Writers are born not made - a sort of debate.

Just my opinion . . .

Anyone can write the ultimate book, you just have to choose the right words in the right sentence and make it happen. Of course, easier chewed than swallowed. If you're a natural writer---that is, writing one bookafter another flows as easily as breathing air---then yes, it's inherent genes.

Remember, editors and publishers get thousands of manuscripts per annum; only a percent of which gets published. To have a book that sells even abysmally is still quite an accomplishment. You made it far beyond hundreds of losers. Unless you're Stephen King, who demands and gets $4m before pubs have even seen the book.

I'll go with writers being born to write. Everyone has a niche in life, be it hero, worker, executive or nerd-class people. It's a knack you can aqure, teach yourself, but also one you were made to pen.

 

Narundi, it appears we love the same authors. I have The Hot Zone and many Crichton books sitting on my bedside bookshelf

I definitely agree about observing the style of other authors being helpful. My entire language class this year has been in literature analysis, and it's been a great place to practice this. I don't think anyone would deny that practice and a lot of work is involved, but I think you can look at the writing of kids a lot of the time and just see where the natural abilities lie.

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

The more you read the better you're able to write. I think even if you never take up paper or pen it still makes you a better story teller. Your mind is always picking up subltle things that you either decide work well as a reader, paint images that appeal, don't work, are confusing or just wrong. So some people may be story tellers, with varying levels of talent all the way up to a published author, but I like to think of them all as writers.

 

I will not be the first to admit, plot bunnies are NOT my friend. Sometimes they're a good thing (Defining Us) but other times, they're sort of left in the dust. I've always known I was a writer but when I watched AoTc IMAX with my dad and a friend of his, and started to think in terms of writing and plotlines, instead of enjoying the movie, that's when I knew, I live and breathe writing. When you start to think like your pen name, that's when you know "it isn't just a hobby," anymore.

I certainly wasn't born with a pen in my hand but early on, I knew I loved writing. I couldn't draw or paint like my brother the artist but I loved telling stories. I keep my pad and cup of pencils by my bed incase something comes to me when I'm sleeping (and sometimes, although it's very rare, something does come to me).

Ultimately, it comes down to talent and if the person really loves writing. Someone who does not love writing, obviously, will not be writing constantly to try to improve their skills. Some people have it and others don't but that doesn't mean if they ever change their mind and turn to writing, they can't be writers.

~aeryn

 

Well, as a naturally curious and talkative person, I just have to throw my two-cents worth in .....

In agreeance with a few others here, I don't think a person is born a writer. However I do think that certain people are born with a drive to put their creative minds into writing rather than other outlets. (i.e. painting, drawing, singing, etc.) Some people will enjoy writing (or one of the other examples), while others simply abhor it. Those who have the drive to create characters and plots and dialogue will often enough spend more time developing their abilities. I do believe though that anyone that puts the effort into becoming a good writer can achieve that goal - for some it may just take longer and be more difficult. However if the ambition is there, the reward will eventually follow.

~Calayka

 

Great writers are born that way, and there's nothing you can do to make yourself go from being an average writer to a great one. Just cannot happen. I fully believe and support what Stephen King said about that in On Writing.

However, if you don't do anything with your natural talent, you're much lower than any average or good writer that works hard to produce good writing and stories.

 

Slightly off-topic :

Aristotle : On Peory (with a massive preface)

 

It looks like everyone here agrees that good writers are a combination of inborn talent and hard work. But to address what I think Kit? was really getting at... I don?t think it matters whether you write every day or just every once in a while. I see writing like a drug. Some people need or want it more often than others.

Some of us are born observers. We find we have a unique way of seeing things. But all the observations in the world mean nothing if we can?t put what we?re seeing into words. We?re not born with language skills. We can?t even articulate that we?re hungry or sleepy at first. And that frustrates the heck out of us from day one.

I think the need to communicate our needs and wants and what makes us different is stronger in some people than in others. I?m not sure why that is, but I know a lot of times I feel like I have to purge something onto paper or into conversation because, I?m not sure, I just need to get it out into the world I guess. A thought not shared is wasted and whatnot. Now maybe some people do this more through conversation, maybe others need to keep a journal or translate it into fiction. But the fact remains that everyone (or at least the vast majority of us) have things we want to say, things we want heard or read.

I think those of us who write do so because it makes us feel like we?re creating something new out of those thoughts and observations. And for some people that can get like a drug, creative expression. A lot of the famous artists and writers and such are kind of messed up in the head ? schizophrenics and alcoholics, let?s face it. Their craft is just another addiction for them.

Comforting thought, no?

 

A lot of the famous artists and writers and such are kind of messed up in the head ? schizophrenics and alcoholics, let?s face it.

I fully support the idea that all writers are schizos.


What, none of you ever talk to yourself when working out a story?

 

I agree with what KW said about what Steven King said about writers

I also echo Aeryn's sentiments: someone who's got that born writing instinct will naturally see stories (novels, films...even what's going on around them presently) in terms of how as an author that feeling or story is conveyed. This is the reason why in my literary analysis course I just don't have to work as hard as almost everyone else. It's not hard for me to imagine how an author uses his/her words to create something because I think that way too naturally.

I also agree with whoever pointed out that reading a lot makes you a better and probably more motivated author. That's definitely true, even with people who don't have as much of a knack for it naturally. The people I know who read a lot generally have better vocabularies and definitely have a better sense of what good writing is. This makes you more aware of what level something you've written is at and makes you more critical of it in drafting.



-sj loves kevin spacey

 

I think anyone can write, you just need the idea and the insperation, also practice.

I dislike writing, keyboard or pen, imensly, as while i have the ability, i have incredible trouble getting words down withought getting frustrated and leaving it never to return.

Im by no means a *'great writer' but im not bad either, i just need the insperation and to be in a good mood (though afterwards i tend to be in a bad one, unless im extremly happy with what i wrote)

If i had my way id never write again and id have people do it for me with me telling them what to write, but as im a student and poor, not happening.

I 'never' feel the tug for writing, yet i have too ongoing (admittedly slowly) stories that are readable, and i also extremly dislike writing.

Thats proof for me that a writer isnt born, anyone can do it, its just a lot of people dont.


*I dont beleive that anyone is better at writing than anyone else, i just think its down to practice and personal prefrance.