This is partly due to the history of literacy that rested for many centuries within highbrow elites. Correspondingly, most universities in Europe were not used to provide writing classes, at least not to such an extent like in the USA, where one can even gain a degree by writing a novel. Nevertheless, the picture has changed a bit lately, which is best expressed in the increased offer of writing courses at universities all over the globe. The Internet, as it constructs the need for more texts than ever, has contributed enormously to this development. As cause and effect at the same time, less people feel gifted and work more on their writing skills.
But yet, the majority is convinced of being a good writer by nature and does not work on its talent. Or is it that they fear sharp criticism? Because this is what you get in a writing school in general and a screenwriting school in particular. Additionally, you develop characters, get to know the style requirements of a script, work on your own or a group’s script project, learn how to build up structures and how to sell your script, get in touch with interesting and useful people, or analyse scenes, sequences, and entire scripts.
But the main thing that you receive is feedback. The success of educational screenwriting institutions proves that you can learn how to write a script, and feedback is its main means in the whole process.
Even though it might be hard to take in criticism at the beginning, it is for the best of all of us, writers and readers. And maybe the fear of this instrument is another reason for that writing gift myth.
