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