If someone asked me the single most important piece of advice for improving as a composer, my response would be simple: write music every day. 

A well-known experiment in a photography class perfectly illustrates why. On the first day of class, professor Jerry Uelsmann split his students into groups. One half of the class was placed in the “quantity” group, where grades were based exclusively on the number of photos taken. At the end of the semester, students who submitted one hundred photos earned an A, ninety a B, and so forth. The other half of the class—the “quality” group—only had to submit a single photo for grading. However, to receive an A, that one photo had to be exceptional. 

At the end of the class, the results were striking: all of the best photos came from the quantity group. These students had spent the semester actively taking photos, experimenting with what they were learning, testing out different techniques, and improving through trial and error. Their consistent practice led to noticeable growth in their photography skills. Meanwhile, the quality group spent their time theorizing about perfection, and in the end, had little to show for their efforts other than one mediocre photo.

Oscar Osicki from A Composer’s Journey insightfully draws a connection between this experiment and the craft of composition. Just like the students in the photography class, composers don’t improve by obsessing over a single piece, trying to make it flawless. Instead, progress comes from regularly creating new music. By focusing on producing work consistently rather than chasing perfection in one composition, composers strengthen their skills, refine their artistic voice, and sharpen their instincts through the discipline of daily practice.

This approach has proven true in my own journey. Writing music regularly has not only honed my technical abilities but also made the creative process feel more natural. When I look back at my earlier compositions, I can clearly see how much I’ve grown—not because I spent months perfecting my later works, but because early on I committed to the steady practice of composing daily. For me, growth has not come from waiting for the perfect idea to strike; it has come from consistently showing up.

So if you want to improve as a composer, don’t idolize inspiration or obsess over perfection. Instead, just write music every day. Over time, you’ll be amazed at how much you grow.