Why I’m Not a Master at My Craft

And why that’s okay

The early days of writing were some of the best. The sound of the computer buzzing. Staying up late into the night penning stories by hand. Painstakingly transcribing what was in binders filled with pages of words onto the computer. And then, moving on to the next thing.

Writing is a funny thing. It’s something all of us can do. Few of us can do well. And even fewer can be extraordinary at. Along the way, there are many bumps and hurdles. We have to adapt to the modern way of writing, and that can be as hard as adapting to anything.

And yet, after taking writing seriously for more than ten years, I can say I’m still not a master at my craft. And I’m okay with that.

It Takes Time to Get Good At Something

I’ve not tried to master a lot of things. I have, however, tried to master a few things. What you soon begin to realize is that the mastering of things is only the first step. There is almost always more to learn. I think martial arts works as a great way to understand this reality.

A lot of people think of getting your black belt as an impressive achievement. Depending on where you study, it takes a lot of time to reach that level. A lot of time, dedication, and training. Probably more than a few injuries, too, if you’re doing it right.

Once you reach that level, though, you soon realize that what you’ve mastered is only very little. You’ve mastered the basics. There is endless amounts more to learn.

I was very skilled by the time I got my black belt. But in reality, that was only the beginning. After all, that black belt was only in one specific form of martial arts. Yet there are multiple different kinds of martial arts, all with their unique strengths and weaknesses.

Since getting my black belt, I went on to study various different forms – Muay Thai, BJJ and beyond. You may have been a master in one form, but you are a beginner in another.

It Takes Time to Get Good at Writing

I’ve found writing to be much the same. You might start out writing poems or stories, or maybe even novels. But that is only a very narrow form of writing. It seems that the genres of writing are proliferating magnificently. The digital age has necessitated writing like never before. Every business, public figure or website must create written content all the time. Job postings don’t only ask for blog writers – they ask for chatbot writers, AI personality writers, educational content editors and so on. There are an unimaginable number of writing forms to learn and master.

Writing is very much like martial arts. You get good at one form, you even get your “black belt” – maybe an English degree, maybe a solid first writing job – only to find out there is so much more to learn.

After more than ten years of writing novels, short stories, poems, blogs, articles, advertisements, painful academic essays, and countless other things, I can say I’m not a master at my craft. And I hope not to master it anytime soon, as that would take the fun out of always learning more.