Distinctive #2: Craft
Follow proven methods of skill development to hone your talent and pursue storytelling mastery.
Cutting Edge Writing Education
As an Author Conservatory student you will engage in “deliberate practice” which is the gold-standard for developing expertise in any field.
Our method draws on decades of research from the late Anders Ericsson, PhD (1947-2020), editor of the Cambridge Handbook on Expertise and Expert Performance and author of Peak: Secrets From The New Science of Expertise.
Be just outside your comfort zone, pursuing skills you can’t do on your own without being too ambitious.
Pursue well-defined specific goals for achieving mastery, instead of a vague focus on overall improvement.
Work within a proven roadmap designed and overseen by experts with a track record of helping others attain a high level of performance.
Feature a step-by-step approach with a focus on the fundamentals, laying a foundation for advanced skills.
Come with regular feedback from coaches who can monitor progress, point out problems, and help solve those problems.
“I used to write things all over the place. Thanks to the Author Conservatory, I actually know how to structure my story. I’m able to move faster on not just creating ideas, but actually writing them.”
What Deliberate Practice Looks Like at the Author Conservatory
Many aspiring authors are eager to write the “magnum opus” that’s been on their heart for years. Unfortunately, attempting projects like this too early can put writers too far outside their zone of competence. When a writer hasn’t first mastered the fundamentals, tackling overly-ambitious projects can stunt their long-term growth and result in discouragement.
That’s why we take a different approach in line with Ericsson’s research. Students begin their time in the Conservatory learning how to write simple but moving novels that display mastery of the fundamentals. As they hone their skills, they graduate to writing more complex stories while under the guidance of our instructors.
By taking a step-by-step approach to mastery, we help students build the rock-solid foundation they need to eventually write the story of their dreams with excellence.
“The Making of an Expert”
“Popular lore tells us that genius is born, not made. Scientific research, on the other hand, reveals that true expertise is mainly the product of years of intense practice and dedicated coaching.” – Harvard Business Review
Even storytelling masters such as Lewis and Tolkien wrote for decades before they published their greatest works in their forties and fifties. Honing the fundamentals first enabled them to achieve greatness in time.
Most writers would prefer quick success over long faithfulness. But it is faithful practice over many years that yields true excellence, whether in writing or any other industry.
This is the kind of excellence described in Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”
