I wrote recently on the benefits of consistency in keeping a regular routine and fulfilling positive habits, but there’s another reward that consistency confers: improved skill.
my poetic journey
I enjoy writing poetry. But while I was okay at it, I don’t think my poetry was actually something I was proud of until recently.
Near the end of my time in High School, I began to take poetry seriously. Specifically, I began writing it in earnest and trying to improve. I wrote a few poems I was proud of, but overall I simply wasn’t very good.
So, after starting university, I tried something new: every night, before going to bed, I’d write a poem from scratch and post it to Mastodon with the tag #GoodnightPoem. A few others joined me.
I kept this practice up regularly for about two months, and in that time my poetry went from mediocre to pretty good. Occasionally, there’s been a gem.
So, there’s my lesson on consistency: writing a poem every night, despite my lack of skill, helped form the skill where it lacked.
consistency as a skill-builder
The most common form of this idea that you’ll hear is “practice makes perfect”. But it’s not just practice that builds skill, it’s consistent practice. Writing a ton of poems is great and will teach me a good deal, but writing regular, consistent amounts over an extended period of time is what really solidified those skills for me.
If I want to be a skillful writer, I need to write regularly. If I want to be a skilled programmer, I need to code regularly. If I want to be a skilled musician, I need to make music regularly.
It comes down to time allocation: what’s the most valuable way that you can spend your time? You have a limited amount of time to spend—if you like, imagine time as a literal currency that you “spend” and budget out what you will purchase with that time.
A common response to the “I don’t have time to write complaint” is to remind those making the complaint that there always is time, they just aren’t prioritizing writing. While true, I think that argument is somewhat unfair. (And I must admit, I’m guilty of having made this argument before—though with reading, not writing.)
Not everyone has the kind of time it takes to become a master of writing. There are more pressing things to spend time on; it’s a busy world. Writing is a joy, but not everyone has the time to hone the skill it takes.
So the question becomes, how can you best improve your skill with the least amount of time required?
And honestly, after a long time asking that same question, I think that my “Goodnight Poem” project is an excellent contender for the title. It took me perhaps fifteen to twenty minutes per night and often even less, and I received so much joy and ability from the exercise.
While I’m here, I’d like to share a few of my favorite poems from the exercise, which I’ve published on this site:
conclusion
I plan to start up this habit again. I’ll be writing regular poetry, every day—though perhaps not always at nighttime, that’s no longer the best time for me. I hope others will join me.
And, to be clear—I think a vital part of this exercise is the publication of the results. Having others see your work is a massive ego booster when you receive compliments and feedback from others is an essential component in your growth as a poet.
The most straightforward path to publication is the one I originally took—posting your work on the Fediverse and using the #GoodnightPoem tag. I understand, though, if having your work completely public is daunting—some poems are just too private for that.
If nothing else, I recommend sending your poems to a trusted friend. If you’d like to share them with me, I’d be honored—my email address is below and I look forward to reading your masterpieces and watching you grow.
