The Tough Truth about Talent

For those of you who haven't watched the amazing video of Susan Boyle's singing performance for Britain's Got Talent, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY, it's worth it to have a look. This unassuming, unattractive lady who is initially scoffed at for dreaming of a singing career, belts out a tune that is nothing less of heartrending. A lesson is here for those of us who judge a book by its cover or imagine that talent comes in any predefined or stereotyped package. In so many fields today, especially the creative ones that are so competitive, the only edges that people can get are who they know or how they look. It's sad but true. So much talent is out there waiting to be recognized that never will be.

Performers are particularly judged by their looks, and, in some fields, such as fashion, youth is a criteria for success. Writers, however, often pen their first famous works after they retire from other careers and, while a nice cover photo is great, it's not essential nor is a model-perfect figure or appearance for book tours. Still, writing talent is not often measured fairly and accurately by editors, publishers, and agents. It is not an easy task to weed out the chafe from the wheat, so to say when there are so many manuscripts vying for attention and promotion.

So how is true talent recognized and identified? How do you know if you have what it takes to shine in a world where so many wannabe stars can block your light? Think back to your childhood. What hobbies and pasttimes did you enjoy most? Did you ever have teachers compliment you especially on one of your creations or projects? Were you particularly proud of your achievements in one field? Is there something today that you still dabble in and that co-workers or friends admire? Although talent needs to be nutured, it usually is inborn. Many artists and musicians come from families of people with similar talent, although it's not purely a genetic inheritance. Often, it is being exposed to certain pursuits from an early age. For instance, most great pianists start lessons early. But not all those who begin young become virtuosos. The seed has to be there. but so does a great deal of hard work and luck.

For myself, I've always loved to write. I was encouraged by family members and teachers to continue writing and expressing myself with words. But most of what I wrote, I wrote for myself. I enjoyed seeing some of it in print in college when I wrote for my college newspaper and later when I wrote for pet magazines. But when I finally decided to self publish my romance novel, "Cloudy Rainbow," it was a different ballgame. I didn't expect to become an overnight talent or grow rich by the copies that were sold. And, of course, neither scenario has taken place. I'm glad my work is out there and am hoping to continue writing. I'm also hoping it will be recognized by a traditional publisher or an agent eventually. Like Susan Boyle, you just never know. You have to keep trying to live your dream and polishing your talent no matter what the initial reactions are.