I’ve stumbled across a marketing campaign for an e-book about article writing. “can write an article in 30 minutes,” the campaign screams.
Writing a good article that has solid grammar and accurate information is easy. That is, if you have the skills, talent, ability, and you know the subject well. I could probably slam out 500 words on horses in probably less than 15 minutes. Would it be good? Yes. I know the subject and have expertise. I have top-quality writing skills. I have talent, and I’m good at my job.
Read the marketing campaign claim I mentioned again. It claims that anyone can write an article in 30 minutes. That claim is absolutely false.
Writing takes years of practice and training. The skill of writing is, in itself, extremely common. Most individuals can read and write. Does that mean these individuals can write well or are competent in the skill of writing? Definitely not.
The perception is that because something is common, anyone can do it. The truth is that just because someone has an ability does not mean they are good at it. Take running, for example. Humans can run, but not everyone makes it to the Olympics, do they? Far from it. Olympic athletes are people with higher ability who train extensively and hone their skills and talents. They find ways to be better and faster.
No one would compare an Olympic runner to the guy next door who can run around the block. These two people are worlds apart in ability, training, and skill level. So why do people continue to confuse professional writers with individuals who know how to write?
That goes for graphics, too. When you can instantly install a program on your computer and learn how to manipulate images, it’s easy for someone to call himself an artist. You find a photo, add some text, and a few special effects filters, and voila – instant graphics.
In the realm of self-publishing, any fool can write a book. To write a successful quality book that is a best seller is a whole other story (no pun intended).
Those of us who studied, gained experience, and paid our dues with long hours of training have learned what works and what doesn’t in a composition or a piece of writing. Raw talent isn’t enough.
And just try to explain that spellcheck does not equal proofreader; and no, getting your old high school English teacher to peek at your MSS is not the same thing as hiring a competent and experienced editor.
Here endeth the brief rant.