Are writers born, made or both?

Are writers born, made or both?

A

s a writer, strive to be faithful to your subjects. Let truth be your hallmark. Balance your story. Tell all sides of the story and let every subject’s voice be heard

You cannot separate journalism from writing.  In Kiswahili, journalists are better known as waandishi wa habari (literally translated as writers of news/information) than wanahabari (journalists). Early journalism was print media. Reporters wrote news for newspapers and magazines well before the invention of radio, television and the internet.

It is only understandable that the name “writer” for a journalist has stuck to an extent of being used in the place of newsreaders, anchors and other mass media contributors.

GOOD JOURNALISTS SCRIPT EFFORTLESSLY

In fact a good journalist is an excellent scripter. He or she can write a news article and edit it effortlessly. For the journalist it is not a struggle. The words just come. It’s like an inspiration.

Which brings me to whether journalists and writers are born, made or both. I believe a talent is required in any profession. One must be competent to undertake the task they are assigned. That is why there are journalism schools teaching budding journalist so that they may later go to the field and practice.

Back to my earlier argument, journalists can be born.  This is a very beautiful discovery anyone can make in their life. Realizing that you were born to do something could be the ultimate purpose in life. May be discovering your purpose in life could more satisfying than the pursuit for happiness.

INNATE TALENT

Someone who was born a writer has an innate talent that the teacher cannot teach. The best the teacher can do is to perfect the skills the student has and watch the talent take shape. Such people have boundless potentials and it is important that they realize that and exploit the potential to the fullest.

A born writer can make a very good journalist because essentially journalism places a lot of premium on excellent writing skills. The audience has great expectations on the writer journalist. They thus cannot afford to be below par. The trend they set is emulated by their competitors and their (audiences)-readers, listeners and viewers.

Methinks many a writer journalists belong to the last category. They are both made and born. It is unfortunate to be only a made writer or journalist. This is because you will go as far as your teacher will take you. Although with experience you can improve, it will be a struggle to cope with the tough calling of journalism. You might end up quitting the career altogether or switching to another one. It is not a bad thing to change careers. But what took you so long to realize you were in the wrong place in the first place? Anyway, it is never too late to start anything in life. You can turn around things in youth as well as an elder. But the earlier you discover your place the better.

BLEEDING PASSION OF LETTERS

Those who are born writers are by nature artistic. They like critiquing literature, they love reading and definitely they write. You cannot be a good writer if you do not read intensively and extensively. For a writer there is no topic under the sun which is off limits. A born writer observes nature and phenomenon and can never lack a comment. The writer will give a candid and wise commentary that is worth remembering. Others get philosophical even. It is in their blood. If you cut their veins, they are likely to bleed letters. After all, they are men of letters.

NURTURED WRITER JOURNALIST

A writer journalist by nurture can also fulfil his or her career if he/she is committed and dedicated. The nurtured writer journalist must be willing to learn and accept that they are inadequate. To cover up for that inadequacy, he/she should practice the skills they acquire. If you are willing to learn nothing can stop you from becoming a pro. Aspire to perfect your skills. Read great literature by great authors. You can also benefit from unsung writers and journalists who have never been celebrated by anyone. They may be unpopular but have produced great works. Read them. Watch and listen to their presentation styles and try to practice what they do. You don’t have to copy but you can borrow skills that can make you a better writer and a journalist.

Writing can be inspirational. Ideas excite the writer; they tickle their imagination and provoke the writer’s creativity. If the idea is viable the writer will execute it.

A writer is supposed to be keen and observant. You can have a small note book to jot down the ideas and sketch your roadmap to a good story. With technology you can now capture ideas on your smartphone camera, save a reminder on your phone or make use of those calendar and notebook apps on your phone that are lying idle. That way you will not forget what provoked you to write a story.

INSPIRATIONAL WRITER

It is beautiful to actualize a dream.  Transferring an abstract idea from your mind to paper or to a screen, airwave or wherever is both transformational and creative. You bring forth life and contribute to knowledge.

Budding writers especially the young ones have been accused (by older established writers) of being lazy and impatient. It is true. To succeed in writing you need to be patient and hard working. You must be willing to read and think. You will be required to research on a topic that is alien to you.

I have been both a writer and an editor. I understand the pain of rejection of a manuscript and the condemnation that you get from your editor for doing a story shoddily or in a hurry. The editor wants you to be a better person. You should not give up. Repeat what you have been instructed and keep in mind that tomorrow you will incorporate the correction in your work. Eventually you will be excellent. But if you get angry that they editor is despising you, you will never go anywhere in your career. You may go far but in the wrong direction.

EARN TRUST AND DON’T JUDGE

Trust is earned by a good writer. Journalists know this better. Your subjects need to trust you that you will tell their story as they would. This is a high standard by any criteria. As a writer, strive to be faithful to your subjects. Let truth be your hallmark. Balance your story. Tell all sides of the story and let every subject’s voice be heard in your composition. Do not suppress the opposing characters in your work. Above all, leave the audience to judge. Making sense of a situation does not mean that you dictate what the audience will perceive as reality. Remember they are also intelligent. Don’t insult their intelligence.

Develop a reputation of a faithful medium of the many stories that you will be entrusted to cover in your career and you will be trusted with high level assignments that will not only grow your career but also positively change the lives of the people that you so passionately want to let their narrative be heard.

Musyoka Ngui a final year Communication and Media student at Chuka University and a blogger at Youth Issue (musyokangui.blogspot.com) and also a technology blogger with culturemob.com.