, add a couple more.
Doctors take anywhere from 10 to 14 years. And again, if you specialize, it's more time learning.
Want to go into music?
To become professional level classical pianist takes 10 to 15 years of study with a master pianist along with hours of daily practice.
If you want to play the violin and only practice an hour a day, it'll take about 27 years to master it.
Flute more your style? If you practice only a half hour a day, count on about 22 years to be proficient. If you just want to be decent, you can get there in about 500 hours or 3 years.
So, to my writing friend...
They (I'm not sure who they are but...) say it takes about 10,000 hours to be proficient as a writer. And, if you only write 4 hours a week, it'd take you about 48 years.
That's a long time. A real long time. And a lot of words on the page, or screen if you are using a computer.
All that to say, you're doing fine. Yes, you have some things you need to work on, but you'll get there. You'll write, rewrite, write some more, and then rewrite that. And you'll study your craft. You'll read a lot. You'll read how-to books, and study books of those who write professionally. When you read a novel, you'll see things like how characters change and grow over the story or how the author makes the reader care about what's happening to those characters.
And then, you'll write some more. And rewrite. And you'll get better.
To those of you who aren't writers...learning a new thing is hard. It takes time and work. Don't let slow progress get you down. Progress is progress and you'll get there.
Now, I'm off to put words on the page. I've still about40 years to go.
5 comments:
I've read in many places that ALL writing counts, whether it is for a project or not. Writing a heartfelt Instagram post, writing in a journal, and just writing -- it all counts and it's all experience! Thanks for this post!
I love this. Putting things into perspective is so important.
Thanks for the motivation. I appreciate your words - yes progress is progress and it's so important to remember. And understanding the process is all part of it and the perspective, like the dentist 8 year!? had no idea. Sometimes we forget and think it's all and overnight success...after an 8 year process of hard work. Thanks again for this.
I couldn't help but think of things like Never give up, you don't fail unless you stop, progress over perfection, practice makes perfect, etc. Keep going and you will succeed. Also, don't judge your success based on someone else's success! Thanks for sharing and for the reminder. Blog on! :)
It has taken me many years to be the writer that I am now. Words don't come naturally to me. I am a tactile learner and I think in images. It has taken me much less time to become the artist that I am now. But it was very intense time. Lots of practice at drawing and painting. Still. It's okay. I'm a work in progress. Thank you for the reminder that it's okay to be a late bloomer.
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