Writer, Are You Teachable?
By Andrea Merrell
Sadly, this woman felt she had a handle on the writing and
publishing industry. When she made the decision to stop learning and growing,
she became unteachable.
As with anything in life, becoming a good writer is a
life-long journey of learning—a process, not an event. We don’t get a couple of
workshops or Zoom meetings under our belt and then sail through to success. The
writing and publishing industry is ever-evolving. Changes come and
sometimes quickly.
One writer says, “Teachability isn’t so much about competence
and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It’s an innate hunger to grow.
It’s a willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn.”*
Too many people view any type of education as a season
of life when it should be a way of life. We’re never too young, too old,
or too busy to grow. To hone our craft. To become better at what we are gifted
to do by our Creator. With learning and growing comes wisdom. And here’s what
the Bible says about wisdom: “Wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing
you desire can compare with it” (Proverbs 8:11 NLT).
Even when we’ve been writing for years, we still need that
constant training. Football coach John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after
you know it all that counts.” And author Sydney J. Harris writes, “A winner
knows how much he still has to learn even when he is considered an expert by
others. A loser wants to be considered an expert by others before he has
learned enough to know how little he knows.”
Most of the clients and new writers I’ve worked with over the
years have been open and receptive, eager to learn the craft. I’ve only had a
couple who questioned (and fought against) every little change or suggestion.
When we close our mind to the process, we not only cheat ourselves but those
within our sphere of influence—especially our readers.
In this life we’ll never reach perfection. But we should
strive to do everything in excellence and to the glory of God (1 Corinthians
10:31).
Are you teachable?
*From The Word for You Today.
Photo by Biyi Adeniran on Unsplash
Thanks for sharing this wise advice, Andrea. Just like in our relationship with God, we will never know everything; in the writing world we won't either. The more I learn the more I find out how much I don't know!
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