In regards to yesterday’s post on the subject of writers vs. non-writers, I hope that I didn’t come across as a snobby “I’m a writer and you’re not” kind of person, because that’s not what I meant at all. If that’s how it read then I apologize.

I have a very valued friend who once said to me, “I could be a great writer if I wanted to be. I have a ton of ideas that would make great stories, I just don’t have the time or patience to write them.”

She also made the following point: “Anyone can be a writer. Writing is not about talent.”

I’ve thought about what she said, and I’m still thinking about it. How much of writing is talent? How much is practice? How much is skill?

I really do want to say that pretty much anyone can be a writer, because theoretically that’s true. And because I like the thought of it. I am not elitist on the subject, and my point yesterday was mainly that not everyone is a writer, not because writers are special in any way, but because not everyone wants to be. Not anyone has a dedication to it or a passion for it. Most people would probably rather read a book than write one.

However, do I think everyone can be a good writer? It’s hard to answer that question because I strongly believe the following: I think what some people consider “good” and what other people consider “good” are extremely different things. I have read a lot of stories that baffled me with the sheer crapness of dialogue and characterization. But 100 other people left comments to say how great it was. Did they mean that? Or were they just being nice? I don’t know. But I’m willing to bet that at least a few people genuinely thought it was a great story. And that’s entirely fair.

In the end, what makes a great story? What makes a great author?

By some people’s standards, TBSOL is wonderful story. By someone else’s, it’s okay. By someone else’s it’s brilliant. By someone else’s it’s total crap. So what’s the truth?

I truly believe that no matter how bad you are at writing, there will always be someone out there who thinks you’re amazing. Why? Because most people aren’t writers. They don’t approach reading in that same critical way that some (most?) writers are used to doing. Most people just want a distraction from real life. If your story provides that distraction, it really doesn’t matter if you chose the wrong word in paragraph two of page three hundred and five. No one is going to notice but you.

My issue with this is that I find that more and more people are giving up on quality, or just don’t know what quality is. Sometimes I’m not sure if it’s that my standards have risen or if it’s simply that the quality of writing has lowered.


Our Random Articles

More Links