Resonate so much! Writing is really the first thing that I've loved enough to sit with that feeling of being not good enough but keeping on because I love it enough to be bad and get better!
I was a piano student. Yes, I found scales boring! So I never learned them and my teacher wasn't a stickler about them. Learning them now, returning to the piano as an adult. It helps with memorizing pieces. I practice now just for the joy of practicing, not performing. To paraphrase Casals, there's still so much to learn.
This was a great reminder for me. I'm revising my second novel. I'm on the 5th pass through it. I feel like I'm getting better but know that I have room to grow. Thank you.
This brought back memories. I played the flute as well, and I did take private lessons and I did (sometimes) practice my scales, but the one audition I remember for a youth orchestra I had practiced and practiced some difficult scale, I can't remember which, and then they said "play whatever scale you want," and I took them far to literally and played C Major. I was not chosen to join the orchestra.
Agree 100% re wishing I’d been better at (more comfortable with) being bad at things. I stuck to things I was “good at” without trying to improve! But never too late to leave.
For me, writing is a constant learning curve. A permanent 'beginner's mind' situation. The day I figured out a that you don't get good at writing and just stay good was a turning point for me. Each new piece, even each next sentence, offers up the lesson. What I practice now is being in a permanent state of practice. Thank you for this!!
Thank you - Thank you , Kate! I feel that you are with me in my querying struggles and understand how I get so depressed getting everything asked just right. Stay with me in your posts. You are a super teacher! Love, Jane.
Gee, Kate. I went to that small college in Hickory! Nice to know you've got some piedmont North Carolina in your DNA. Maybe it'll help my book connect with you when I finally get the confidence to query.
Thanks for this piece. It hits the target dead-center for us writers, as usual.
Being comfortable at being bad at things is honestly impossible for me. I have to call it a rough draft, (in my head) even though it's my __th revision. Nope, 'rough draft' is the only way. I may have been more comfortable with it as a kid, but now, when I'm actually pretty good at a few things it's just disturbing
I mean what I'm about to say in a really good way. Read it like you would read a Hallmark card.
"Thanks, Mom."
Resonate so much! Writing is really the first thing that I've loved enough to sit with that feeling of being not good enough but keeping on because I love it enough to be bad and get better!
"It’s ok to be bad at things." If you're a writer better get used to it : )
Am busy thinking about what are my ‘scales’ that I avoid in my writing! Great piece - thank you!!
I was a piano student. Yes, I found scales boring! So I never learned them and my teacher wasn't a stickler about them. Learning them now, returning to the piano as an adult. It helps with memorizing pieces. I practice now just for the joy of practicing, not performing. To paraphrase Casals, there's still so much to learn.
Exactly what I needed to read at a time when I needed to read it. Thank you!
This was a great reminder for me. I'm revising my second novel. I'm on the 5th pass through it. I feel like I'm getting better but know that I have room to grow. Thank you.
This brought back memories. I played the flute as well, and I did take private lessons and I did (sometimes) practice my scales, but the one audition I remember for a youth orchestra I had practiced and practiced some difficult scale, I can't remember which, and then they said "play whatever scale you want," and I took them far to literally and played C Major. I was not chosen to join the orchestra.
Agree 100% re wishing I’d been better at (more comfortable with) being bad at things. I stuck to things I was “good at” without trying to improve! But never too late to leave.
For me, writing is a constant learning curve. A permanent 'beginner's mind' situation. The day I figured out a that you don't get good at writing and just stay good was a turning point for me. Each new piece, even each next sentence, offers up the lesson. What I practice now is being in a permanent state of practice. Thank you for this!!
Thank you - Thank you , Kate! I feel that you are with me in my querying struggles and understand how I get so depressed getting everything asked just right. Stay with me in your posts. You are a super teacher! Love, Jane.
Gee, Kate. I went to that small college in Hickory! Nice to know you've got some piedmont North Carolina in your DNA. Maybe it'll help my book connect with you when I finally get the confidence to query.
Thanks for this piece. It hits the target dead-center for us writers, as usual.
I lived in Winston as a kid!
Being comfortable at being bad at things is honestly impossible for me. I have to call it a rough draft, (in my head) even though it's my __th revision. Nope, 'rough draft' is the only way. I may have been more comfortable with it as a kid, but now, when I'm actually pretty good at a few things it's just disturbing