Guys, What do you thing about writing? Is it a natural gift which some people have and others don't or is it a learned skill that any one can gain with practice?
Is writing a natural gift or a learned skill?
A,
Well,I don't really see how it can be anything else than a learned skill.I mean I haven't heard about people who after being born started writing right away :)
Well,I don't really see how it can be anything else than a learned skill.I mean I haven't heard about people who after being born started writing right away :)
It's both. You have to be taught how to write, but how well you do at it once you learn it depends on natural aptitude. The ability to write well seems to be linked to overall verbal and linguistic aptitude, which in turn is closely linked to general intelligence.
People who enjoy writing seem to be better at it than people who don't, although it's hard to say which is cause and which is effect.
People who constantly complain about grammar and spelling rules tend to be very poor writers, in my experience, whereas those who do not complain tend to write well. Here again, it's hard to identify cause and effect.
I've met people who write eloquently with no apparent effort, and others who cannot write well even with concerted effort, so there are still mysteries in this domain.
People who enjoy writing seem to be better at it than people who don't, although it's hard to say which is cause and which is effect.
People who constantly complain about grammar and spelling rules tend to be very poor writers, in my experience, whereas those who do not complain tend to write well. Here again, it's hard to identify cause and effect.
I've met people who write eloquently with no apparent effort, and others who cannot write well even with concerted effort, so there are still mysteries in this domain.
for me writing is a skill that need time practice ,writing comes in great minds to discover something to write to..
I think it depends on what you mean by "writing."
A high degree of literacy will certainly assure someone will be able to write, but it won't necesarily make them a great author.
A high degree of literacy will certainly assure someone will be able to write, but it won't necesarily make them a great author.
Mxsmanic: >>You have to be taught how to write, but how well you do at it once you learn it depends on natural aptitude. The ability to write well seems to be linked to overall verbal and linguistic aptitude, which in turn is closely linked to general intelligence... I've met people who write eloquently with no apparent effort, and others who cannot write well even with concerted effort, so there are still mysteries in this domain.<<
In my opinion, the ability to write eloquently is partly a natural gift, as is, for example, musical talent - you may have an exceptional talent for it, some talent or, in rare instances, hardly any talent at all. I would not say that verbal ability always depends on general intelligence, because I have met really intelligent people with poor verbal abilities (written or spoken) and also ones who had good verbal skills, but were not really "bright". There may also be instances where one is a poor talker and a good writer, or vice versa.
On the other hand, regardless of natural affinity, I would say that writing skills (with regard to style) can be developed to a great extent by means of conscious reading (that is, they involve an element that is taught rather than being just a natural ability). As you absorb various stylistic devices and registers, this enhances your ability to express yourself with ease, in your mother tongue as well as your foreign language. Based on my experience, I would also say that your ability to express yourself in any language also depends on the amount of time spent in communicating with others, as this unconsciously activates your verbal skills. In this way, even if you are not particularly a verbal type of person, you can achieve a relatively high degree of eloquence with regard to your style, written or spoken.
In my opinion, the ability to write eloquently is partly a natural gift, as is, for example, musical talent - you may have an exceptional talent for it, some talent or, in rare instances, hardly any talent at all. I would not say that verbal ability always depends on general intelligence, because I have met really intelligent people with poor verbal abilities (written or spoken) and also ones who had good verbal skills, but were not really "bright". There may also be instances where one is a poor talker and a good writer, or vice versa.
On the other hand, regardless of natural affinity, I would say that writing skills (with regard to style) can be developed to a great extent by means of conscious reading (that is, they involve an element that is taught rather than being just a natural ability). As you absorb various stylistic devices and registers, this enhances your ability to express yourself with ease, in your mother tongue as well as your foreign language. Based on my experience, I would also say that your ability to express yourself in any language also depends on the amount of time spent in communicating with others, as this unconsciously activates your verbal skills. In this way, even if you are not particularly a verbal type of person, you can achieve a relatively high degree of eloquence with regard to your style, written or spoken.
Under normal conditions in literate societies, verbal ability is very highly correlated with general intelligence. Smart people tend to learn to read and write early and well. Stupid people often have far greater difficulties. There are exceptions (e.g., a smart person who for some reason was unable to attend school, or suffered from dyslexia), but the rule is a high correlation.
That said, it's still a blend of talent and acquired skill, as you observe. The best writers have both a natural talent for manipulating language and a good education in the use of their chosen language.
It's interesting that a lot more people seem to learn to write with native fluency than learn to speak with it. Joseph Conrad is often cited as an example of someone who wrote English extremely well but still spoke it with a thick accent (he was born in Poland, and English was not his native language—in fact, it was his third language).
That said, it's still a blend of talent and acquired skill, as you observe. The best writers have both a natural talent for manipulating language and a good education in the use of their chosen language.
It's interesting that a lot more people seem to learn to write with native fluency than learn to speak with it. Joseph Conrad is often cited as an example of someone who wrote English extremely well but still spoke it with a thick accent (he was born in Poland, and English was not his native language—in fact, it was his third language).