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When we start writing, it can be daunting to read the amazing books by our author heroes and wonder how we can ever be that good.
Surely, for them, the words just flowed perfectly from brain to page with effortless grace?
But I have seen Thomas Hardy's manuscript of Tess in the British Library. Check out that editing! Even the greats went through the same creative process as we do. Today's guest article from Chris Allen explores this further.
Many writers dream of writing from a young age, but are we born with a literary gift, or is it a skill honed over many years?
It’s easy to regard the celebrated thriller authors of our time – Ian Fleming, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Frederick Forsyth, John Le Carré et al – as being superhuman at their craft and having innate talent. We see the countless reprints with the special edition covers, but we don't see the knock-backs, the evolution of their writing style, and the hard slog they too went through on the road to success.
My first attempts at writing were woeful.
Never what you’d call a disciplined student – school always seemed to get in the way of life – once I decided writing was my calling, I had a fanciful notion that ‘it’, whatever it was, would come naturally. It didn’t.
Discovering Ian Fleming's The Man With The Golden Gun in the school library as a young teen was the moment that the fanciful notion became a quest. Hoping to achieve what Bond’s creator had done – building a world of international espionage, heart-stopping action, complex characters and intrigue, I opted to take the experience angle, therein avoiding study, to write my own brand of thrillers. All of which prompts the question:
How do well-intentioned, aspiring writers tread the path to becoming great storytellers?
Chatting recently with a couple of popular Australian authors, namely Greg Barron (author of Savage Tide & Rotten Gods) and Luke Preston (author of Dark City Blue), who with myself and Tony Park are co-founding members of the Action Thriller Writers Association of Australia (ThrillerEdge.com), I wanted to find out how they had honed their abilities. Was it a walk in the park for them? Or was it, like most of us, decades of learning?
Words are Addictive
Luke Preston’s stories have been proclaimed “Noir on No-Doz.” He first put pen to paper around the age of sixteen and the pen hasn’t left his hand since. For Luke, “Writing is not about achievement. It’s about survival. The words are an addiction for which the only cure is getting the words on the page.”
Greg Barron, recently described as “a political thriller writer at the very top of his game,” embarked on his path to publication while in his mid-thirties, and the journey so far has taken more than a decade.
Greg says, “Not only am I not a natural, but I’m a slow learner. There was a moment when I realised that great writing requires both clarity and imaginative embellishment in equal measure. That was about seven years after I started writing. My first drafts are clunky and terrible. Reading them over for the first time is depressing.” Despite that, Greg’s teachers identified early on that he was skilled at putting words together and told him to do something with it.
Meanwhile, never a great student, actually learning to write wasn't something I did (or ever wanted to do) in a formal sense. Although, having done a fair bit of writing throughout my professional career – in military, law enforcement and government, where the descriptions were necessarily short and sharp, and the facts accessed quickly – this helped in honing my style.
What is Talent, Anyway?
The most important things in life are only achieved with practice, patience and commitment. To some, including me, writing is no different: the concept of natural talent has been profoundly absent in most aspects of my life, instead having to work for everything, which, in itself, is not a bad state of affairs.
There were, for example, at least six full versions of the manuscript that eventually became my first novel, Defender. That process, along with the proofreading, editing, and re-editing, is the only real creative writing development I’ve done.
Luke Preston grew up in the decade that invented Atari and home video, commenting, “Any kid with a pen in his hand instead of a joystick is probably going to be considered talented.” But Luke was a storyteller from early on, and determined each word would be better than the last.
Greg recognizes now that determination was the key ingredient necessary to complement those early assessments of his writing potential, saying, “I don’t think it was evident that I would have the dogged persistence necessary to write a good book, as I had a mind that jumped around all over the place.”
It Takes One Million Words
Teachers, playwrights, university lecturers and agents can act as inspiration during a writer’s apprenticeship, helping to spur burgeoning talent along. Another fool-proof trick is to read widely, but remember to keep your own literary heroes close as a daily reminder of the great heights we writers reach for.
Luke Preston observes that “the hardest part of writing is learning how to write like you.” He says, “I’m not sure there’s such a thing as a natural writer. To me it’s like saying that somebody was born a natural plumber. Storytelling is a craft and a trade. It takes ten years and one million words to build a good writer and when you’re not good, you’re bad.”
As an unabashed Fleming and Conan Doyle fan (some would hazard to say nut), it’s been a tortuous journey in terms of my desire to emulate their creative strengths. By way of an origin point for my inspiration, a copy of Casino Royale, Fleming’s first novel, has permanent residence on my writing desk.
That said, success on their scale has never been my yardstick. I’m drawn to the way Fleming and Conan Doyle created iconic characters based upon their own life experiences. By putting myself at the core of the principal character, while drawing on other interesting characters, both real and fictional, I make my protagonist a hybrid of all those things.
Luke Preston has benchmark writers whose books live on his desk. He says, “When I’m tired, hungover, fed up or just downright lazy, I dip into those books that remind me of the calibre or work I’m up against.”
While Luke currently has copies of Less than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis and L.A. Confidential by James Ellory next to him, Greg Barron would love to write as vividly as Wilbur Smith, with the beautiful prose of F Scott Fitzgerald, and the detail of Leon Uris. He says, modestly, “In reality, I’ll fall short on all three counts!”
Be Your Best Writer
As creative capitalists, we are each on our own path, some days trudging through treacle, others where we take rare moments of literary flight, so this notion of reaching the apex of a writing career is debatable. More likely is the realization of an idea of us as writers, as it was first dreamed and imagined those many years ago.
Writing words has been a profession for Greg, in terms of his habits and attitudes, long before being published. Today, he has a vision of himself, “at my desk, attempting to do my best every day, falling short most of the time, but persisting.”
Luke Preston strives to be the best writer he can be. He says, “If I had tried to write like anybody else it just wouldn’t have worked. A writer is an accumulation of their experiences, childhood, fears, desires and favourite colours.”
To me, being a successful writer meant reaching that time of life when one could look contemplatively out of a window, recalling people, places and life experiences, while wrestling with how those things might be presented on the page. To some extent, that’s happening, although I’m yet to wear a dinner jacket or drink martinis while doing it!
Between us, we may have published five books and written millions of words over many decades, but success remains an abstract concept.
As Preston says, “I’m not convinced that overnight success exists in the business of words. I’d wager that the writer who believes they were, secretly has a couple of unreadable manuscripts hidden away in their bottom drawer.”
Do you think writers are born or can we learn over time? Please do leave your comments below.
About the Author
Chris’s first novel in the Intrepid series, Defender, was self-published before being re-released by Momentum Books with his second novel, Hunter, at the end of 2012. Both novels rocketed to the top of the charts on iTunes and Amazon with Hunter becoming a bestseller and there is a US film / TV franchise based on his novels in development. His third title, Avenger, will be published next year.
You can read the full transcripts of each author’s interview over at the intrepidallen.com/blog.
Defender: Intrepid 1 is on Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/15jGQr4
Hunter: Intrepid 2 is on Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/12lQIhV
View Comments (48)
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1 2 3 Next »Thanks Chris, I really enjoyed the read. As a person who started writing as a coping mechanism and creative release, in the last 12 months, I found it both encouraging and frustrating to read that writing is a process. I'd love to believe that after writing x number of articles or hours the words would elegantly flow, like the quiet river, from brain to pen to paper. Thanks for putting life into perspective and for the information that will quiet my inner critic when she berates my writing. Edit, edit, edit.......
G'day Allison, I'm glad you enjoyed the post and thanks for your comment. Writing is such a personal thing and we all do it for a variety of very personal reasons. So, the manner in which we approach it and the results we achieve are going to differ from person to person. There are some very famous writers who barely required any editing, but we all know that there were many more who required lots of it! I think the most important thing is to simply enjoy your own journey and experience of it. Enjoy what it brings to you and rejoice in the results of your dedicated effort and commitment! Cheers, Chris
I think writers are born in the sense that they have a natural aptitude and desire to write. I think it's the same with anyone--even plumbers. Some people are just better at certain tasks, and can more easily hone their skills than others might. A child who writes is natural born writer: they're born with a desire to write, and it may take time for that desire to surface.
But I think it's a writer's skill that is made over time. They are born a writer, but they must make something of what they're born with. I think writers have their strengths and weaknesses in writing, and I think it's their strengths that can count as their talent. Someone can think of witty and sharp dialogue, or weave intricate plots with subplots and somehow keep everything together. I, for example, can write in a very distinct voice; one of my friends has a gift for plot; another creates the most vivid and dynamic characters I've ever. I like to think of strengths as little talents, since they're things that can be done better naturally.
We can't all be born the best, but we can be born in the running to become the best, and there is likely some hidden strength that can constitute as a talent for every devoted writer. It's a balance of both being born and being made. We're like our manuscripts: not perfect the first time around, but with time, careful analysis, and constant reshaping, we get better.
Hi Coryl, thanks very much for your thoughts. I like your idea that writer's are born with the interest and desire to write and that the skill develops over time - and your manuscript analogy is spot on! I agree that honing our strengths is so important and it's definitely those very personal characteristics that make the most celebrated authors so memorable.
Best,
Chris
http://www.intrepidallen.com
Are writers born or can we learn over time?
Yes.
I'm not being flippant. I think writers are born, but GREAT writers constantly learn to refine their craft, their technique, and their vision until that craft evolves to art.
Hi Michael, it seems to be a common theme here that we are born with something, and that our ability to develop that something is a matter of commitment, perseverance and practice! Thanks for joining in.
Best,
Chris
http://www.intrepidallen.com
Wonderful thought-provoking post. I am not a born writer. I came to enjoy writing that I did in various jobs as I moved through my 20s and 30s, but I wasn't a born novelist. It was only when I had time, when I retired, that I wanted to learn to write a book. I've been studying and writing for the past three years and hope to have a decent first draft in a few months, one that I can polish to send out for professional assessment. One may have an aptitude for writing, a n enjoyment of writing but to be an author takes much practice, learned skills and hard work.
Thanks so much for your comments Marcia. I'm very glad that you enjoyed the post. It's really interesting that you're writing skills didn't come naturally but evolved through your professional life. I couldn't agree more re practice,learning and hard work. Very best of luck with getting your all important first draft completed. Investing in good (experienced in your genre) assessment is money well spent and very important - always be prepared to listen and accept objective guidance! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.
Best,
Chris
http://www.intrepidallen.com
I'm reading Howard Jacobson's novel Zoo Time at the moment and the narrator is adamant that the only true writer is a writer from childhood, which is a bit tough on late developers!
Personally, I don't think it's a capacity one is born with, but I do think it stems from experiences at a very early age, even before the child is verbal, as so much of our personality is shaped within the first three years of life. Even so, the craft has to be learned.
Hi Annecdotist, the great thing about being writers is that we all understand and appreciate the importance of respecting each others work and opinions. I'm sure Howard Jacobson absolutely believed his view to be true, but it is just his opinion. So, it's still OK to be a late developer - I know that better than just about anyone :) Wanting to write is very much influenced by your experiences and therein your perspective of life. Being able to write well takes practice!
I think natural talent just means that you inherently understand how to do something. I inherently understand words but I also study them, constantly, so I can be better.
Thanks JH, practice makes perfect! All the best, Chris
Writers are born, authors are made. ;)
Nice. Simple. Cool.
Chris, great conversation you sparked. I'm thinking that the actual craft of writing must be learned (grammar, composition, spelling, etc.), but the art of telling a story comes natural to the human being. Before the written word, people got their message across in oral traditions that passed down through generations. So, in our modern era, it looks like excellence requires both--the right brain creativity and the left brain rational thinking (like I'm doing now). Thanks for sharing your ideas.
G'day Joe, I couldn't agree more. Writing is the natural extension of our oral storytelling origins. I guess trying to achieve that balance between being an engaging storyteller and a skillful writer is the trick! Glad you enjoyed the post and for joining in on the conversation. Cheers, Chris
I believe that no one is born to do anything. They make decision along the way to do something. Environment to education to personal life experience stimulate the greatness. But I will admit that some have an earlier understanding which could be attributed to a healthier childbirth. Premature children could have smaller brain or less developed mental capacity that could be increased later on in life because of food or was stimulated by education. Childhood sicknesses and side effects to childhood medicine could cause a difference, good or bad. Growth hormones, how does it affect intelligence or steroids in medicine for children and babies? New foods for children, if the milk from a mother could be dangerous, are something to study on the effects of mental understanding.
I appreciate your blog. Thank you for providing uplifting articles.