After last week’s column I got a couple of emails on writing assignments, requesting that I hand a few of them out. Sure, I’ll give you a writing assignment. And it’s a fairly easy one, too. But if you can get it done, you will be a much more polished and perfected writer in a year from now, than you are today. The assignment is this: 1,000 words, everyday. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Just sit down and write.
So much of writing, like so much of anything, means getting your reps in. This is the Repetition part of Repetition and Resistance, which you know I tie almost everything into. My new book–title to be mentioned, I hope, somewhat soon–is all about this, actually. Like, how do we use Repetition and Resistance to get better at anything that interests us.
But not to get too far off track.
So write about anything. Write about what happened yesterday or what you hope will happen tomorrow. Write about the first time your parents walked in on you. Write about how hard it is to write–that’s always a good one. This can be totally private. And, at first, probably should be.
Because let’s face it. There’s no better way to become a better writer than to write. So we might as well settle in to a certain number of words on paper, everyday. More is not always better, but sometimes it is.
This is one of those sometimes.
– Pat