5 Writing Myths That Prevent Writers From Becoming Successful
There are a number of myths that writers and the field of writing are especially prone to. Don’t let your writing fall victim to these five myths about writing.
Every field and profession has its own myths about success and the field of writing is especially prone to some of these. Here are the top five myths about writing and why they are untrue:
Myth 1: Writing is easy for some people
This is just about the biggest myth going. Few professional writers will tell you that writing is easy. Writing is brutal, hard work and there are times when it would be easier to simply open a vein, as Red Smith said.
However, experience and practice can make many writing tasks easier. There are some writing tasks that you may be able to almost accomplish on autopilot because you’ve written that specific format or topic a lot and others that would take a lot more time and effort.
Myth 2: Writing requires talent
Talent can certainly help and talent is what separates great writers from good writers. But the truth is that talent is not enough to make a writer great or even good and talent is not a necessary requirement to be a good writer.
Writing skills can be learned, developed and honed. If you practice your craft, read the writing of others to learn more about your craft, and seek and accept guidance and suggestions about your writing then you will improve and grow as a writer.
Dedication harnessed with talent can create amazing results but if I had to pick just one then I would go with dedication. You can always improve your writing skills with focus and dedication and it is indeed what many professional writers do.
Myth 3: Writing isn’t a useful skill
I’ve made my living as a writer for almost my entire professional life, but even if you don’t intend to make your living with words you will need certain types of writing skills.
Today, with work going remote and communications via email and messaging becoming the norm, good written communication is even more crucial in professional and personal relationships.
There simply isn’t a profession that does not involve writing. Perhaps the type of writing skill that you need will vary, but written communication is the cornerstone in every professional field.
Your writing ability will often make a difference when landing a job as well as advancing in your career so it’s a good idea to improve your written communication skills.
Myth 4: You can’t make a living as a writer
In the past, if you told your parents that you wanted to be an English major in college, they would worry that you wouldn’t be able to support yourself. Today writers will have little trouble finding a job because of the great demand for website content writers.
Not only can you make a very good living as a writer on the internet, but writing is an essential tool for many other careers and professions. In fact, you can even start a web content writing business if you have this important and very much in-demand skill.
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 writers purportedly suffering from it they fall within two general groups.
The first group of writers actually creates their own block by insisting on the perfect place, mood, or alignment of planets in order to write. This is beyond ridiculous!
One of the many benefits I gained from years of writing practice is the ability to write in almost any condition or mood. Deadlines will teach anyone how to avoid writer’s block and give it short shrift.
The second group of writers I have more sympathy for, as their problem really is internal in nature. Usually, the problem is that the particular story (whether fiction or nonfiction) they want to tell is not yet finished cooking in their brain.
In this case, while the writing may be stalled I don’t agree that it is blocked. The writer must listen to that inner voice and respond appropriately. Sometimes your idea needs more time to percolate and sometimes more research and/or planning is necessary.
You can use a number of creative writing resources to spark your creative imagination and restart the creative process. Some creativity-boosting practices, like lucid dreaming, can be a powerful tool for creative inspiration.
Once you have found the right creative activities and inspiration to illuminate your creative vision, you will be able to overcome writer’s block and let your writing flow again. Don’t let your writing fall victim to these five myths about writing