5 Things More Important Than Talent
By Jane Friedman | June 24, 2011 |
In the current issue of Writer’s Digest magazine (July/August 2011), I have a featured article, “Revising Your Path to Publication.”
If you’re aiming for traditional publication, and you’re wondering how close you might be to reaching your goral, I highly recommend picking up the issue and reading my article to evaluate where you are on the path.
Most writers I know, at some point, feel like they’re making no progress—or that it’s just not worth the effort any longer. It’s difficult to keep trying especially when you’re not getting any professional, actionable feedback on how you can get closer to your goal.
Let me tell you a little story about my own writing life.
I have a BFA in creative writing, and when I was in college, I desperately wanted the professors to tell me if I had talent. I was never brave enough to directly ask the question, but I hoped they might take me by the shoulders one day, look me in the eye, and say: “Jane, you can’t waste this gift, you must write!”
Now that I’m a professor, I realize just how irrelevant that question is. I see both talented and untalented students, but the ones who impress me are the ones who are motivated and driven to work—the ones who push hard despite obstacles. I also clearly see who has a positive attitude, and who is apathetic.
So far, these other qualities have mattered more than talent.
Outside of the classroom, when I’m in my Writer’s Digest role, many writers ask me: “Should I keep going? Do I have any talent at this?”
Boy how have I come to hate that question!
Let me tell you the five questions I find more relevant and meaningful.
1. What makes you remarkable?
Each of us are remarkable. We each have a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. For some of us, it takes a while before we realize what it is we really want to do, what we’re doing here, and what we have to contribute in this world.
But each of us does have something remarkable to contribute, and I hope you’re gifted with the knowledge of what that is. If not, keep asking the question. The answer will appear.
2. What’s your community?
Your environment, and the people who surround you, are vitally important. Relationships matter. So what I want to know is: Who is your support network? Who is encouraging you? If you don’t have anyone positive around you, you need to change that.
3. What risks are you taking?
It’s the old cliché: Nothing risked, nothing gained. Playing it safe as a writer will lead to mediocre writing at best. If you’re not failing, you’re not shooting high enough. Which leads me to the question below.
4. What do you do after you fail?
Everyone fails. That’s not the important part. What’s important is what you do next. Are you learning? Are you growing? Is your experience making your heart bigger? Or is it shrinking you down, making you small? Beware of cynicism and bitterness, because if these emotions stick around too long, they will poison your efforts.
5. How do you deal with change?
The only thing I know for sure is that publishing will change. Are you going to tighten up and resist, or will you look for the opportunities?
With those of you frustrated with where the industry is headed, or how you are being treated by this editor or that agent, consider these words from Joseph Campbell:
Is the system going to flatten you out and deny you your humanity … or are you going to be able to make use of the system for uplifting and positive purposes?
Every problem we face only appears unsolvable inside a particular point of view. Take a fresh perspective and problems vanish, while new opportunities appear.
Photo courtesy Flickr’s John-Morgan
Jane Friedman has more than 20 years in the publishing industry, with expertise in digital media and the future of authorship. She’s the co-founder and editor of The Hot Sheet, the essential industry newsletter for authors. You can find out more about her consulting services and online classes at her website, JaneFriedman.com.
These are great questions for me to figure out some answers to — and I will certainly read the article — because right now I’m really not making much progress. Time to look at things with some new ideas…. thank you!
Wow, amazing. Thank you, I needed to hear this!
Well said. Flexibility, resilience, and persistence are the silent partners of creativity.
Great questions! I feel good about my answer to 2, 4, and 5, but 1 and 3 are the ones I’ve been struggling with lately. (Not in my fiction, but in my attempts at personal nonfiction.) Thanks for the checklist!
Motivating words by Campbell. I’ve had the recent issue of WD for a couple weeks now but I haven’t gotten the chance to read it. Definitely must do so today!
These are intriguing questions. I’m sitting down right now with my journal and writing down with my answers. Thanks for this!
Jane, Great advice, and applicable to writers at any stage of their writing journey, because getting an agent or even getting the first contract doesn’t guarantee a long line of books to follow. Every day can be a struggle. Thanks for words of wisdom for us all.
This is a fantastic post. These are questions that should be revisited periodically. They really snap you into focus.
Love love the last two paragraphs, Jane. I am determined to not be flattened, and to take that fresh perspective. This was so uplifting, just what the doctor ordered on a rainy Friday. Thanks!
I think the important thing with these questions is to answer them honestly. I think many writers are not honest with themselves — some give themselves way too much credit and others give themselves not nearly enough. The beauty of tackling this list privately is that no one has to worry what anyone else thinks. And hopefully folks seem themselves realistically when they take the time to do so.
Although I know that’s rarely the case.
Great words! As I like to say…I’m the inspiration behind my perspiration. Thanks for sharing. ~Janet~
Three of the five points sound somewhat scary: risks, failure, and change. But the other two points are about being grounded in identity (What makes you remarkable?) and in community. I think that’s where we’ll find the courage to face our challenges. Thanks for giving me so much to ponder.
Wowsie, wow, but I love this post (particularly #3, which could just as well be saying “Hey, this is for you, pay attention!). I can honestly say I wish I had this post in hand over the past 20+ years, but then, it’s not to late to keep this in mind from this day forward. Thank you, Jane! Fantastic stuff.
Thanks, Jane. A great reminder that we need to keep our heads up, focus on our goals, and WORK!
Those are great questions for a lot of scenarios even beyond the writing life. Talent is something you can cultivate, discover, or reshape. There are so many other things to focus on, and then talent will reveal itself as however it’s meant to be. Thank you for the wide perspective!
A wonderful thing to read on a Friday! I agree with all of it, especially #2 — “If you don’t have anyone positive around you, you need to change that.” Without my crew of writer friends, I would definitely be flattened!
When teaching writing classes, I brace myself for the inevitable question: how do I get published or get an agent? (As if you can take one writing class and voila!) The question I really want is: how do I become a better writer? Wanting to be the best writer possible and working on those traits you list—that is what will help you succeed. Thanks for a fabulous post.
This is superb. Thank you, Jane. I’ll always remember a BusinessWeek cover story from a few years back about the relative importance of talent v. hard work and practice. It featured a scientific study of conservatory students studying violin, and measured hard work in terms of hours spent not only practicing, but practicing in an explicitly self-observant and self-critiquing way. The students who plugged the most hours practicing in that way had far more successful careers over time — even more so than the ones who were identified as having the most raw talent. Which all goes to show that “pushing hard” as you put it really is vital.
So are all your other points, and I’m an especially firm believer in taking risks and the importance of what you do after you fail.
Wise words, great inspiration.
Wonderful advice here.
Fav writing quote – what do you call a writer who persists? Published.
This is very encouraging, thank you :) As much as I hope I have talent, it’s so comforting to me to know that my own hard work, attitude and stick-to-it-iveness can get me a long way. Thanks for this!
Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)
This makes me laugh in recognition. I lost a good 6-12 months of writing last year because I wanted the professor scenario you described. When it didn’t happen, I took it as an ominous sign.
Anyway, thanks for this. It’s nice to be normalized. Even nicer to be past the sulks.
“Every problem we face only appears unsolvable inside a particular point of view. Take a fresh perspective and problems vanish, while new opportunities appear.”
I love these lines. Love them. For me, I have to keep coming back to the reason I write in the first place — because I love it. It may be cliche, but it’s also enough to unearth the remarkable, the community, the risks, the growth within failure, the ingenuity within change. When I remember why I write, when I cut out the voice that says, “but what are you going to DO with this?”, then the other pieces fall into place.
I found your article in WD very helpful as well. I liked how you presented questions, as you do here, that really made me look at why, how and for whom I am writing. What my goals are. In that article, you also say to remember what makes you happy — good advice I’m holding onto. Thanks
Thank you for posting this. I think it’s something all writers need to hear from time to time.
I love that Joseph Campbell quote. Talent is nothing without the decision to use it and the courage to keep trying.
I like that you stated that every one of us is remarkable. It’s just finding out what makes us so.
And, ugh, failure! It’s never fun. But it can be the best classroom!
All true. The writers who succeed are the ones who are willing to learn and change. I always tell people, and believe it true for myself, that anything I hear or see that upsets it usually telling me a truth I don’t want to hear.
I’ve found from my own experience and watching other writers that no matter how much (or little) natural talent you have, you must be willing to put in the hours. Do the work. Do the work. Write. Write. And write some more.
Thank you for this post. It should be required reading for any writer first starting out.
Amazing, amazing post. Thank you!
Great post!
Determination and persistence and discipline and dedication are what it comes down to in the end. If you have talent but none of those other things, then that talent is going to be underutilized.
Funny, ‘dealing with failure’ seems to be a theme in writing blogs today. Maybe it’s a summer thing.
Talent, well, that’s something else. I’m not even sure I believe in inborn talent. Maybe ‘affinity’ is a better word. If you like something, and I mean truly like something, it’ll just take over and you’ve no choice but to do the work to develop skills in that area.
So I guess question zero might be…
‘Do you really, truly like stories, writing and words?’ I don’t think writing to ‘get famous’ or ‘make tons of money’ may be enough.
Wonderful, encouraging advice, Jane. Thank you!
This post is a great example of what makes you remarkable, Jane. Two of your unique gifts are to educate and motivate writers. You are also incredibly wise and generous. i hope you know how much I appreciate you. Cause I sure needed to read this today.
Yes, I can see these questions coming to fruition in a lot of writers’ minds. Although, I do think it is important to know if your writing is able to hold an audience. Then you will know what to work on and how to improve.
Did you mean to put “goral” or “goal”, lol
goral means: a short-horned goat antelope, Naemorhedus goral, of the mountainous regions of southeastern Asia: an endangered
:P Take care,
Impressive post. Applies to entrepreneurs too.
This was a great read and very timely for me. Many thanks to you!
This was well thought out, a good write. A great reminder for someone like me who becomes totally, completely, lost in the art. Rarely do I lift my head up for a breather, to ask these questions. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge here, I think it will help me a great deal. Thank you!
Most thought provoking, Jane. The one that resonated with me was about your writing ‘environment’. You are what you eat…and who you hang with and what you read. Writer Unboxed is a wonderful community of writers for me and I do have some very bright friends who deign to look over my efforts and render comment. It’s important.
I love questions number 3 and 4. They are really about living an engaged life no matter what you are doing. Thank you!! :-)
Thank you Jane for asking the right questions and offering a closing brimming with inspiration. I also enjoyed the thoughtful comments.
Questions #1, #3 and #4 have been with me through my career as a dancer and choreographer. A mysterious drive to make something new kept me at the craft for 20 + years. I kept my writing secret for that time, except for nonfiction educational pieces.
Now that the storyteller bug has pulled me into the art and craft of fiction, I’m busy failing and revising. I like to make a chapter or short story work. Also I’m a newbie at blogging, having a blast posting about why dogs do what they do, giving humane teaching tips, and advocating for rescue and dog adoption.
Persistence and attitude are key – something I’m reading a lot about in various blogs. Thank you for the post. Very helpful right now for me.
Patti
Number 3 resonated – I love the idea that if you’re failing, you’re not aiming high enough! Great perspective.
Hi Jane,
Really great article thanks. I enjoyed the 5 points very much.
I think the point on community is especially interesting. Whilst it is important to hang out with people who will support you, I feel that crossing over into other areas, cultures in life is ESPECIALLY enhancing to ones creativity.
For example I learn so much about life when I chat to my homeless friend at the end of the freeway. I learn a new language and I discover new truth.
What do you think?
Geoff
Jane,
Thank you for writing all of this, to help encourage us to embrace the positives. I love all 5 points, and appreciate your reminder of the wider perspective. These all are success factors for all of life. Beautifully said. Thank you!
-Jennifer
Excellent post. Specially about dealing with change. That is one thing I always struggle with. Really needed this almost as much as I need caffeine.
Writing for me is pretty hard these days. It hasn’t completely left me but when you’re usually writing at least a thousand words a day inbetween the children, husband and house duties, then have it taken away because it’s been too emotionally straining to think clearly, tends to make you question whether or not writing a novel was a good aspiration to have. After reading the article “5 Things More Important Than Talent”, I’ve suddenly realized I am going to complete my novel because even though I’m not typing or writing, I’ve been working things out in my head. I’ve had people in my life tell me that I shouldn’t write what I love, it’s too different. My mother has been struggling with cancer for three years. This is the new reason why I’m struggling. However, With the help of your article it became clearer that If I could live through two years of other writers critism, I can certainly pull through lifes hurtling cement truck. It’s just going to take a little longer that’s all. Thanks for the clarity. Thanks for making me realize that I do have what it takes to become a writer. Persistance and practice will always pay off in the end. And if you find a great workshop group, don’t let go of it.
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I asked myself these 5 questions aloud with my husband after finishing this blog post, answering aloud and making him answer about me as well (oh how he loves my moments of self-reflection when he has to also reflect about me!). I am happy to report that I am from the motivated and driven camp! Thank you for this boost because sometimes when you feel like you are going to drown in a sea of competition, just taking 2 minutes to self-reflect and recognize your strengths and remarkableness is all you need to keep plugging away!
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Great post. Speaking merely for myself I think the keys to success are:
• Talent (and skill – which is not the same thing) talent I equate with a born ability to weave a good tale and create great plots and characters. Skill is a learned ability where you translate the idea to the printed page
• Persistence – the ability to never give up when a brick wall stops our path. Those that are successful will go around the wall, dig under it, or climb over.
• Being in the right place at the right time – Some will call this luck, but for me it goes hand in hand with #2 Persistence. If you keep at it then the chances of you “catching on” is much greater. In sales they say that each “No” just gets you that much closer to the “Yes” and the more you cards you have to play the better your chances of finding an audience.
Robin Sulivan, Write2Publish
Jane, I “found” you through Michael Hyatt’s recent blog interview with you. I’m appreciating reading your great posts. As I was reading this one my mind started connecting the dots and I realized I’m doing okay with failure. A couple of months ago I wrote a post on mentoring to submit to Michael’s blog (I know REALLY shooting for the stars there at this stage of my game) he rejected it. Though not because it was bad but because he said he was working on one of his own. So, I took courage. I tweaked and submitted it to another (less known but reputable) site, it was accepted and received well. Actually I got such great feedback personally that I decided to take the post and turn it into a little ebook. Which I did. If I hadn’t shot for Michael Hyatt’s blog, which pushed me in my writing ability, and then failed I’m not sure if I would have had such an amazing learning experience. The ebook has been received well and I’m working at promoting it more broadly. Anyhow, thanks for helping me connect the dots, that was really cathartic! https://beckfarfromhome.blogspot.com/2011/08/get-copy-of-my-new-ebook-sister-to.html
Very motivating especially the part about change.. good questions i needed to ask myself! Thanks!