When I was young, I gleefully applied words to paper, telling a story for all who would read.
My parents and friends all enjoyed the benefits of my vast desire to tell stories. Perhaps spurred by the common comment from those much older than myself that said, ‘you can’t make a living at that’, when asked the typical childhood question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ the answer, ‘A writer’, never occurred to me. However, it might have been more due to the fact that I never really considered it an option.
People choose to study law, medicine, or typing, writers do not choose to write, they simply can’t ‘not write’. It’s as inherent as breathing, and just as necessary to life.
So, I write. I have a gift, and regardless of your personal beliefs of spirituality, it’s a gift from somewhere, I believe from God. It’s inside me. Some people can, some people can’t, it’s a simple fact. Just as two people can tell the exact same joke, using the exact same words, and one will be funny, the other not… it’s a talent, a rhythm that comes from somewhere deep inside, and that can not be learned, or studied. It is a gift.
As an adult, having made the conscious decision to make writing my ‘career’ rather than just a cute hobby that I do well, I’ve discovered something very important… something that escapes the ‘pure art’ devotee. There is a twin side to the talent that is deep inside. There really is the side you have to study for. Without the proper training, the art of writing carries less impact. There are innumerable aspects to the career of writing, and the craft of story telling.
On several occasions I’ve had the great fortune to hear a fellow writer expound upon the delightful idea that good writing is its own benefit, grammar and rules have nothing to do with whether, or not, a writer is a ‘good writer’. When you first hear that statement, it’s possible you might nod and agree. After all, a good story is a good story, and if the person telling the story has a talent inside, a few misplaced words, or errant punctuation won’t really matter.
I disagree. While I agree that proper grammar, and punctuation have nothing at all to do with the talent of the writer, they have everything to do with how the story being told is understood, as well as how pleasant it is to read. No matter how enjoyable a story is, if it’s a chore to get through it because of all the distractions of misspelled words, and bad grammar, it’s unlikely that the reader will want to read anything else by that author.
I don’t believe it’s absolutely necessary that a writer carry a heavy degree in language arts. Although it may be helpful, it’s not necessary. What is necessary is the commitment to a constantly evolving craft.
A good writer goes a step beyond the art, and learns all there is to know about the skill. He, or she, constantly looks for ways to improve the way they write. Books and articles abound for those earnest in seeking the proper way to use grammar punctuation. Volumes are written on the style elements of all types of writing, and the rules of each genre are there for the asking, one simply has to look for it.
As for spelling, dictionaries are a writer’s best friend, and spell check, of course. The modern technologies that exist today make proper spelling such an easy task, that it’s nearly a sin for any writer to ignore such elementary things. That’s not to say that typos and misprints do not occur. They do, with stunning evasiveness. However, it’s fairly easy to tell the difference between an article written with diligence, and one simply pounded out without care.
An article with an error in it is not as distracting as an article where entire sentences are badly planned, or filled with misspelled words. A book with a few errors is, although a bit distracting, still not a reason to throw away an entire piece, but if every page is full of confused language and bad spelling, no one will be able to read it, no matter how compelling the story.
A writer with the talent inside them owes it to themselves, as well as to their readers, to study diligently to create the best possible rendition of his, or her work. Then both the talent, and the craft can shine through and be recognized.
The first step, is accepting that there are two sides to the story. The second step is embracing them both
4 comments:
Like you, I began writing before I really knew any better. Making up stories, plotting mischief was something I just did -- probably from clinging to my Grandpa's knee and begging him to tell us another story. He would always make up something.
For all those millions of words I've written over the years, I've never stopped trying to learn everything I can from other writers, from books on writing, editing, yes, and even from grammar books!
When I graduated from art school, my art teacher, Mr. Calvert said to me, "I've taught you everything I know about painting. Now, you have to go out and paint, paint, paint."
It's the same with writing. The secret to learning and mastering the craft, is to go out and write, write, write, and rewrite!
Oh, well said, Tami.
(It's Cup)
I believe (and I could be wrong) that writers tend to bend the rules of language. I think an example of this is wordsmithing (which is in and of itself wordsmithing). However, you make an excellent point. Writers need to understand the rules well enough to know how to bend them and not lose the efficiency of their words.
A writer who cannot effectively tell the stories in his/her mind is like an artist who can visualize a masterpiece, but cannot hold a paintbrush. The end result is the same: the art is never experienced by the world.
Well said, Tami.
I began writing myself out of a necessity, they told me at school that I had to present a note from my parents everytime I skipped classes. LOL. I wasn't a slacker, but sometimes I badly needed to take some time off (think Ferris Buller) and enjoy my trips.
Like you, I never thought of it as a profession. Writing in my home town was not encouraged, there're not even proper publishers, except for school books. Fiction, it is all self-publishing here!
But I agree that you need to learn your craft. Keeping a straight face when telling lies doesn't mean you can act!
To your list of items (dictionary, spell check), I'd add the proofreader. Why? Well, there are thing neither a dictionary or a spell check can get: "Two bee or not too bea" is spelled correctly!
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