RE: The debate that won't die (was RE: Remember secretaries? (was RE: Proof that content is more important than style))

["Anita Lewis" <anital -at- threerivers-cams -dot- com>]

I based my statement about writing well on personal experience, which is
why it's my opinion.  My younger brother couldn't put two words together
on paper until junior high school.  But he was an excellent speaker,
storyteller, and leader.  He's an extremely bright individual but
couldn't figure out how to get what's inside his head to make sense on
paper.  Turns out he has some sort of learning disability.  Once we
figured out how to he had to be taught, he was able to learn all the
skills needed to write well.  Throughout high school he practiced using
these skills, and by college, he was writing well.  As a matter of fact,
he wrote excellent papers and earned A's as a result.  So I saw him
progress from being unable to write a letter to writing superior
documents.  Not passable, but excellent.  Maybe he's the exception to
the rule, or maybe he just had a great teacher.  I guess I assumed that
a person with the desire to learn can be taught if taught the manner in
which he or she learns best.  It is true however, that he did not just
write superior documents immediately after being taught the skills
required.  It took several years of practice to write better than
passable.  This is why I think the ability to write well can be
imparted.  I define "writing well" as being able to convey information
clearly, so that the message can be easily understood.  Finally, I did
NOT state that "anybody" or "everybody" can write well if taught.  Those
generalizations were made by other people.  I also specifically stated
that the ability to learn was a requirement.  I do believe writing well
is innate in some people, while others struggle.  I am the writer in the
family because it always came quite easily for me.  My brother, although
he can write nearly as well as I can, would never have chosen writing as
a profession, because writing is not easy for him.  Although now I am
not sure what kind of writer I am, considering that a simple statement
of my opinion, which I thought was crystal clear, was misconstrued.

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