Greg Dittman

English 150 Sec. 800

July 17, 2015
Writing Prompt 4
All men are created equal. (Declaration of Independence). Under our uniform
governing body this statement holds true-- or at least we hope to assume. But no
member of mankind was born identical to another. I believe in the practice of
individuality. Simply put--humans are born unique. Each human being is born with
different strengths, weaknesses, passions, beliefs, and more. Somewhere along the
path of history, the belief that all humans are born with equal capability of writing was
originated. I disagree. With further investigation and analyzation, I hope to unravel the
misstated belief that all writers are created equal and urge the reader to explore the
uniqueness of individuality in the millions of writers across the world.
Donald Clifton, a famous American psychologist, discovered the importance of
human individuality. By recognizing the different strengths found in humans, Clifton
created a psychological assessment called the Clifton StrengthsFinder. However, this
assessment didnt find strengths, it found talents. Clifton created a formula, stating
Strength = Talent * Investment. This leads me to analyze the importance of
investment in order to be successful in writing. Compare me to the best student in this
class. Is this student an English or Literature major? Does this student write daily?
Most likely. Now compare me to someone who is illiterate. Is my writing better? Of
course, because he or she cannot or simply does not write. This leads me to

emphasize the importance of time and commitment. To be a good writer you must be
willing to invest time of your day to better your writing. Now consider this, why is
someone a better writer than you if he or she invests the same amount of time into
writing as you? No longer is the psychologists argument focusing on nurture but,
instead, nature.
If you were to gamble on my NBA hopes before I attended college, you would be
a fool. Genetically, I am of average height. According to The Boston Globe, the chance
of someone my height making the NBA is a fraction of a fraction percent. The chance of
someone going to the NBA if they are 7 feet or taller? The answer is a staggering 17
percent. Each 7 footer is born genetically predisposition to have a better chance of
making the NBA. Our minds work the same. Each person is born with an ability to
excel in different areas of education. Ive excelled at math but struggled in science. Its
not a matter of which subject I put more time into but rather my minds ability to
understand and comprehend the information. People are born genetically
predispositioned to excel in certain areas including writing.
Good writers are not created equal. They were born with a mind that could
handle the immense struggles, challenges, and hardships that a writing career might
encounter. Writing is not a burden to them but an enjoyment. I am a strong believer
that you like things because you are good at them, not the other way around. Through
investment and development of their natural talent, writers transform writing into a
strength. By doing so, theyve created an intangible asset held by few.