Are writers born or made? I came across this debate a couple of weeks ago and have been pondering over this question ever since.
It almost goes back to the nature vs. nurture question really.
I think it is a combination of both. I believe everyone is born with wild imaginations, with the ability to build worlds and create stories - to prove this theory you just need to watch a child who's off creating their own fun in a world of princesses and dragons.
Somewhere along the way it becomes socially unacceptable to talk to yourself, to sit down and imagine yourself to be a princess fighting the dragons, and having tea parties with your dolls (unless you live in New York and aren't afraid to be branded a typical crazy).
It's not unacceptable to keep on imagining these things - in fact I know plenty of people who daydream frequently during the day, making up various fortuitous scenarios for themselves inside their heads - but most people just tend to leave their imagination behind, or at least don't talk about it.
But then there is the nurture side of the argument. Some writers would have been brought up surrounded by books, creativity and stories. Others may develop a love of reading and story telling on their own but may be encouraged by family and friends to pursue their dreams of becoming a writer.
Others may show no particular desire to be an author until later when one day they just decide they want to tell stories, or perhaps something happens in their life and they realise they have a story to tell.
However it happens, it takes a special kind of person to become a writer. The type of person who is not afraid to listen to their imagination and turn their ideas into a story. The type of person who has a way with words and enough patience to write, read, revise, read, revise, read, revise, then talk, and more talk about the book.
Writing a book is not an easy task - right from the first idea of a novel it takes a lot of thought, a lot of brainstorming and a lot of determination.
I guess you have to really want it. You have to really want to tell the story that's screaming inside your head, wanting to get out. I guess you have to be relentless as well - not giving up, no matter how hard it gets. Just keep swimming ... I mean writing!
It almost goes back to the nature vs. nurture question really.
I think it is a combination of both. I believe everyone is born with wild imaginations, with the ability to build worlds and create stories - to prove this theory you just need to watch a child who's off creating their own fun in a world of princesses and dragons.
Somewhere along the way it becomes socially unacceptable to talk to yourself, to sit down and imagine yourself to be a princess fighting the dragons, and having tea parties with your dolls (unless you live in New York and aren't afraid to be branded a typical crazy).
It's not unacceptable to keep on imagining these things - in fact I know plenty of people who daydream frequently during the day, making up various fortuitous scenarios for themselves inside their heads - but most people just tend to leave their imagination behind, or at least don't talk about it.
But then there is the nurture side of the argument. Some writers would have been brought up surrounded by books, creativity and stories. Others may develop a love of reading and story telling on their own but may be encouraged by family and friends to pursue their dreams of becoming a writer.
Others may show no particular desire to be an author until later when one day they just decide they want to tell stories, or perhaps something happens in their life and they realise they have a story to tell.
However it happens, it takes a special kind of person to become a writer. The type of person who is not afraid to listen to their imagination and turn their ideas into a story. The type of person who has a way with words and enough patience to write, read, revise, read, revise, read, revise, then talk, and more talk about the book.
Writing a book is not an easy task - right from the first idea of a novel it takes a lot of thought, a lot of brainstorming and a lot of determination.
I guess you have to really want it. You have to really want to tell the story that's screaming inside your head, wanting to get out. I guess you have to be relentless as well - not giving up, no matter how hard it gets. Just keep swimming ... I mean writing!
I agree with you. It's really a both thing combine with lots of hard work.
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