“Writing can't be taught.” – Susanna Moore, Born Dec. 9, 1945.
Well, Susanna. I'm going to go ahead and call bullshart on that nonsense.
If writing couldn't be taught, we wouldn't have civilization. Of course writing can be taught.
The desire to want to write well and excessively, perhaps even as a full time vocation? Well, of course, that quality is rarer.
Just like for literally any human task or occupation or pastime, nothing is for everyone.
Only a person who enjoys writing will want to truly *study* it. And many who enjoy writing may enjoy studying it, but never put it to serious practice.
Only a few (relative to the overall population) will ever really have the compulsion to write and write and write, even if not getting paid to do it.
You can't teach someone to be like that.
But when you find someone like that. Who is writing anyway, and wants to make a living at it, and get good at it, and build their own audience rather an being reliant on publishers and outsiders…
Hell yeah, that can be taught. I teach it. I've done it. Handsomely paid, both to do it, and teach it. It rules.
It sure beats the pants flaps off of writing and NOT getting paid handsomely for it.
It can definitely be taught. And by the right student, it can be learned and applied to tremendous success.
I sure as Sherlock didn't know how to do this when I got started, and a definitely am not naturally talented. I was taught – by tutors and mentors and other writers and by self study.
I am living proof that you're dead wrong.
Does this make any beginning writers out there a little more hopeful? Good. Happy holidays. 🙂