We tend to look at successful and creative people as those who have some kind of special gift, who have far more talent, and who have something we don’t.
But I chatted with one of the funniest writers I’ve ever read, Shea Serrano, for his take.
With absolutely no writing background, in just a few years, he wrote three New York Times bestselling books (two of them hit #1), The Rap Year Book, Basketball (And Other Things), and Movies (And Other Things) and wrote for GQ, ESPN, and The Ringer.
And when he broke it down, he explained it had nothing to do with a “gift:”
It had everything to do with hard work, thinking outside the box, and being fearless.
No matter what you’re striving for in life, his advice in this interview will make a big impact.
In this episode, Shea talks about:
- What inspired him to start writing (with no experience) and what motivated him
- The first moment he realized he could turn writing into a real career with real money
- One of the best writing lessons he got that transformed his work
- The approach he took to separate himself from other, more-talented writers
- The way he creates ideas no one else sees (Hint: it’s not something he’s born with and it something anyone can potentially do)
- How to reframe failure and rejection — by thinking about Stephen Curry — and the only reason why he got accepted into college
- How to take a big step right now toward achieving your dreams
Find out more about Shea:
- Check out his column on The Ringer
- Follow him on Twitter
- Check out his awesome books, The Rap Year Book, Basketball (and Other Things), and Movies (and Other Things)
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