Here are some common misconceptions people have about writing and writers. Do any of them surprise you?
- You have to have time to write. Real writers make time. They usually work a day job, too. You don’t need massive amounts of time to write – half an hour a day is better than no writing at all. Most writers squeeze their work into their spare time.
- Anybody can write. Sure, anybody can put words onto paper. The trick is to write well. And that is a skill and an art that few possess — or are willing to work at.
- Writers are introverts. Most of us are — writing requires a certain level of introversion, a certain enjoyment of being alone. However, most of us also have a hidden desire to be on center stage. We’re storytellers, after all, and a good storyteller needs an audience.
- Great writers are born, not made. Sure, there’s a certain part of storytelling that’s born into you. However, a lot of the craft can be learned, such as grammar and active voice and “show, don’t tell.”
- Good writing requires an education. This is both true and false. You have to have enough of an education to be able to create a good story. However, that education doesn’t have to have a degree attached to it. You can be a good storyteller without going to college and majoring in English.