What Makes a Natural Writer

Edward G · Jan 21, 2007

Sometimes people wonder what makes a natural writer. I think I can answer that, because I am a natural writer. That doesn't mean you'd like my work, or that I'm better than anyone else, it simply means this:

All my life I've been incredibly sensitive to how people are, what happens in the world, and I see things in stark black and white. I see very little gray. This causes me a lot of depression. Throughout my life I've always cycled between a kind of mania and then depression. Things affect me.

I am arrogant. I admit it. I believe in myself and that God favors me, and that he has given me the mission of revealing the Great Story. I could be wrong, but it doesn't matter--I believe it.

I love communication. I was in Toastmasters for a long time and became an Advanced Toastmaster--Silver. I love to communicate especially in writing. I love writing: Journals, speeches, articles, editorials, anything and everything.

As for fiction writing, all I can say is that when I'm writing I transcend. I get lost. I'm very religious (in a weird cult-like way), but it's all philosophy to me except when I'm writing. When I'm writing, it's like some kind of Zen Satori. I write when I'm sick, depressed, tired, it doesn't matter.

Right now, I wish I could work on my novel, and I've already worked on it today.

Psychological sensitivity to the world, arrogance, religiously opinionated, and a deep desire to communicate. These are the personality traits of a natural writer.

Don't get me wrong. Obviously publication can be achieved without being a natural writer. I'm just talking about what I think a natural writer is.

Birol · Jan 21, 2007

MacAllister · Jan 21, 2007

That makes me an unnatural writer, then, if I'm not manic-depressive and narcissistic?

I'm good with that.

KiraOnWhite · Jan 21, 2007

A natural writer has the determination and drive to put his fantasy on paper to share with the world. A natural writer has vivid imagination and believes strongly in an escape to fictional worlds. That's all my two cents =)

seun · Jan 21, 2007

Um...yeah...

Saundra Julian · Jan 21, 2007

A natural writer is like an over-night success, they don’t exist.

aruna · Jan 21, 2007

GordonJerome said:
Psychological sensitivity to the world, arrogance, religiously opinionated, and a deep desire to communicate. These are the personality traits of a natural writer.

Don't get me wrong. Obviously publication can be achieved without being a natural writer. I'm just talking about what I think a natural writer is.

In other words, you are the prototype of a natural writer?

SpiderGal · Jan 21, 2007

Saundra Julian said:
A natural writer is like an over-night success, they don’t exist.

greatfish · Jan 21, 2007

I think it takes more than an inclination towards writing to be called a natural. You'd also have to excel at it, but I think I missed that on your list.

aadams73 · Jan 21, 2007

GordonJerome said:
All my life I've been incredibly sensitive to how people are, what happens in the world, and I see things in stark black and white. I see very little gray. This causes me a lot of depression. Throughout my life I've always cycled between a kind of mania and then depression. Things affect me.

I am arrogant. I admit it. I believe in myself and that God favors me, and that he has given me the mission of revealing the Great Story. I could be wrong, but it doesn't matter--I believe it.

I love communication. I was in Toastmasters for a long time and became an Advanced Toastmaster--Silver. I love to communicate especially in writing. I love writing: Journals, speeches, articles, editorials, anything and everything.

As for fiction writing, all I can say is that when I'm writing I transcend. I get lost. I'm very religious (in a weird cult-like way), but it's all philosophy to me except when I'm writing. When I'm writing, it's like some kind of Zen Satori. I write when I'm sick, depressed, tired, it doesn't matter.

Right now, I wish I could work on my novel, and I've already worked on it today.

Psychological sensitivity to the world, arrogance, religiously opinionated, and a deep desire to communicate. These are the personality traits of a natural writer.

Don't get me wrong. Obviously publication can be achieved without being a natural writer. I'm just talking about what I think a natural writer is.

Jim Jones, is that you?

Gabriel · Jan 21, 2007

Chemical X!!!

. . . .Or was that my recipe for super powered super children?
:Shrug:

aruna · Jan 21, 2007

Mother's Milk makes a natural writer. Formula makes an unnatural writer.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 21, 2007

Natural

Saundra Julian said:
A natural writer is like an over-night success, they don’t exist.

Well, they may be rare, but they do exist, and aren't even all that uncommon.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 21, 2007

GordonJerome said:
Sometimes people wonder what makes a natural writer. I think I can answer that, because I am a natural writer. That doesn't mean you'd like my work, or that I'm better than anyone else, it simply means this:

All my life I've been incredibly sensitive to how people are, what happens in the world, and I see things in stark black and white. I see very little gray. This causes me a lot of depression. Throughout my life I've always cycled between a kind of mania and then depression. Things affect me.

I am arrogant. I admit it. I believe in myself and that God favors me, and that he has given me the mission of revealing the Great Story. I could be wrong, but it doesn't matter--I believe it.

I love communication. I was in Toastmasters for a long time and became an Advanced Toastmaster--Silver. I love to communicate especially in writing. I love writing: Journals, speeches, articles, editorials, anything and everything.

As for fiction writing, all I can say is that when I'm writing I transcend. I get lost. I'm very religious (in a weird cult-like way), but it's all philosophy to me except when I'm writing. When I'm writing, it's like some kind of Zen Satori. I write when I'm sick, depressed, tired, it doesn't matter.

Right now, I wish I could work on my novel, and I've already worked on it today.

Psychological sensitivity to the world, arrogance, religiously opinionated, and a deep desire to communicate. These are the personality traits of a natural writer.

Don't get me wrong. Obviously publication can be achieved without being a natural writer. I'm just talking about what I think a natural writer is.

I think good wriers always see many shades of gray.

I think a natural writer is someone who has enough talent to get it right early on. There's no big learning curve. No more and no less.

Other than this, your natural sounds just sounds like someone with many problems and few friends.

GPatten · Jan 21, 2007

Dang Jerome!

greglondon · Jan 21, 2007

What Makes a Natural Writer

Getting published.

Azure Skye · Jan 21, 2007

I don't think I've had enough tea yet.

Shwebb · Jan 21, 2007

I think there really does have to be a certain amount of ego to be a writer--enough to believe that people will want to read what we write.

But you must have humility, as well, in equal portion.

If you don't have the humility, you will believe that every word you write is like gold, and you won't be able to pare away the true gold from the garbage. And we can put out a lot of garbage.

Which is why I think we see so much see-sawing of emotions here, sometimes. The humility and self-doubt naturally fight with our egos, and it can get off-balance.

Gordon, I'm glad you find such happiness and contentment when you write. For me, writing is like exercise. I must do it, but it's uncomfortable and sometimes a little painful. I feel really good only after I'm done. I don't know if that's typical, but it's my personal experience with writing.

Bufty · Jan 21, 2007

Gordon,

He who believes he writes with God sitting on his shoulder will surely find that only God and he will read the manuscript.

PattiTheWicked · Jan 21, 2007

I'm not sure that the "natural writer" even exists. I think there's a lot of people out there who have a natural gift for storytelling, but if they don't work to improve and develop as writers, then they're in the same boat as everyone else.

In all honesty, the description above sounds to me like someone who has a need to be heard, not necessarily someone who needs to communicate well.

It's like the people who go on American Idol because they have a vocal talent they hope to showcase, as opposed to the folks who feel like they gotta get on television so everyone can see them.

There's a rather large difference.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 21, 2007

Shwebb said:
For me, writing is like exercise. I must do it, but it's uncomfortable and sometimes a little painful. I feel really good only after I'm done. I don't know if that's typical, but it's my personal experience with writing.

When I first began writng, it was easy. I wrote fast, pretty much everythng I wrote sold quickly, etc. Largely, I think, because I didn't know how much I didn't know.

But the longer I write, the harder and more painful it gets. Now I see the flaws I couldn't see when I first started, , but still lack the skills to fix them all.

I still enjoy the process of writing, I still have fun writing, but it is often painful and frustrating, and it does seem to get harder and harder each year.

Stew21 · Jan 21, 2007

If being natural is as you stated, GJ, then I'd rather be unnatural and just work really hard.

Julie Worth · Jan 21, 2007

A natural writer has a sober muse and an internal editor who likes to drink.

Jenan Mac · Jan 21, 2007

GordonJerome said:
Right now, I wish I could work on my novel, and I've already worked on it today.

I don't see what's keeping you from it, GJ. The fact that you already did it once today? Please tell me that doesn't apply to other "natural" events, like eating and peeing.

ChaosTitan · Jan 21, 2007

I'll come back to this thread after my coffee kicks in....

What Makes a Natural Writer

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