Properly used, positive reinforcement is extremely powerful.
B. F. SkinnerRead
Lucky accidents seldom happen to writers who don't work. You will find that you may rewrite and rewrite a poem and it never seems quite right. Then a much better poem may come rather fast and you wonder why you bothered with all that work on the earlier poem. Actually, the hard work you do on one poem is put in on all poems. The hard work on the first poem is responsible for the sudden ease of the second. If you just sit around waiting for the easy ones, nothing will come. Get to work.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Success in writing requires consistent effort, as hard work paves the way for creative breakthroughs.
This quote emphasizes the importance of hard work and perseverance in the creative process, particularly in writing. Richard Hugo illustrates how the effort put into crafting one piece—even if it feels laborious and unsatisfactory—contributes to the ease and quality of future works. It highlights that relying solely on inspiration without effort will not yield results; therefore, writers must actively engage in their craft to experience the serendipitous moments that can lead to exceptional creativity.
Themes
WritingWorkCreativityPersistenceEffort
In practice
Example use cases
In a writing workshop to encourage students to keep revising their drafts.
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