Why Do People Think Writing Stories Requires No Skill?
Why Do People Think Writing Stories Requires No Skill?
Blog Article
No one thinks they can just grab a camera for the first time and film something at a professional level.
No one believes they can open VFX software and instantly create realistic special effects.
No one imagines they can fire up a video editor and perfectly color-correct footage without prior study.
But somehow, many people think they can just start typing and create a compelling story without any formal training. Why is that?
The Misconception About Writing as a Skill
A significant factor is that we learn to write in elementary school. We don’t learn software like DaVinci Resolve or Blender as part of our basic education, so we naturally recognize the specialized craft required to use those tools. Writing, by contrast, feels accessible—we use it every day through emails, text messages, and documents. This familiarity breeds the false notion that storytelling is a natural extension of basic literacy.
Quality Is Harder to Gauge
Another reason writing is underestimated as a craft is that its quality can be difficult to evaluate. If an audio engineer, colorist, or director of photography does a poor job, the flaws are immediately obvious—distorted sound, mismatched colors, or poor framing stand out right away.
With writing, it often takes time to realize something is bad. Readers might only notice issues after investing hours in a story. Even then, opinions can vary widely. Some people argue that writing is purely subjective and can’t be measured objectively.
However, just as there are technical standards for filmmaking, there are clear mistakes in writing that detract from a story’s effectiveness.
The Template Trap
Another misconception stems from the popularity of "beat sheets" and story formulas. These templates outline common patterns found in most successful scripts, giving aspiring writers the impression that storytelling is as simple as plugging scenes into a formula.
If that were true, why are so many movies poorly written? Why do professional screenwriters earn substantial salaries instead of being replaced by fast typists paid minimum wage?
The reason is simple: templates are merely guiding posts. Crafting a story with meaning, depth, compelling themes, and engaging entertainment requires far more than filling in blanks.
Objective Mistakes in Writing
Just as bad audio can be deemed objectively poor, certain writing mistakes are universally detrimental. Here are some examples:
- Being confusing: If readers can’t follow the plot or understand the characters’ motivations, the story fails.
- Having logical gaps: Plot holes or inconsistencies undermine a story’s believability.
- Having nothing happen: Stories need conflict, progression, and resolution to keep readers engaged.
- Doing things that feel undeserved: Characters achieving goals without earning them makes for unsatisfying storytelling.
- Being boring: A lack of tension, stakes, or compelling elements makes readers lose interest.
The Importance of Skill and Practice
Because writing is accessible, many people believe they can craft great narratives without education or practice. However, storytelling is a skill honed through reading, learning, and continuous effort.
Recognizing the craft behind writing—just as we do with filmmaking, VFX, or editing—helps us appreciate its complexity. And it reminds aspiring writers that becoming great requires far more than just knowing how to type.
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