Archive for March 14th, 2009
“Deliberate practice”: What works for golfers can work for writers
I’ve just read an article in today’s Wall Street Journal, ostensibly about golf, that I think raises some neat ideas about mastering any pursuit, most definitely writing included.
The article, by columnist John Paul Newport, is sardonically titled “Mastery, Just 10,000 Hours Away.” It explores research by cognitive scientists into the actual rather than apocryphal differences that distinguish prodigies from duffers, then segues into advice from such top golf instructors as Pia Nilsson, who works with Annika Sörenstam. From a writer’s perspective, here are the most salient comparisons:
