"Most people think that one is born with innate abilities that make one a classical artist, another a concert pianist, and another a genetic scientist or accomplished writer. I don't know if there is any truth in this, but what I do know is that any skill I have acquired as a writer wasn't inherited at birth; I had to work at it!
I never thought of myself as a writer when my first book was published 27 years ago. I knew I was no Hemingway. Had anyone asked me then what I was about I would have genuinely told them that I was a social crusader who was masquerading as a writer; because that is what I was? I wanted to bring about social change in my life and sphere of work and I believed that the written word was a powerful tool to influence the mind, and if constructed in a certain way, I could gain access to my reader's imagination and hidden feelings.
Oh yes, I could always tell a good story, and when I think about it, 'writing a good story' is merely an added dimension to 'telling one.' If I inherited any innate skill that assists my writing, it was my openness to honestly express my feelings and to boldly use my vivid imagination. I suppose I had my Irish mother to thank for that.
I don't believe that I was a great writer then or that I am a great writer now. I do believe that I am a better and more accomplished writer than I ever was and I know I now possess more ability than I ever had to make my words flow more easily into feeling messages that match the ideas in the heads of others.
If people knew how hard I work to gain my mastery, my skills would not seem so wonderful at all. If they could but see me perform my tasks over and over again until my soul is satisfied, they would know that without the constant practice of my art that I would never be called artisan of my trade. Each display of any accomplishment I have is merely the production of maintained enthusiasm and earnest endeavour.
While there is undoubtedly unique skills in the performance and accomplishments of everyone, nothing succeeds better than hard work and practise, practise, practise." William Forde: November 16th, 2017