Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Deliberate Practice

What is deliberate practice?  It is analyzing what you are doing wrong and trying to systematically fix each problem.  In my real job coaching figure skaters, this concept is extremely important.  If kids don't know their errors, they mindlessly practice the same bad habits.  It's funny that this same concept follows me everywhere I go.  I find it to be true in writing as well.  For the longest time, I just wrote, not studying the craft of writing.  I read but I did not study what was written.  Now I am beginning to see my mistakes.  I need to study all my pursuits in the same way I teach my students, with my eye on deliberate practicing.

For more information about deliberate practice read Geoff Colvin's excellent book, Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World Class Performers From Everbody Else.

Kathy

4 comments:

  1. Good post. I also enjoyed you other blog about chicken enchillads, one of my favorites!

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  2. Then the real challenge comes in forgetting everything you leart, to write from your heart! ;o)

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  3. Great message here! One that applies to every passion or task in life. :)

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  4. Excellent post. As a critique group moderator, invariably when we invite a new writer to join our group they show the same mistakes over and over. It is so important to study the craft of writing and then to apply it to your writing and then to learn what you are doing that works and doesn't work.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium.

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