Beliefs

I don't even care if this offends someone.

There is no hope for a shitty writer.  None.  It doesn't matter if you memorize books on grammar and punctuation, read a million how-to guides on creative writing, and participate in workshops for the rest of your life.  If you have no natural talent, the best you can ever hope for is to rise from being a shitty writer to a mediocre writer.  Oh, so I was wrong...rejoice, asshats!  There is hope for the shitty writer!

Creativity can't be learned.  Talent can't be created from nothing.  Just because you know, it doesn't mean you can execute worth a fuck. 

I am not musically inclined.  I have tried to play many an instrument, but in the end, it never sounds as good as it should.  This is not to say that I didn't practice or that I didn't have people trying to help me or that I couldn't pick up on the technical nuances of playing these instruments.  I just did not have a fucking talent for it.  And yes, there are those who can force themselves to painfully learn a craft and produce a passable end-result.  They might even do well at reproducing a masterpiece.  But these people are not the geniuses.  They are not the gods.

I do think that passion, in some cases, can make up for a lack of talent.  However, it will only get you so far.

I think it is true, though, that a good writer can become a great writer.  Nobody starts out on top.  There is always something to learn.  But in my opinion, good writers are those who have a natural aptitude for the craft, and thus, those talentless, shitty writers can never be great.

Am I saying I am a great writer?  No.  But am I a shitty writer?  No.  I am good, and one day I hope to be great.  I have things to learn, failures to get past, and a lot of experimentation ahead of me before I can ever be close to great. 

But at least I'm not shitty.

Even Jesus thinks I'm a bitch.