You Either Have It Or You Don’t

All the “tips” in the world won’t make you a writer. On Medium or elsewhere.

Now that so many of us have so much extra time on our hands, I believe we’re struggling. I’m talking about this community, specifically. We’re struggling to create new and relevant content and we’re falling short. Myself, included.

For this reason, I decided to write a story that’s been on my mind for a long time.

There has always been a boatload of articles about “writing on Medium. “How to make it.” “How to keep it when you make it.” “How to make a shit-ton of money on Medium.” And the like. Inexplicably, there are even more of those stories now.

It’s almost as if writers are plagiarizing one another by regurgitating the same tips, but with a different spin. This, certainly, is not intentional. No one with half a brain would believe they could get away with such shenanigans, but again, everything is the “same old, same old.”

How to “this” and how to “that.” And woefully, the headlines of these pieces may change but the content is the same. And, in my humble opinion, rarely is any of it helpful.

There are exceptions, naturally. I really enjoy those stories that help writers come up with creative avenues for story ideas when our wells run dry, like the always-interesting articles written by Dawn Bevier. There are other writers who have a knack for this as well, but she comes immediately to mind. She does her homework and I appreciate that.

I am grateful when another writer makes me think…gives me some meat that I can tear into. Those are the writers I want to read and follow.

Whether we have extra time now or not, I don’t like having mine wasted and neither should you. Because slurping down “Make $100 in Five Minutes on Medium” is not going to make you a writer. And if you already have the talent, you shouldn’t be reading crap like this.

If you’re consistently writing these stories, shame on you.

Many may take exception to this, but I believe writers are born, not made. Surely, an individual can be taught how to structure a sentence, improve their grammar, use correct punctuation — all the technical skills that a writer must possess.

But if the soul isn’t there, the heart…how do you instill that in someone else? Or the acumen, for that matter? That last is key, my friends.

Acumen. That deep-down feeling that “I know what I’m doing and I’m going to do it.”

Think back to grammar school. Every kid had his or her different strengths. There were the kids who took to English and literary pursuits like ducks to water, there were the “mathletes,” the science geeks, the kids who stood out on the playing fields — we all had something — that indescribable spark that was born within us the moment our hearts started beating.

I don’t know why I was born a writer, but I was. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t scribbling stories or poems. Teachers always read my essays aloud in class. One referred to me as “pithy” before I even knew what that meant.

My father was a wonderful writer of letters and little notes, even the odd poem, so perhaps it’s in my genes, my blood.

Conversely, I stunk at algebra, hated science and avoided gym class whenever possible. I took four years of high school french and when I traveled to France, all I could squeak out was “où sont les toilettes.” You can probably figure out what that means.

I can’t sew a button on a shirt, paint a wall, whip up a fluffy meringue, or any meringue. But, I can craft a story. I can create characters and write believable dialogue. I can make people laugh, and cry. And certainly, on occasion, I can piss people off. Probably by writing stories like this. That is not my intent, nor do I take pleasure in it.

I lied. Sometimes, I do.

As I am far from perfect, and “perfection” is an unattainable, and useless goal, yes, there will be typos in my stories, probably more frequently than I care to acknowledge, but, as Helen Cassidy Page pointed out, “big whip.” (See her story, below.)

Writing is not about typos, nor is it about “telling” other people how to write. Certainly, we can help writers, write better, if they’re already imbued with that spark I talked about.

In fact, I love helping other writers. I’ve been approached by several novices on this platform who have asked to be added to Rogues’ Gallery. A few, I’ve had to turn down. For now. But that said, I try to be as helpful as possible in that I’ll explain how I think their drafts can be improved. In return, they’re always unfailingly kind, and grateful.

And those with promise will be published. That’s how it goes. Or, if they don’t, they’ll be rejected. It’s not personal. I’m rejected by movie producers daily, who tell me that a certain script “isn’t for me.” After I’ve virtually flipped this person off, I forget about it.

You take it with a grain of salt and move on. But, if a person finds himself consistently struggling to “be” a writer, perhaps he or she should rethink their goals.

Now, Medium is a serious platform and the writers here are undeniably talented — gifted, even. So many, and they leave me in awe. Every day, I read something that makes me think, “Damn! I wish I had written that.”

And then there is a small percentage of stragglers, or “strugglers,” I should say, who feel that they have gained a sufficient amount of knowledge to tell the rest of us how we should write, when we should write, and how much we should write in our pitiful efforts to attain fame and fortune here.

Because they know it all. How? You tell me.

I simply can’t read any more of those stories. So, I say to those writers, if you really don’t know the “secret,” if you really don’t have the key to unlocking the Medium vault to riches and slavish devotion from thousands of fans, please — give it a rest. As my friend, Stephen Sovie pointed out, you’re doing a disservice to writers who have the goods and want to be better.

At the end of the day, you’re serving up fiction, and not very compelling fiction at that.

Thank you for reading.

Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.

If you enjoyed this, you might like the stories below, as well.

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