Is Writing A Skill Or A Natural Talent?

The battle between nature and nurture.

Whenever I see a well-written article, I often wonder how the writer became so good. Quite often, I simply conclude that good writing can be attributed to two things: consistency and natural talent.

The truth is, we’ve all had varying experiences as writers. For some, it’s a perfect flow of ideas and for others, it’s a matter of steady improvement over time.

Now, the question is: What makes a good writer? Is it one who is taught to write or another who was born with a natural talent to do so.

Simply put, are writers born or made?

Writing: A talent or a skill?

The age-old debate whether writing is a talent or skill keeps recurring because while some people write because it comes naturally to them, others became writers through wilful learning.

In distinguishing between “talent” and “skill”, the Cambridge dictionary defines talent as “a natural ability to be good at something, especially without being taught”, while it describes a skill as “ a particular ability that you develop through training and experience...”

The presence of an innate ability is what distinguishes talent from skill. Indeed, there are different positions by authors and writers on whether writing is a talent or skill, some of which are posited below.

Writing is a natural talent

Writers who argue in favour of nature feel that great writers are born with a special blend of creativity that sets them apart from the rest.

To this extent, Ray Edwards, a copywriter and communications strategist, holds that if one does not have that native talent, all the courses, seminars and classes in the world may not help much. Thus, not everyone can learn to be a great writer if it’s not in them.

The argument here is that you can’t truly learn to have the heart of a writer if you weren’t born as one. Indeed, the ability to write is a gift, and not everyone has it.

Dan Tynan likens writing to pro sports and explains that in both, you can master the rules, but without natural-born speed, quickness and agility, it is impossible to play in the NBA. For him, real writing talent must exist before practice can take it further.

“No amount of practice could ever make you a good writer if you lack creativity and knowledge.”- Lathesh Salian

Writing is a skill that comes with learning

For this group of writers, writing is a skill that requires learning and practice.

This is because no writer ever came straight out of the womb to pick a pen and write a masterpiece. Good writers steadily practice how to put words together to have a meaning.

Indeed, the process of rewriting and redrafting is one way that ensures a quicker discovery of one’s talent.

To this extent, Jeff Goins of Goins writer supports this stance and in his words:

“Excellence is borne not of any particular innate ability, but of practice...”

In other words, you can’t stay comfortable with your talent, you must do something to make it better. If you practice hard enough, you will eventually become successful in whatever venture you have undertaken.

Hence, for this group of writers, the notion that some people attain greatness because they are “born with it" may not necessarily be true!

This is because good writers aren’t only those who can write, but are better because they work on it.

Good writing is a combination of both talent and skill

As a writer, I believe that writing is a fantastic blend of talent and acquired skill. No writer can function without the two.

For every writer, there must at least be a great deal of passion. This is because when someone doesn’t fancy writing, no amount of training will make him want to write anything.

To this extent, K.M Weiland notes that a person may have the mental skills and experience required to be a better writer, but in the absence of a genuine interest in writing, his skills may not do him any good.

You can’t give what you don’t have.

There are natural-born writers who can simply pick their pen and creatively express themselves in the best way possible. However, talent is never enough.

Without regular practice and devotion, even the best writers won’t be as great or popular as they are. They keep showing up every day; that’s the root of their success.

Truly, one may possess the ability to write, but it’s like iron which must be sharpened regularly so it doesn’t become blunt.

We can’t compare a writer who exhausts hours refining and correcting his drafts so he can get the finest output to one who has the innate talent but does nothing to improve himself.

With constant writing, the burning desire to get better should exist for any writer who is truly passionate about his craft.

As much as we try to convince ourselves that writing is strictly inborn, if you don’t have the right tools or time to enhance it, no one will truly know how good you are. For this reason, writing comes with research, organization, deep thinking and analysis. Ordinarily putting pen on paper may suffice.

Truly, a good balance between both is what makes a good writer.

I often ask myself: would I even be able to write at all if I wasn’t constantly reading and learning it consciously and unconsciously?

Indeed, consistency and intentional effort is what got many writers to where they are today. By daily showing up, they carved a niche for themselves in the hearts of their readers.

When focusing on great writers, we are caught up in the success stories that they have become. No one particularly pays attention to the hard work which they put in before they reached a place of excellence. Training to be a better writer requires a lot more than talent.

You can’t completely enjoy the writing process if you aren’t willing to put in more time and energy.