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The myth that only geniuses can be writers is one of the biggest obstacles for people wanting to start a career in writing. Often the interest, talent, and diligence of a person who dreams of a career as a writer are shattered by the thought that “true authors are not made; they are born” (Edwards and Paz, 2017, p. 66). At the same time, it is interesting how people from other areas of culture, like music, painting, or sculpture, can still develop their skills, while only innate skills and talent are essential for a writer.
Perhaps the process in writing is not as visible and vital to the consumer as in other forms of art. For the reader, only the result of the writer’s work, the book, which is his activity’s apogee, often matters. People do not even think about how many refusals the writers had to listen to and how much time they spent at their desks. The stereotype that only geniuses can be writers is generated by society’s perception of the writer as a genius, nothing like ordinary people. However, famous writers, such as Shakespeare, Dickens, and Vonnegut, “were certainly very much like ourselves—nervous, frustrated, harried, and tired, looking for help at 1:38 a.m. while trying to meet a deadline” (Edwards and Paz, 2017, p. 66). They were often rejected and not taken seriously, yet they improved their skills to eventually become the authors that are now known around the world.
The genius of famous people is a social phenomenon since none of those who are now considered geniuses in art, literature, or science did consider themselves geniuses. At the same time, they continued to make mistakes and redo everything to achieve the desired result. ‘Genius’ is not some innate gift that is given to some and not given to others, “it takes a lot of practice and honors the same idea, concept, theory, and knowledge for a long time” (Oppong, 2021, para. 22). Instead, calling someone a genius, most often people mean that it was easier for this person to achieve success because of an innate gift. Many aspiring writers give up at the beginning of their journey, thinking they do not have enough genius.
All aspiring writers want to believe that on the first try, they will be able to write a masterpiece comparable to Oscar Wilde’s Picture of Dorian Gray or the novels of the Brontë sisters. However, in reality, first attempts at writing almost always require revision, editing, and learning the intricacies of the publishing market. For most well-known writers, years had passed between when they first wrote something and when their most famous text came out. It is hard work, which is usually intimidating and time-consuming. After all, readers know Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, considering the authors the geniuses of women’s literature of that time. However, few people think about what path they had to go through for these novels to be published. There is no need to be a genius to be a good writer. Much more important is the willingness to work hard and take rejection calmly.
Another misconception associated with the writer’s genius myth is that a true writer cannot take ideas from outside because they are not original. Instead, real writers should have such a versatile and exciting personalities that they should find all ideas in themselves. However, Edwards and Paz (2017) point out that the author should not be isolated but actively interact with the outside world. On the one hand, the correctness of this approach is beyond doubt. To be well received by the audience and find a response from the reader, it is essential for the writer to raise personal and social issues that concern a large part of society. Writing is a social activity that should be directed to the reader and not the author’s personal experiences.
However, on the other hand, under this “interaction” and “collaboration,” Edwards and Paz (2017) also mean borrowing other people’s ideas and their new interpretations. There are eternal themes that every writer touches on in one way or another in their work. Moreover, every writer can and should look for inspiration in everything that surrounds him, including in the works of other authors. At the same time, by borrowing other people’s ideas, the writer loses his voice and uniqueness. Real writers must “be resilient, to be independent thinkers, to be problem solvers and interrogators” (Bernstein and Lowry, 2017). Even in perspective, it is impossible to talk about the genius of a writer who does not have their ideas and opinions and only rethinks other people’s thoughts.
Thus, although writers are not born but become, it must be facilitated by the desire to work hard, improve, and listen to criticism constantly. It is likely that a person who has certain innate qualities, such as attention to detail, perseverance, and hard work, will find it easier to succeed in writing. However, these are far from all the critical characteristics of a brilliant author. Moreover, the very concept of genius is only a social construct and a reflection of how the text is perceived in society. Often this has nothing to do with the skills and excellence of the writer because these aspects of the work can only be appreciated by professionals and not by the general public.
Works Cited
Bernstein, Susan Naomi, and Elizabeth Lowry. “The five-paragraph essay transmits knowledge.” Bad ideas, 2017, pp. 214-219.
Edwards, Dustin, and Enrique Paz. “Only geniuses can be writers.” Bad ideas, 2017, pp. 64-70.
Oppong, Thomas. “Genius is a Skill (The Making of Exceptional Achievers).”Medium, 2021.
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