Everybody's a writer nowadays, anybody can publish anything, even half-rate love stories that go "he said, she said" all over the place. What's even more repulsive than the quality of the work being published is the people writing it. They're horrible to be around, these half-writers. For instance, a half-writer I know believes that she truly has the ability to write for a living. She forces everyone in her writing class to give her their own work so that she may make suggestions and feel as though she is better than them. Somehow, it seems to me that writing second-rate fantasy stories does not mean you have the Knack.
The Knack is elusive and is impossible to describe, and yet anyone who compares Twilight with Austen novels can see the difference due to the presence of the Knack. Many people believe they have a talent when it comes to writing, but they are sadly mistaken. As with most things, when a person begins to believe that they are talented in some area of their life -- truly believe that they have within them a flame of art or passion -- it is then that they become unbearable in company and through their work. Usually their work will consist of meaningless words on a page, unimaginative plots, or outright imitation. And also, these people are only under the impression that they're any good. A blind man with a stick could tell them otherwise.
The Knack-deception is a horrible cycle, full of lost friends and headaches... for everyone else. The would-be writer remains completely oblivious and scorned by all. Whenever she is confronted with her inadequacy, she finds it impossible to believe that there is really a problem with her writing. The only way to improve in an art -- or anything for that matter -- is to be able to see where you fail. This doesn't mean that you should be able to proofread your paper as though you've never read it before, but you should be able to admit that you're wrong. When this happens, the would-be becomes humble and begins to search to make themselves better, just for the sake of learning. This situation is more ideal and is conducive to the Knack. It is in the depths of despair that the true writer emerges, when the art is unleashed and inspiration runs rampant. Here, the writer is able to truly think and discard ideas without feeling as though every errant thought is a perfect piece of philosohpy.
The Knack-deception cycle does not just apply to writing, but as this is for a writing class, I doubt that my failure in French is anywhere near applicable. Sometimes it's dangerous to be at the top, to always be able to perform better than everyone else. At this point, it is healthy to attend a French contest where you can see your glaring pronunciation problems or lack of conversational ability. After this experience, it is typical to return home feeling somewhat relieved that there's work to be done and modes of improvement. This was not a case of thinking that I had a Knack, but simply being thrown to the top, asked all the questions and being able to answer them. I know that I haven't fallen into the Knack-deception cycle because the thought of putting hours of extra work into my problem areas is exciting and new, to be able to expand and learn in AP French next year.
Please, if you know anyone who is a victim of the Knack-deception cycle, call this number (000) 000-0000 or hit them upside the head with a book and hope they never speak to you again.
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