52 (Borrowed) Tips for Consistent Calligraphy Practice

Previously, I talked briefly about the struggles of keeping up with consistent calligraphy practice.

I want to share about a book that I finished recently, which gave me more ideas about consistent calligraphy practice.

In “The Little Book of Talent: 52 Tips for Improving Your Skills”, Daniel Coyle draws insight from sportsmen, musicians and artists on how to:

1. Learn a new skill;

2. Improve through deep practice; and

3. Sustain progress to move past the plateau.

Because I can’t and won’t share all 52, here are some tips in the book and how they inspired me to rethink my own calligraphy practice.

• Invent daily tests → How can I switch up my calligraphy practice routine so it is effective and interesting?

• Break every move down into chunks → Break down specific letters that I find problematic (m, h, p) for deep focused practice.

• Don’t do drills. Instead, play small, addictive games → You may know or remember that I rebelliously dislike drills. How can I gamify certain drills or strokes that I struggle with to track progress?

• Pay attention immediately after you make a mistake → Stop repeating mindlessly till I get a better outcome. Instead, pause, think what possibly went wrong, and try to correct that one precise stroke.

If you need some quick inspiration to pick up your pen now, Coyle also says to “choose five minutes a day over an hour a week”. 😊

It’s a very short read, straight forward and to the point, but packed with tips.

I highly recommend it even if you’re not struggling with consistent practice; some tips could help you take your practice further.

If buying books are out of your budget right now, check out your local library! I borrowed this book from the library too.

This was first published in my email newsletter, 💌 Curious Letters, where I share tips and stories about calligraphy.

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