“Rick_Riordan.jpg”
Writing is tough. Even now, as I construct this passion blog, I find my mind embarking in millions of different directions. I hear the hum of my microwave, the tapping of my fingers on my keys, the buzz of my cell phone. I see my brother get up from his couch, I acknowledge a Facebook notification, I notice my dog sniffing my leg.
How then, can an individual make him or herself more productive? Not only that, how can someone increase their efficiency tenfold while not sacrificing any of their writing quality?
Rick Riordan is a master of such efficiency. Riordan has currently released “at least” 31 novels; he has written so many books that he himself is not sure how many he has created or contributed to. Nearly all of Riordan’s books have been well-received by critics and earned him widespread acclaim. His Percy Jackson series, fondly remembered by my middle school self, has sold millions of copies and been adapted into two movies and a musical. His numerous other series have also done quite well in bookstores across North America.
What is Riordan’s secret? How does he manage to be so productive and yet still produce such wonderful output?
The answer is simple: Riordan makes sure to write every day, even if it’s only a page, and he also never forces himself to write more than he is able. Riordan himself estimates that he writes around three hours a day, maximum. And, by Riordan’s own admission, the more an individual writes, the better he or she will become.
Frye
There is an old saying that someone must practice an activity for 10,000 hours in order to become a master. And considering how long Riordan’s been writing, he definitely qualifies as a master at this point.
Riordan is a great example of a master of efficiency, and it is this aspect of his creative style that I would like to touch on, in spite of the fact that he has so many incredible qualities beyond this. There is a common misconception espoused by artists and those who wish to become artists that a true masterpiece is years in the making. They state that if someone wants to create something truly wonderful and valuable, he or she should not rush the process, and should instead take his or her time ensuring that the product is of the utmost quality.
To an extent, this line of reasoning is true. Rushing art in order to have it more quickly produced rarely leads to a great product. However, there is a difference between rushing something and working on it continuously, and Riordan is a great example of this difference.
Riordan makes himself write, no matter how unmotivated he feels. Inspiration is not something that a person will just one day wake up with; inspiration is a process, and oftentimes the place that one finds the greatest inspiration is when one is working on a project. The greatest ideas come when one is already engaged in the creative process. If people just sit around waiting for inspiration to strike them, they will never create anything worthwhile, and thus will never produce something they’re truly proud of.
Art, like all forms of creativity, isn’t just comprised of fun and leisure; a great deal of art is made primarily through a combination of ambition, hard work, and relentless pursuit of a vision. Rick Riordan understands this, and his dedication to writing has made him stand out among the crowd as one of the most talented and creative young adult writers of the 21st century. I hope Rick Riordan never stops creating, and I look forward to reading more work put out by him in the future.
Works Cited
“Rick_Riordan.jpg.” Riordan Wiki, n.p., 2011, http://riordan.wikia.com/wiki/Rick_Riordan.
Frye, Caitlin. “The Religion and Political Views of Rick Riordan.” The Hollowverse, 10 January 2013, https://hollowverse.com/rick-riordan/.