By Evan J
Photo by Evan J
Is there such a thing as a born genius? It’s certainly up for debate. I won’t weigh in more than to say that I’ve met several accomplished writers, but I’ve yet to meet an inherent genius. None of these accomplished writers were born with artistic talent, nor did their muse magically show up one day with the entire blueprint for creating great art.
Those whom I have met are accomplished writers who worked incredibly hard to master their craft and who did everything within their power to orchestrate a life that fostered literary opportunities.
Regarding craft, these accomplished writers prove that you can’t just wait around for the muse to speak. If you’re educationally static, and then the muse does deliver a golden idea, you won’t have the skills needed to properly turn the idea into art. What I’m saying is, to be a successful writer, you must always be working to improve your craft.
But what does constant craft improvement look like?
For me, it looks like years of university studies, an ongoing and evolving relationship with literary communities, regularly participating in poetry workshops, reading the widest variety of literature possible, exploring carpentry and culinary arts, and practicing my poetry skills with a pencil and paper every day.
For you it might look like reading numerous “How to write poetry?” articles, weekly literature conversations with a sibling, an obsession with architecture photography, regular attendance at slam poetry festivals, and a library card so overused it’s cracking.
The strategy for improving writing craft is different for everyone, and it’s important for you to continue pushing yourself and evolving your strategy.
Regarding the orchestration of life, these accomplished writers also prove that if you want to excel in your literary field, you must regularly reflect on your life, your place in the world, and the experiences you gain from it. What are your interests, your connections, your living locations? How do you spend your time? Will these things help you achieve your literary goals? And if not, which ones can you change?
For many writers, this looks like moving to a literary hub or enrolling in an MFA program to increase their connections to other literary minds. For other writers, this means changing jobs or professions to better experience a specific lifestyle firsthand. For me, recently, it meant moving to Northern Ontario because Toronto didn’t offer exposure to the cultural topics I was compelled to write about.
The strategy for orchestrating life, like the strategy for learning writing craft, is different for everyone. But it is hard to become a successful writer if you don’t constantly improve your craft and regularly assess your relationship to the world. If you want to be a successful writer, you have to work for it.