Re: Writing in an innate talent

[Ed Hoornaert <Ed -dot- Hoornaert -at- VENTANA -dot- COM>]

Arlen wrote,

>No, I don't buy "either you got it or you don't." I do, however, buy
"either
>you want it or you don't." I see the "innate talent" argument as an
attempt
>to avoid responsibility for your choices in life ("I wanted to be a
writer,
>really I did, but I just didn't have the talent"). Bah! Humbug!

Ah, the old Nature vs Nurture discussion, one of the truly fundamental
questions.

I've never understood why it has to be all or nothing with nature or
nurture. *Of course* you have to strive to achieve success in any field.
And the greater the success, the greater the striving.   I have a pretty
good facility with numbers; give me any pair of two or three digit
numbers and I can add them instantly.  [This talent fits the label "idiot
savant", I think.  :-) ]  I've never pursued that particular aptitude,
however, and thus I'm sending this to techwr-l, not a mathematicians
list.

But I'd say it's equally "of course" that you aren't going to succede
unless you have at least a modicum of aptitude for a field -- which Arlen
implies (to me at least) by quoting Vince Lombardi, of all people.  (For
you non-Americans out there, Vince was a football coach.)   Anyone who'd
say that I could have been one of Vince's football players if only I
wanted it badly enough has never met me.  And did you ever know anyone
back in school who got great grades without working hard? Or the reverse,
someone who tried hard and didn't do well?  Aptitude is important!

So, all you professional tech writers out there -- yes, you have talent.
You've also worked hard for what you've achieved.  You nurtured your
nature to get where you are.

Ed -dot- Hoornaert -at- Ventana -dot- com
Disclaimer: Ventana Corporation should not be held responsible for my big
mouth.