Wanting To Be a Great Writer is Not Very Helpful


by Dr. Gary S. Goodman - Date: 2006-12-06 - Word Count: 276 Share This!

Many of us dream of dazzling people from the platform or through our prose, and this may be a key source of our motivation to become successful speakers and writers.

But are we served well by these dreams of glory, especially as we initially embark on our careers or dabble in these vocations?

You've probably heard the expression that says "Aim for the stars, and even if you don't make it, you might reach the moon!" And we've been taught, even as youngsters, that "The only failure in life is low aim."

But should writers set their sights super-high?

I'm not sure we should.

Instead, we might aspire to become competent, in the sense of the term, "journeyman journalist."

A capable craftsperson is someone to be admired, even revered, because he or she has honed what they do to such a degree that its precision becomes art or science or even both.

I'm also concerned about who it is that judges whether we're "great" or "good" or something else. Is it our readers or the critics?

To what extent did the image of Hemingway the Man affect the perception of the abilities of Hemingway the Writer? Was he overrated?

Take poet Charles Bukowski. Here we have a brawling, once drunken lout who was known more for his antics than for his verse. But he was incredibly prolific, and when I finally got around to reading him, I found he was very talented and fresh.

I don't think he aspired to greatness at all, more toward self-immolation. But over time, I think he'll keep getting rediscovered and elevated to higher realms of appreciation.

Keep trying to write well, not perfectly; and greatness just may take care of itself.


Related Tags: sales speaker, ucla, usc, convention speaker, motivational speaker, negotiation speaker, keynote speaker

Best-selling author of 12 books and more than 1,000 articles, Dr. Gary S. Goodman is considered "The Gold Standard" in sales development, customer service, and telephone effectiveness. Top-rated as a speaker, seminar leader, and consultant, his clients extend across the globe and the organizational spectrum, from the Fortune 1000 to small businesses. He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles

© The article above is copyrighted by it's author. You're allowed to distribute this work according to the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs license.
 

Recent articles in this category:



Most viewed articles in this category:


  • Don't Put Off Writing that Book! by Linden Gross
    If writing that book you've always had in mind tops your list of resolutions or regrets, hiring a wr
  • How To Write A Better Press Release by Brian Konradt
    A press release is the most effective way to generate free publicity for your business or organizati
  • Writing on the Hoof by Rick Chapo
    Finding inspiration when you are writing is often a haphazard affair. When you are physically ready
  • Focus On Nigeria by Andrew Sandon
    Focus on Nigeria Nigеria is a natural gas and oil rich country that is bordеrеd b
  • How to Write Great Dialogue in Your Book by Steve Manning
    Dialogue isn't so much read as it is heard by the reader. The eyes see the words on the page, the b
  • Women SUV Driver from www.thefrap.com by Eric Schmidt
    Why do so many women drive around in the oversized SUV's, the Tahoe, Excursion, Escalade
  • How To Write Good Articles by Jonathan White
    As a writer you may be ready to cash in on the need for web content. There is a lot of money that c
  • NEWS FLASH: Technical Communicator Saves World by Peggy Bennett
    I had a boss several years ago who was amused by my earnest and relentless preaching about the impor
  • Writers Resources by Josh Riverside
    Writers use certain inherent talents to come up with their pieces of writing. However, they do need
  • Popular Articles by Roel Sundiam
    Articles are those that are available in plenty these days in the internet. The articles are written