I hear this way too often: “I’d love to write, but I just don’t have the talent for it.” Or my personal favourite: “My kid loves stories, but they’re not naturally gifted like other children.”

The “natural talent” myth is probably the biggest load of nonsense holding back aspiring writers today. Whether you’re dreaming of writing your first novel or wondering if your child should try that creative writing class, it’s time we had an honest conversation about what writing ability actually is.