Early in his writing career, Anton Chekhov received some valuable advice from an older, more experienced writer which he took to heart. The advice: Take your writing seriously. Slow down and don't submit your work for publication until it is ready.
Chekhov followed this advice and did was what all good writers do: He revised and reworked his material until the short story or play was ready. He learned from his mistakes, erasing them as he went from early drafts to final manuscript. His literary legacy is unchallenged because he faithfully recreated twilight Russia in all its
myriad manifestations.
Did Chekhov apply the same advice to his gardening and farming endeavors? As anyone who has done a fair amount of gardening knows, gardening is a slow, often painstaking process. Those who try to rush or skirt this process usually end up in failure.
Chekhov took gardening just as seriously as his writing. He sought advice from horticultural experts, gardening books and friends. He applied the knowledge he had acquired to his garden and farm practices, also learning from his mistakes as he went along. Whether we are gardeners or writers, or both, we can adopt a Chekhovian mindset as we pursue our own creative efforts.
Comments