Why Sucking At Writing Is The First Step To Being Good At It
You’re absolutely on the right track when you suck
The other day, I learned this valuable lesson:
Why don’t you play with us?, I asked a little boy at the beach.
Because I suck at it!, he replied.
Apparently, even kids don’t play for the sake of playing anymore.
Even kids want to win.
They want to be the best.
When they suck at something, they just quit it.
Okay, what about adults?
We Brag About How Hard We Work And We Prioritize Productivity Over Play.
In the corporate world, we are told to be the best or nothing at all.
That’s what really matters.
This makes us more anxious and depressed than ever, don’t you think?
How Do You Define Sucking at Something?
A lot of writers tell me they suck at writing or they used to write but now they can’t write anymore.
That’s why they don’t want to dedicate time to it.
They don’t want to start writing (again).
The most important question is:
How do you define sucking at something?
What’s really bad and worthless trying?
Sucking Is A Lost Art.
In her book ‘It’s Great to Suck at Something: The Exceptional Benefits of Being Unexceptional’ Karen Rinaldi explores sucking.
She shows it’s a lost art and that we should work on our suck-ability.
Yes, suck-ability is a game-changer.
Instead of being obsessed with the destination, embrace the moment. Embrace the moment you suck at, for instance, writing, and enjoy the process.
When you suck at writing it’s pretty good.
The Positive Effects Of Sucking At Writing.
Rinaldi shows that sucking at writing for instance
rewires our brain in positive ways
cultivates grit
inspires us to find joy in the process
gives us freedom
It’s All About Having Fun And Doing It Anyway!
When I read your work, I won’t judge you. I will celebrate you because you were brave enough to put pen to paper and do it anyway.
That’s why I teach my students:
Do it anyway!
It’s the same as I want for you.
It’s revelatory.
The Freedom To Suck Without Caring.
My student Linda Locke sent me a wonderful email.
Our first 1:1 session was awesome and your insights and kind words really inspired me to start writing again with joy.
That is the biggest gift to me.
Linda Is Enjoying the Process.
Linda is now even helping others who are afraid to start writing and encouraging them to start writing and publishing their work.
Linda is enjoying the process — meaning every moment she sucks; every small win she celebrates.
Linda is the perfect example of the so-called suck-ability.
The ability to suck.
Final Takeaways
Sucking at writing means different things to different people.
Is it the views you get? — Only 10 views? I suck!
Is it the text length? — I can’t write 1,000 words. I suck!
Is it the comments you receive? — Zero comments or negative feedback. I suck!
How about you stop worrying about others and just start writing, improving, and having fun?
Ultimately, sucking at writing is the first step to getting good at it.
📚 You can purchase the book here.
👉PS: If you want to start sucking at writing, join the blogging platform Medium today! Why? Medium has a wonderful community of like-minded people, writing and publishing stories is fun and you can earn money. Join today!
I need to buy a class set of this book for my science students, maybe the audio version, since they tell me they not only suck at science, but also at reading.🤔
Kristina I have a question-have you had trouble embedding the Substack subscriber link in Medium articles? I cannot get it to work!