The Writing Ritual: A Surprising Method for Improvement

Clear writing requires clear thinking.

Clear writing requires clear thinking.

Clear thinking requires clean inputs.

These are interdependent.

A way to become a better writer:

Take your favorite author. Find their best work.

Copy it, word for word. Do it by hand.

It’s called copying.

“Imitation precedes creation.” — Stephen King

But why endure hand cramps? Why spend 20 minutes copying a single page? Some people haven’t written by hand in years. Why bother?

Something fascinating happens.

Your brain begins to resonate with the mind that wrote the text.

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Over time, you pick up stylistic fragments from each writer to create your unique blend.

As Stephen King says, “Imitation precedes creation.”

Your hand gets used to what feels wonderful in writing.