The 99% comment
Theodore L. Blumberg practices entertainment law in Manhattan. He has written a book about legal writing. In it, he said, “As a colleague of mine once put it, ‘I never met a man who didn’t think he was a great lover or a lawyer who didn’t think he was a great writer. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they’re deluded.’”
Theodore L. Blumberg, The Seven Deadly Sins of Legal Writing 1 (2008).
November 6th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
I think I’ve come to the conclusion that just about anybody can become a good writer, but greatness in writing (as in just about any profession) is inherent. However, both require training and discipline. So please, without delusion, find out what you are great at, because you’ll never be better than good at anything else.
November 7th, 2010 at 2:37 am
A man Mr. Blumberg, who thinks that he is a great and wise lover, lawyer, and writer is simply plain deluded.
November 7th, 2010 at 6:15 am
Please clarify:
Gretness in writing is inherent (to what?)
Both require training and discipline (both applies to ‘greatness’ and ‘writing’ means that if you get enough discipline and training you may become a ‘great writer’ but….
Last sentence: “find out what you are great at” (without training and discipline?). Does it mean: If and only if you were born a ‘great writer’ and manage to get enough discipline and training you ‘may’ be a great writer.
Please find out what does it take to be a clear writer. It will suffice.
November 8th, 2010 at 7:18 am
It takes a great deal of effort to learn how to think like a lawyer, but I guess it takes an even greater effort to learn how (and when) not to succumb to the pitfalls of habit instilled by thousand of hours of your legal training.
BTW, legal writing is mostly a craft, not an art. It can be learned.