I like to blog. I’ve been casually blogging on-and-off for about ten years now. That may seem like a long time, but the key phrase truly is “on-and-off.” I can never seem to keep it up for more than a few weeks before I inevitably go months (or even years) at a time without a single post. Then I’ll eventually feel the itch, start blogging again, rinse/repeat, and that’s pretty much been my blogging history in a nutshell.
It’s definitely not due to lack of motivation — I’ve always had a desire to write. I guess I’ve just never been very happy with my writing style. I often use too many words to describe whatever it is I’m trying to say. Like right now. See? I’m doing it again.
So how does one actually go about improving his writing? Well, Seth Godin has a solution:
Just write poorly. Continue to write poorly, in public, until you can write better.
I really like this solution — and not just because I’m really, really good at that first part. It actually makes a lot of sense. That’s how I improved my photography, and it’s pretty much how you improve at anything.
So tonight, I’m renewing my commitment to blogging. I have a new goal: to consistently provide my readers with examples of poor writing. Only this time, the key word is “consistently.” [Seth Godin via Shawn Blanc]
