Short Story Are many destined to flounder? If so, why bother?

Nobody is destined to either succeed or flounder, but thinking the way you do will guarantee failure.

 

I notice that the Credulous Skeptic stopped posting. It -may- be because he just realized that he simply does not have the talent.
I don't try to play the piano or guitar because it just ISN'T IN ME. I physically cannot do it. I have not the innate ability to do it, like a singer who is tone-deaf.

I'm not saying that he is factually untalented at writing, but perhaps he feels that way sufficiently that it just annoys him to have a bunch of people 'encouraging' him to do something that he no longer has any intention of doing.

Then again, he apparently likes writing enough to have joined a writing forum. . .

 

Yes. It IS theoretically possible to be a talented writer and have low confidence...but, people are more likely to be untalented at writing if their confidence is low.

 

Talent and five bucks will get you a low-fat latte at Starschmucks.
Talent, hard work and determination, however. . .

 

This entire thread reminded me of this quote (I don't remember who said it) that basically said that writers are the ones that have the most difficult time writing. It's harder for writers to write than non-writers. I always thought that was interesting and I've found it proven true time and again. Because we actually sit there and think about how we want our words to come out and we consider grammar and style as well.

Someone else said that you can't sit down and expect to be a memorable writer immediately and I think that's true. I also think that you shouldn't write to try to be memorable- you should write to be true to your nature as a writer.

Writing is what writing is about- not the possible fame or fortune that can come with it.

Just my thoughts
~Lynn

 

I've heard this before, but I don't know where, so I'll just applaud you and say that you should make a book of quotes.

I don't buy that. I've talked to many people who say it's very hard for them to write, much harder than it is for me. I can make the words flow very easily if I try, wanting to go into the journalism field.

 

I don't think anyone is "destined" to be a great writer. You have to make yourself into what you want to be.

 

Man, I'm getting tired of responding to people who either don't know what I'm saying, or don't care.

All I said is that maybe, just MAYBE, he truly doesn't have the talent. More importantly, if he's already resigned to not being a writer, it may simply be annoying for everyone to ignore his original question and instead try 'encouraging' him to be a writer.

Especially with such gems as, "Yup, you DO suck. . . because you have no confidence! LOL!"

I may have left, as well, were I him. (But I don't presume to know why, or if, he left at all)

 

This.

I'm a brand new writer as well, and believe that all new writers can be just as good as the big shots if they put their mind to it. All it takes is practice and a little creativity.

 

all you people make me laugh

 

I'm back. I had to work a ten-hour shift at a Walgreens photo lab, so I didn't have time to respond.

Thanks for all the kind words!

If you'll look at my original post, you'll see a big glaring usage error!

 

Journalism seems to be a less difficult field, in my opinion, because a lot of it is about research and fact-finding. The type of writing I'm talking about is the kind where you don't have the facts already staring you in the face.

Most writers I know have tons of difficulty writing. I myself struggle with any type of rhyming poetry (it can take me up to three days to get one the way I want it!) and the current novel I'm working on has me frustrated and dissatisfied because the scenes won't turn out the way I want them to. And I am not new to writing--I've been writing for over 13 years.

You just can't let your discouragement ruin you. As for critiques--for a new writer, it can be hard to understand that the critiques are not meant personally. I know when I first started receiving critiques I felt they were personal and it took me a good couple of months to understand it was the writing, not the idea behind the writing, that was being critiqued, so I can understand where the OP is coming from.

Personally, I think the best writers tend to be those with the lowest self-esteem. I've heard people say "Oh this piece is horrible" and "I'm a horrible writer" and then I read their work and I'm blown away by the way they use the language. A humble attitude is good for a writer, because we can never hope to know everything about the language in which we write.

~Lynn

 

Long ago, people who wrote were so intelligent that they could not possibly write anything bad. Their memories were impeccable, and they could write multiple paragraphs, or even multiple volumes of books about any single topic known at the time. Nowadays all the amateur writers don't know anything, can't write anything original, and are semi-literate to boot! Only a few good writers remain, and they all have been bought by the publishers.

 

Even good writers start somewhere. Lucky us we have forums like these to improve unlike the writers of old.

 

Good point Marcelo. We do have the advantage of a large community of writers to help us improve upon our craft.

~Lynn

 

Hemingway said "It's none of their business that you have to learn how to write. Let them think you were born that way."

You will get better. Just practise, practise, practise.
Write, look over your writing, improve it.
And don't assume that you're as bad as you might think you are.

 

I love the fact you quoted Hemingway. Nice

 

If you enjoy writing, write. If you enjoy reading, read. If you enjoy painting, paint. If you enjoy playing video games, game.

Happiness is more important.

 

We're not necessarily telling him to be a writer. We're just telling him that his attitude really does suck. Besides, since few if any of us have actually read his work, who are we to confirm that he doesn't have it in him or that he should give up? Nobody has the right to tell you to give up but you. We'd rather spew dozens of positive thoughts than confirm one that we have no proof of.

 

I'd agree.. a bad attitude about writing makes it hard to write well.

 

If you made an error that nobody brought up, it's a bad idea for you to bring it up. Just fix it silently. It's all about being aware of what you need to improve, but not advertising it. Make people pay attention to what you did right, not what you did wrong. And note I said, "need to improve" and not "weaknesses." That's one of those positive language things

 

His problem primarily came from low confidence though...talent doesnt grow if you dont have the confidence and perseverence to nurture it so you dont really make much sense, lol. We are the managers of our talent, not the owners. What do you want people to reply with? To tell him he should give up writing?

 

"A man can be destroyed but not defeated"
- Ernest Hemingway

I'm not sure if this a good quote for inspiration, but I tried. X_X

And I agree Henry's post about talent.

 

Being a writer is like having Bipolar Disorder – in fact, I think they should start listing writing as one of the symptoms for it. There will be days when you think you’ve written the best piece ever, and you’ll smile the whole day through and feel accomplished. On these days, don’t send your piece anywhere. Actually, just don’t even say anything. You’ll feel too much confidence surging through you and you’ll think, “It’s okay if I stand up to that bully, because I’m a writer now!” or “It’s okay if I quit my job, because I’m a writer now!” And then you get home, go to sleep, wake up the next day, reread your piece, and realize it sucks. I’ve dealt with a bipolar relative before, so I know the disorder inside and out, and this is very close to, if not exactly how it works. You’re up one day, down the next. And often, the “up, down” phases last longer than days. I’ve had years when I thought I sucked at writing, and I’ve had months when I thought I was great. I think the original poster of this is just in the “down” phase of his Writer Disorder.

As for the question of, “If some are destined to fail, why bother trying?” it all depends on if you believe in destiny, and if you do, who makes it? God, yourself, some other force? Well, make up your mind and then appeal to that force! Dare I say, use the force ! I’ve known religious writers that pray to God for help with their books, and, even though I’m a Christian, it seems ridiculous to me – but then they get a book published, so I’m like, whatever works for you. If you think you control whether you write well or not (which is much easier and also the truth) then it’s clear what steps you should take. Go to a writer’s workshops and take creative writing classes to help you succeed. The way the original poster stated his concern is disconcerting to me. I could use the same format to say, “Well, a lot of people are destined to die young, so why bother swerving before that driver hits me?” It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?

The point is, don’t let destiny stop you. If you don’t succeed, you didn’t try hard enough, and if you do, you’ll be known as the writer who defeated destiny. Oh, and since everyone seems to be quoting:

“I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature.” - John D. Rockefeller

(Okay, so Rockefeller wasn’t a writer, but he’s only my favorite businessman ever, and being a successful oil baron counts for something, right? He even wrote a poem about his life once, so there. )

 

Guess what, miswrite? I DO have bipolar disorder! I checked myself into a psychiatric hospital after I had my first manic spell. That was two- and-a-half years ago. I've read about several authors, and their struggles with depression.