Before I get into it, I want to thank Jaycee for the amazing work she did on my brand spanking new blogheader! Isn't it great? It was one of the prizes for winning the Oh My Hero Blogfest and I couldn't be happier.
Yesterday me and some friends were playing Tera Online and kept bickering back and forth about my best mate Cory's inability to sing. We were busy killing stuff and he was singing his heart out on the guitar behind us--terribly, I might add. We've told him many times before he CANNOT sing but he insists he will get better with practice. So another of my friends told him that singing is a talent you have to be born with, and it got me thinking...Is this true?
In my case, I was always good at writing and drawing. I used to mess up my mom's walls with stories and characters I drew using Crayola. I was particularly fond of angels (still am) and it showed. Another testament to my inherent aptitude was my gravitation to all things writing. In High School, I chose English, Literature, Economics, Art and Business as my classes. I hated Math, but did it 'cause it was compulsory. I've won awards for my Essay writing skills and even chose a profession that required me to write.
I know many people say that no one is born a good writer - they are made so - but I dunno. There are some people who understand the craft better than others right off the bat. If you watch or read a singer, dancer, writer or artist's interview, many of them will express their proficiency in the craft at a very early age.
So I want to know what you think: Are we born talented or do we develop it?
11 comments:
Like yourself, I naturally gravitated towards writing, liberal arts, and English Lit. I ran as far and as fast as I could from all things Math. I am totally and completely inept at computers and anything remotely related to IT. (it's a miracle I bumbled my way through setting up my blog)
BUT, my brother is absolutely brilliant! He is especially gifted in the area of physics, and adores math. Here's the icing on the cake, he works in a high-powered IT position! GO figure. I don't get it. My guess is all the inherent math genes just skipped me and went into him! LOL
Good topic to think on. I'm not sure. I've always had an active imagination and enjoyed making up stories. I can't sing, and would never attempt to. Lol
This is a great question! I used to know a girl who was a trained singer, but although she knew how to use her voice to carry a tune, she was still not a great singer.In the same class, another girl stepped up to sing, and the teacher said, "Obviously you've been training for a long time." But she'd never had a singing lesson in her life!
So, I guess we must be born with some talent, but most have to work to use it to full potential.
Great subject. Though I have a great imagination and have always had a knack for composition, I don't consider myself a great 80,000 word type of person. I'm more of a screenplay type. Short bursts of creativity that gets the message across in so many words. I still [try] write my WIP's, I get bored easily with the in between stuff.
Maybe some are born with it but most of society needs practice. IMO
Talent is inherent. Skill is learned and developed. I think it takes a healthy mix of both to make a great artist or writer.
I think sometimes talent is inborn. For example, my sister has always been an amazing singer since she was very young. She took singing lessons and developed that talent into something really wonderful.
Other times, you can have a predilection towards something, but need to work on it to make it good. For example, I've always loved making up stories, but without the classes I've taken, I wouldn't be able to write them down in a readable way.
I agree with Lily. I studied piano for years. I got really good at sight reading and loved to play. My brother never practiced, didn't bother with those note things, but would come back from his paper route and pound out a song he came up with that morning. He never tried, he just had the genius to do it.
The good news is I never did kill him.
"...while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make great writer out of a good one, it is possible,with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one." -Stephen King, On Writing.
I actually don't know the answer to this question T.D. I do know that people can be born without any advantages. For example, birth defects, retardation, or paralysis. I suppose any of these could cause one to not be good at anything. Some challenges are so severe that they make certain activities impossible. So I'm going to say "maybe". But I think what you are saying is if someone isn't born with defects and is considered "normal" or "average" and has "average" intelligence or ability...can they train themselves to excel at one thing? Again...I don't know.
My youngest son is a testament to how talent can be learned through persistence. This kid was born with two left feet, but in trying to keep up with his (insanely naturally) coordinated brother, he's learned how to be quite coordinated himself. Physical things still don't come to him naturally, but he just keeps trying and eventually he gets it.
The key thing, I think, is that the whole concept of giving up doesn't exist to him. I think this applies to pretty much anything. If you want something badly enough, you can just keep trying and learning and going for it until you get it. :)
First, I think you're very talented. And I do think that is intrinsic. I also think we all have talent in various ways.
Second, I think that writing is a craft that needs to be developed. It really does get better in time the more you do it.
Third, I think talent needs to be nutured with care.
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