How Terrifying to Try Writing Novels Based Only on 'Talent'! (A Recommendation for Establishing a Writing Method)

"Novels are written with 'talent'"—I imagine there are quite a few people who are trapped by that biaspreconception, aren't there?

But isn't it terrifying to write a novel by relying on something as "vague" as "talent"?Isn't it terrifying?

Being at the mercy of a "talent" that you don't even know if you have—and even if you do, you don't know when it might dry up—and then it's "the end" once it's exhausteddepleted... doesn't that sound like a miserable life for a writer?

To begin with, what even is "talent"?

Isn't it a bit too much of a life-gambling act to live by clinging to something whose true nature you don't even really understand?

At the very least, I have never once thought about writing a novel using "talent."

Novels are written with not "talent," but with "technique" and a "method"—thinking that, I have worked hard from the beginning to acquire skills and establish a method.

■ It is overwhelmingly easier to have a "craftsman's temperament" than to be a genius

It might be a rare case, but I have never longed to be a "genius type."

On the contrary, I have always thought, "Is being a genius really as cool as people say? Isn't a craftsman much cooler?"

After all, don't geniuses have an image of being "moody" and "having extreme ups and downs"?

While they can sometimes write "stories that overwhelm others" without difficulty, once they fall into a slump, they can't put pen to paper at all...

That is a common type for the stereotypical "great author," isn't it?

Why does that happen? → The answer is simple. It is because geniuses create high-quality work

without being conscious of it and without intending to.

While "creating high-quality work unconsciously" might seem like an "amazing thing" at first glance...

Being "unconscious" means, conversely, that they cannot create it by being conscious of it.

And if that "unconsciousness" goes even slightly off-kilter, they suddenly become unable to do what they were able to do before.

Compared to that, a "craftsman" can create high-quality work consciously.

...Or rather, a "craftsman" is a "person who has established techniques" by sharpening and honing their "consciousness."

A "craftsman" is someone who is "conscious" of what ordinary people do "unconsciously" and keeps it under their own control.

Don't you think that a craftsman is several levels 'superior' to a mere genius?

For example, among those who have mastered crafts or performing arts, there are people recognized as 'Living National Treasures,' or 'people whose very existence is a treasure'.

I have always admired that kind of person, 'whose every day-to-day task becomes a treasure.'

Producing high-quality work as a matter of 'routine' and as a 'matter of course'—not by 'fluke' or a 'stroke of luck'—and then being able to say, 'I just did my job as usual'—don't you think that is much more 'cool' as a person?

Besides, above all else, isn't a 'craftsman's temperament' overwhelmingly 'easier on the mind' for the creator themselves?

Once you have established the technique, you just have to work according to it, and naturally, high-quality work will be produced...

■ Skill improvement is actually fun

When people say 'honing your skills' or 'accumulating study,' it gives the 'image' that you will be forced to endure great 'hardship', but...

Skill improvement that you can enjoy actually exists.

…Or rather, I believe that 'how to hone your skills in a way that suits you and is fun' is the very 'key to improvement'.

Are you all familiar with the term 'gamification'?

In business (especially in employee training), it is mainly used to mean 'learning something in a fun, game-like way' (or performing efficiency improvements or optimizations).

As the old proverb goes, 'what one likes, one does well'...

It is only by 'enjoying' things with a feeling of 'liking' them that you can progress and make those skills a part of your own flesh and blood.

For example, for my own 'writing skill improvement', I have done things like 'writing one work while focusing on a single skill' and 'writing one work while intentionally sealing off elements' (e.g., sealing off comedy elements to challenge myself with a serious story)'...intentionally sealing off elements

I didn't do it reluctantly, but with the feeling of, 'It's a challenge run! Yahoo!'

In the first place, regarding skill improvement for writing, I do it while 'thoroughly enjoying it' with the feeling of 'skill development' in a game, thinking, 'I want to raise this skill next, so I'll do special training on this element.'

In a way, it's the feeling of playing a 'novelist development simulation game' where I am the protagonist.

I am probably a person who is less susceptible to biases, and my 'preconceptions' are weaker than other people's (← there is a reason for that too, but it's a long story, so I won't go into it here)...

To begin with, I have never had the 'fixed idea' that 'raising skills is painful' or 'improving skills is a hassle'.

So, I naturally came to think, 'Improving my skills is fun!' and 'It's a thrill to be able to do things I couldn't do before!'

Isn't what's necessary to improve at things actually a 'mentality that enjoys the effort' rather than 'talent'?

No matter how much 'talent' you have, effort is required to polish that talent.

In such times, wouldn't it be painful if you didn't have the mentality to love that effort?

■ 'Stealing skills' in creative fields comes from 'behind-the-scenes stories' and 'production secrets'

In the world of craftsmanship, you're often told by your seniors to 'steal the technique,' aren't you?

Culinary and craft artisans can actually 'steal' those techniques by watching with their own eyes, but that doesn't work in creative fields like novel writing.

So, how should you steal writing skills?
→ The answer is 'analyzing the making-of.'

In this world, there are many people who share 'how they' created their works through 'behind-the-scenes stories' and 'production secrets'.

You steal 'know-how you can use' from such 'making-of information.'

Hidden within other people's making-of stories are often perspectives I hadn't thought of and methodologies I hadn't imagined.

Finding those is fun, like a 'treasure hunt.'

However, what you must be careful about is that the 'skills you steal' must be 'something that suits you.'

Creators come in various types, and their preferred styles are also various, aren't they?

For example, if an author who likes a light style refers to the know-how of a 'profound and authentic' author, it might end up being a 'waste of time'.

When people talk about 'the know-how of a popular author,' some might jump on it without thinking at all, but...

You need to properly discern whether that know-how is 'truly useful to you' and 'whether it suits your style.'

I usually scour the making-of stories of various 'creators,' not limited to novelists, such as film directors, animators, manga artists, and copywriters.

This is because even if it is know-how from "other content," there are parts that can be "applied" to novels.

In fact, just as famous manga artists of the Showa era drew inspiration from other content like "movies," I too want to gain "something new that is not found in novel content" from other content.

■ Establishing a "Procedure" for Writing

The greatest enemy of creative activity is "slump"… It was with that thought in mind that I began working on something from the very beginning of my activities.

That is the "establishment of a writing method"—gathering ideas, refining concepts, building settings, writing the main text… it means firmly solidifying the "methodology" for every step of the procedure so that it can be followed again and again.

Specifically, I write down the "best way that worked" for each process as text so that I can read it repeatedly later.

"Summarizing it into text" means "becoming conscious" of the procedure you followed.

It means "becoming aware" of your own techniques and your own habits.

That in itself leads to skill improvement as a "craftsman" and makes high-quality techniques a "standard operation."

Above all, if you are always "conscious" of your writing procedure, you will no longer "unconsciously fall into a slump because it gets out of whack."

In fact, since I started "creating methods," I have never fallen into a slump worthy of the name (where I become unable to write).

In my case, I know for a fact that if I make it something "I don't show others," I will become "sloppy," so I post it on my blog and finish it as text on the premise that it will be "shown to others."

When you write text with the intention of "showing it to others," you are sometimes surprisingly struck by it yourself when you read it back later.

Even now, I sometimes read my past articles and re-examine my methods.

I keep thinking about whether I can not only continue to follow the methods I created in the past as they are, but also upgrade them to evolve them into "better techniques."