This post written by Callie Stoker, founder and managing editor.
A few years ago I was attending a local writer’s conference with a panel of successful writers. I don’t remember all the authors on the panel, nor the panel’s actual subject matter, I only remember that Howard Tayler (of the award winning Schlock Mercenary and podcast, Writing Excuses), warned the audience, with a mix of seriousness and humor, that during the Q&A he didn’t want any questions about where his ideas came from.
I just had to take the bait. So as soon as they opened the time up to questions, raised my hand and said, “So, Howard, where do you get your ideas?”
The class broke into a big laugh and Howard was a good sport who understood my sarcasm as only a true comedian can. Then I went on to ask a “real” question about writing on this or that. A handful a years later my life would come full circle when I got to be a guest on Writing Excuses and talk with Howard about the ins and outs of editing.
But as I look back on Howard’s warning to the class, I see two major take-aways:
First, he’s probably pretty sick of that question and I don’t blame him at all for having no more answers to give it.
Second, and perhaps more telling, is that the answer just doesn’t matter.
Howard often talks about how–for creators–ideas are rarely the issue. Ideas rain down on us more than we have the time to collect them and turn them into something.
So if ideas aren’t the big issue, what is?
I once came across the best definition of talent that I’ve ever heard (unfortunately as I scrolled or watched the youtube video or read the article, I can no longer remember the source). Talent is when your vision of what your creation can be and your ability to create that thing moves closer to each other. The closer those two things are–the ideal completed product and the ability you have to create it–the higher your level of “talent”. What I love about this definition is that it doesn’t take for granted that talent is just something you’re born with.
While we all come into this world with an affinity to certain subjects, talent really comes from hard work in honing your craft and moving the needle from beginner (which is always far from that ideal creation you imagine) to expert.
It takes time, focus, work, and passion. That is talent.
And this brings me back to the mantra I’ve adopted through Howard’s example and pass on to my clients. Ideas don’t matter. At least, that’s not where your focus and energy is best spent.
So that’s way the ideas don’t really matter. The ability to harness those ideas and tug and bend that idea into a thing, a product, a creation, THAT is the true value.
Which means our success doesn’t lie in that far off exotic idea that we just haven’t grasped yet, it simply relies upon our own hard work.
It is this philosophy in which I base my work, my career, and to the best of my ability, my life. If talent is just a set of skills that, with work, can be improved upon, then the best question to ask is who can help me break down and acquire those skills?
Who can mentor me in leveling up those abilities and moving that needle close enough to the ideal that I can step back and realize, hey! I’ve got some talent in that.
And I earned it.