What if Socrates Were Your Writing Mentor?
Socrates’ secret sauce: dead since 399BC, still corrupting the youth
Hold on to your togas! The grandmaster of ‘debate-me-bros’ is here to share his wisdom.
Let’s swap your mundane writing routine for a mind-jousting lesson with the master of mayhem, the corrupter of the youth, the no-nonsense, toga-toting beard bedazzler, Socrates.
Sure, the ancient Athenian didn’t write much in his lifetime, but his ideas offer plenty of insights into the noble craft of using words goodly.
The Oracle of Uncertainty
‘The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.’
― Socrates
Imagine old Socrates peeking over your shoulder as you write, his beard brushing against your shoulder, whispering, ‘Forget the cliché advice of “write what you know”, and instead, write with the knowledge that you know nothing at all.’
So, where does this leave you? Either you muster the courage to step beyond yourself, embracing the mystery, or collapse into an existential abyss. But fret not! His advice isn’t a ticket to perpetual imposter syndrome; it’s a passport to the liberating land of exploration, questions, and a willingness to get lost in order to find the treasure that you seek: truth. Understanding and accepting your own ignorance opens you up to the possibility of becoming more than you are.
You’ll be pulling wisdom out of your toga in no time!
The Ultimate Life Hack: Savouring the Fruit of Others’ Struggles
‘Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have laboured hard for.’
— Socrates
While you know nothing, others have the formula for the secret sauce that you seek.
Socrates tells us that there is no need to reinvent the wheel, which isn’t a dismissal of originality but an acknowledgement of the fact that we stand on the shoulders of giants — to see farther, clearer, and beyond. Learn from others’ works, absorb their insights, adapt their templates, and build upon the foundations laid before you. By subtly tweaking these and engaging in practices such as copywork, analytical reading, and creative transformation, you can begin to craft something uniquely your own.
With gratitude and a touch of cunning, propel yourself forward by borrowing the brilliance of those who came before you.
Dialogue, the Socratic Sauce-ery
‘I know you won’t believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.’
― Socrates
‘What’s your story’s purpose?’ he’d ask, stroking his shaggy beard. And trust me, a simple ‘just because’ won’t cut it.
He’ll pelt you with a deluge of whys and why-nots until you find the core of what you’re trying to say. He would advise you to do the same for your characters, too, for their opinions to be challenged, urging them to grapple with differing perspectives. After all, the conflict of ideas makes stories shine, so get them chattering and disputing the mysteries of your narrative.
Such is the Socratic method, each question a chisel on the sculpture of your story.
The Unexamined Plot is Not Worth Writing
‘The unexamined life is not worth living.’
― Socrates
Every word, every scene, every semicolon — put them on trial!
In the courtroom of your imagination, each element must defend its place in the narrative, and if they can’t prove their worth against the ruthless prosecution of Socratic scrutiny, off with their heads! Writing is a process of distillation; the 5% of your idea that is genius, is made worthless if obscured by 95% of dragging mediocrity, sloppy grammar, and a lack of emotional depth.
In writing, as in life, we must strive to understand and communicate the essence of our stories, cutting away the superfluous to reveal the truth within.
Socrates’ Checkout Counter: Are Your Actions Worth the Price?
‘Every action has its pleasures and its price.’
― Socrates
We all know, at least on an intuitive level, that each choice is a matter of sacrifice — for you, as well as for your fictional characters.
We are always weighing the cost-benefit scales in our minds. Each impulsive vice carries a cost, whether it be time, money, or health. The same applies to virtuous actions like pursuing creative projects. Consider the trade-offs: Will earning more money justify less family time? Is spending time with your friends worth falling behind on deadlines? Is pursuing a romantic interest a valuable investment of your time right now?
It is vital to prioritise your goals and recognise your limits before life snaps back at you like a rubber band with unforeseen consequences.
Finding Wisdom in the Writing Wreckage
‘My friend…care for your psyche…know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves.’
― Socrates
Killed your darlings? Puzzled over plot holes? Well, congrats! You’re one step closer to finding the golden nugget in a stinking heap of junk. ‘Judgemental much?’ you might ask, thinking I’m being overly critical, and you would be right!
We ought to be critical, for the path to brilliance is paved with the corpses of crappy ideas. Having high standards, however, can also leave us shipwrecked and feeling isolated, doubting our worth when the distance we must cross for that perfectly crafted sentence seems insurmountable. So, we struggle on the battlefield of endless revisions amidst a storm of words and ideas, dooming ourselves like Sysiphus to push the boulder up the mountain, time and again, striving to bring chaos under control, only to watch it roll back down once we reach the top.
Though this process is tumultuous and mentally taxing, it represents the odyssey of your soul, offering opportunities to transcend limits and reach for ever greater expressions of excellence.
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