On Becoming an Expert

It has been said that, it takes ten thousand hours of practice to become an expert in anything.  So if you want to be an athlete or you want to play an instrument, or write, it will be a matter of constant practice; repetition, repetition, repetition.

I came to personally understand this concept when I became an intern at the Campus Clipper.  I’ve always wanted to write, but I didn’t always sit down to write.  And despite the fact that I’ve read several on writing books, I struggled with that discipline.

Among the many valuable skills I’ve learned at the Campus Clipper, this idea of constant practice is one that I have come to hone; thanks to Cassandra Fox and her genius plan.  I come into the Campus Clipper for a few hours and after I catch up on the logistics and the emails, I stare at the blank screen for ten minutes.  I remind myself that I have to blog.  So I write that first sentence.  The first few sentences are usually bad but it leads me to something.  And before I know it, I can’t stop my fingers from typing away.

After a couple of weeks I realized how much material I produced.  It triggered something in me; it unleashed the beast that was the cause of so much procrastination, fear, and lack of discipline.  Knowing that I have two hours to write when I’m here and sitting down to the task, has really been a tremendous help to me.

I’m now committed to the practice of writing; I’m committed to that daunting task of staring at the blank screen for a few minutes and writing the first bad sentence, because that’s what it takes for the rest to come.

Another important part in becoming a writer is reading, reading, reading.  Follow the Campus Clipper Bloggers and check for student discounts to bookstores, restaurants and entertainment in NYC!

Rona, Columbia University, School of General Studies

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