How important is talent to a writer? Is talent required in order to become successful? Is talent necessary to rise above the competition?
I’d be remiss to throw out talent altogether and say that it doesn’t matter in the least. The truth is a bit of natural talent can probably help to a degree. Some people are born with wild imaginations. Some have the ability to embellish a story. Others have a smooth way of stringing words together. And all of that can certainly help give a writer an advantage.
Sometimes when people ask me where I get my story ideas or how I come up with a great plot twist, I stumble to find an answer. There are just some writing nuances that I can’t explain, that just flow, that seem to be hard-wired into my makeup. Dare I say that I have some giftedness without sounding conceited?
However, even when writers are born with certain proclivities, usually talent alone isn’t enough to propel a writer to the NYT best-seller list. Often there’s a common misconception that those who make it big or land multiple book deals simply have more talent than the average writer.
In fact, I think it’s all too common for many beginners to have an elevated perception of their writing skill. When I was just beginning, I know I did. I thought my first couple of manuscripts were pretty spectacular. I figured publishers would be knocking down my door to buy my books.
Like many newbies, I thought talent alone was enough to make my books special and different from the masses of others out there, that perhaps my books had an almost magical quality that could propel them forward ahead of others.
Fortunately, rejection was the humbling reality check. Rejection from publishers and agents helped me realize I wasn’t God’s gift to the literary world and that I still had a lot to learn before my material was ready for readers. It wasn’t until my fifth book that I finally reached a point where my writing was good enough to catch the attention of an editor. Even then that particular book was rejected. But the interest helped me see that my writing skill was improving.
Unfortunately today, with the ease of self-publishing, many newer writers have lost the humbling reality check that was once a part of the process. Too many beginners with an elevated perception of writing talent (like I had!) toss aside the cautions about rushing to publish the first book.
It’s all too easy nowadays with social media to see what everyone else is doing, to hear the success stories and to think that “easy” is the norm and that talent alone is enough.
But what we don’t see is just how hard each of those successful writers had to work to reach the point where their writing was finally ready for readers to enjoy. We don’t see the years and years of writing with no return. We don’t see the hours of learning basic writing mechanics. We don’t see the multiple rejections. We don’t see the money spent on editing or critiques.
Yes, having some talent can give a writer a slight edge. But talent alone is not enough to become a good writer. Each step forward I’ve taken in my writing career has been hard-earned. I’ve had to scrape, claw, and fight for every inch of success. Nothing has come easy. Even after writing over forty books, I continue to sweat and fight hard for every small victory.
My advice for beginners? Don’t assume your talent is enough. Talk to successful authors and get a behind-the-scenes look at the amount of work they’ve put in. Look for ways to get “reality checks” to find out how you’re really doing. Be patient with yourself. And most of all keep learning and writing because eventually with enough hard work, your stories will be ready for readers.
So what about you? How important do you think talent is in reaching writing success?
Jody Hedlund
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I think talent is important but hard work, perseverance, a somewhat thick skin, and the desire to want to succeed are all a part as well. It’s a package of a lot of things. God has blessed you dear friend with a talent and imagination. I am a fan of your writing for sure.
Thank you for this reminder!
This has been one of my biggest revelations as a writer. Talent is nice. Maybe it gives the author a boost. But I think 90% of writing well is a learned, practiced skill. A willingness to learn is a greater asset to a writer than talent, in my opinion.
Ok, so I have no desire to write a novel ever. I am very happy being a reader and reviewer only. BUT, I think your advice applies to all newbies in all fields. Specifically, I loved when you stated, “My advice for beginners? Don’t assume your talent is enough.” So, I am a high school English teacher. Been one for the past 17 years. I remember being terrified my very first year, but by the end of it, I thought, “Yeah, I can do this. I got talent.” LOL! Then the next couple of years I got a little better, things got easier, and I thought, “Man! I rock at this teaching gig.” Then life knocked me off my high horse and I had a massive reality check. My 25-year old Ego was deflated, and I realized I was no better than anyone else regardless of my natural talent. I also realized that it’s only God who gave me that talent, so if I can do anything it’s because of Him and Him alone. Once I was humbled, I realized all the things I really needed to learn and I saw all the people who were there to mentor and guide me. I am exceptionally grateful that God humbled me in a big way and showed me that I can only do things if I’m walking with Him.
Oh, talent helps, but you have to learn the craft and put in the hours. Writers have to keep learning, practicing, writing, and growing. 🙂