10,000 hours of reading, writing, or both?

I’m currently devouring Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, and through his research he’s noticed that most people who “master” something—an instrument, computer programming, even fiction writing—all have put about 10,000 hours of practice toward mastering that skill.

But does that mean we, as writers, need to spend 10,000 hours reading, writing, or a combination—5000 hours of reading, 5000 of writing?

What do you think?


  1. writerlyme answered: Combination of both :)
  2. noseinabookpeninmyhand answered: Reading and writing are two separate skills, which influence the others. So, to be a master writer, you need to write for 10,000 hours.
  3. j-addict answered: The more hours the better. Reading is great for writing, but you also have to write. I’d say devote as much time as possible to both.
  4. cosieslabyrinth reblogged this from theartsydreamertype
  5. ricinbullet answered: both! because why not?
  6. meghanmcnamara answered: You can’t hone your craft without brilliant examples to follow from, which necessitates reading, pastiche and creative writing!
  7. letthelifeinmelive reblogged this from yeahwriters and added:
    I think, as a writer, you have to go through many stages of editing until something is in your opinion perfect/mastered....
  8. patj answered: I’d say a combination. To quote Stephen King, “If you haven’t got the time to read, you haven’t got the time — or the tools — to write.”
  9. iamangeline answered: I’d say 10,000 hours of both. Technically, reading is research, not practice.
  10. ashwrites reblogged this from yeahwriters
  11. beaniebum answered: Good question. I think maybe 10K of both?
  12. fairytalesandmonsters answered: Writing. Reading is really important, but you can read a million books and never write one.
  13. thedailydoodles answered: Yup.
  14. jillwandersen answered: I didn’t start really improving as a writer until after the first ten years, so as scary as it may seem… 10k hours writing.
  15. hypergiants answered: We need to spend 10,000 hours reading, 10,000 hours writing, and 10,000 hours editing, and an opional 10,000 hours of lamenting.