| Over the years, many people have asked me to | | | | words. A good dictionary can help with this, if you |
| look at their writing. "I need to know, do I have | | | | consult it to learn, for example, whether a |
| talent or not," they say. "Then I'll know if I should | | | | "cauldron" is the same as a "kettle" or when a |
| pursue writing or stick to accounting." | | | | gang member would be said to have "bravery" |
| Their request is seriously flawed, I'd reply. Anyone | | | | and when "bravado." |
| can become a better writer. When I taught | | | | 2. Recognizing that getting your message across |
| English Composition at various colleges, I saw | | | | has less to do with what you meant and more to |
| irrefutable proof of this. Students who submitted | | | | do with how readers understand the words you |
| hackneyed, half-dead writing to start with turned | | | | put together. If no one "gets it," you must write it |
| in lively, well-written essays by the end of the | | | | differently. Often this lesson is harder for those |
| semester. Likewise, I've seen plenty of writers | | | | who feel desperately called to write than for |
| whose work seems plain and unimaginative get | | | | those with a more matter-of-fact attitude toward |
| assignment upon assignment from magazines | | | | writing. |
| while others with dazzling wordcraft skills can't get | | | | 3. Being willing to put a piece of writing aside, look |
| published anywhere. | | | | at again in the cold light of the morning and |
| According to Stanford psychology professor Carol | | | | rearrange, replace and revise the elements of the |
| Dweck, I was right to question the query about | | | | piece to tell the story more clearly and more |
| talent. Dweck's book, Mind-set: The New | | | | artfully. |
| Psychology of Success, reports research showing | | | | 4. Having the discipline to learn and apply the rules |
| that in education, the arts and business, people | | | | of spelling, grammar and usage. Yes, when your |
| who believe talent is fixed and inborn do not fully | | | | work is accepted for publication you'll usually have |
| develop their potential and do not recover easily | | | | an editor who'll save you from major mistakes. |
| from setbacks. | | | | But editors prefer working with those who know |
| Those who believe talent can be developed, | | | | and follow the standards of professional writing. |
| regardless of apparent starting point, not only | | | | 5. Being able to bounce back from disappointment. |
| achieve more but also prompt greater | | | | In the writing business, the possibility of rejection |
| achievement in their children and staff. | | | | never goes away. Successful writers learn not to |
| Her best news: You can change your mind-set | | | | take it personally for more than an hour or so, |
| about talent or intelligence. In only two months, | | | | then they simply go on to the next publication |
| kids who were taught that the brain, like a | | | | outlet or the next writing project. |
| muscle, improves with exercise sawtheir math | | | | From what I've observed, these five skills and |
| scores rocket from F's to B's. | | | | attitudes matter much more for success as a |
| Toss out the belief that you either have writing | | | | writer than anything we'd generally label as talent. |
| talent or you don't. Instead, approach getting | | | | Resolve to develop yourself along those lines and |
| published as requiring a set of skills that you can | | | | you're certain to get somewhere as a writer. |
| deliberately learn. These skills include: | | | | Really! |
| 1. Being sensitive to the differences between | | | | |