A common element when human beings assemble tends to be their need to talk about and share experiences. Oftentimes, that need turns into something more fun but a little more dangerous:

Gossip can be fun, but it is also hazardous. It spreads quicker than a southern California wildfire in January. Gossip will also often distort or even completely avoid the truth.

Furthermore, it creates myths about many fields and professions. The field of writing is especially prone to gossip.

Five of the top myths about writing:

Myth 1: Writing is easy for some people.

Let me tell you…that is just about the biggest myth going.

I have been a professional writer off-and-on for over two decades. I also know many other professional writers of various ages, experience, and income. I don’t know a writer that will tell you that writing is easy.

Writing can be brutal, hard work and there are times when I think it would be easier to simply “open a vein and bleed,” as the late sportswriter Red Smith once described his technique. However, experience and practice will make many writing of your tasks easier.

Nowadays, I can accomplish some of my tasks on virtual “autopilot” because I’ve already written in a specific format or about a certain topic countless times.

Myth 2: Writing requires talent.

I won’t lie, talent certainly helps. And it is what separates the great writers from the good writers. But the truth is that talent is not enough to make a writer great—or even good.

Plus, talent is not even required to be a good writer.

Writing is a skill that you can learn, develop, and hone. If you practice your craft, if you read the words of others to learn more about your craft, and if you seek and accept guidance and suggestions about your writing, then you will improve and grow as a writer.

If you harness dedication with talent, that will create amazing results. But if I had to pick just one of these qualities, I would go with dedication.

If you are dedicated, you can always increase your skill level.

Myth 3: Writing isn’t a useful skill.

Over parts of my professional life, I have made my living as a writer, but even if you don’t intend to make your living with words you will need this crucial skill. There simply isn’t a profession that does not involve writing.

Perhaps the form will vary, but written communication is the cornerstone in every professional field. Your writing ability will often impact you landing a job, not to mention advancing in your career.

These days, written communication is crucial in professional and personal relationships.

Myth 4: You can’t make a living as a writer.

I can remember when I finally declared a major in college: History.

“That’s a lot of reading and writing,” you’d hear people say. “What kind of job are you going to get with that degree? Are you going to be a history professor?”

The truth is that I have never had trouble finding a job, even though I’ve taken many crappy ones. By having an ability to write, I even own my own business today because I’ve cultivated such a flexible and important skill.

Not only can you make a living as a writer, but writing is an essential tool for many other careers and professions.

Myth 5: Writer’s block is alive and torturing writers as you read this.

I’m not dismissing the difficulties inherent in dealing with writer’s block but whenever I talk with people who purportedly suffer from it, they fall within two general groups.

The first group creates their own “block” by insisting on a perfect place, mood, or alignment of planets to sit down and write. This is beyond ridiculous. A specific benefit I unlocked by learning to do journalism is the ability to write in almost any condition or mood.

Deadlines can teach anyone how to give writer’s block short shrift.

The problem with the second group, though, is internal in nature. Usually, the problem is that the story—fiction or nonfiction—that they want to tell is not yet finished “cooking” in their brain. We talked about this in Thursday’s email.

In this case, while the writing may be stalled, it is not really “blocked.” The writer should listen to his or her inner voice and respond appropriately. Sometimes and idea needs more time to percolate, while in other cases, more research or planning is necessary.

Once the proper adjustments are made, the writing will again begin to flow.

Don’t let your writing fall victim to these five myths about writing.

As always,

Brian

P.S. – If you are a writer and looking to hone your craft, we may be able to help. Book a FREE "Warp-speed consult" with us and see if we a proper match. If you qualify for our services, we will be happy to work together with you.

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