Can writing be taught?
There are a million writing courses online. Including a creative writing course. Years ago, I enrolled in one thinking I would learn a thing or two about writing a novel.
It was an eye-opener for me. That’s when I realized I could not adapt the learnings in my writing. The course was fine. It covered all the basic elements of creative writing like plotting, character development, conflict, resolution, and the standard storytelling technique.
I realized that what they were teaching me came naturally to me. I had written an entire 500-page novel and I had no idea how I learned these.
But I have the answer now. It was all the books that I had read. All the best and well-written stories by the greatest authors. I inadvertently learned the tricks of the trade. To my credit, I learned because I was always curious about the art of storytelling. I always break down a story into a three-act sequence. I always focus on the characters. If I loved a book, I’d go into detail finding out why I loved it. What did the author do differently here?
I have gone through several interview videos of the authors I love. Not to get some writing advice but to understand their mindset towards writing a novel. A bulk of my learning comes from there and I realized why I know so many details about writing.
It’s because I have learned it by reading their work without knowing I was learning it. Telling stories comes naturally to me. I say natural because I never practiced storytelling techniques. I merely read a lot of them. I still do.
My discoveries of years can be applied to any form of writing —
- Read a lot in the category you want to write
- Observe the greats in the category
- Decode their work like a maniac
- Find out what resonates with you and adapt
- Cultivate a writing style that is a result of all the decoding you did.
You will not be unique just like none of the colors in the palette are. You will be the amalgamation of all the best work you have read and chosen to embrace. And that’ll be the best thing for you.
I am a firm believer that writing cannot be taught but it can be learned. A writer has to learn the art on his own until it becomes a skill.