I remember watching an interview with Christopher Hitchens once in which the interviewer said something about everyone having a novel inside them. Hitchens replied "yes, and in the vast majority of cases that is where it should stay inside them." Was he right? It seems obvious that IQ is inherited and that no amount of study will ever turn you into a Harold Bloom or Stephen Fry. And clearly sporting talent is largely inherited as well. How about writing? (or, for that matter, painting, music etc). How good do you think someone can get through relentless hard work? I don't mean hack journalism btw but poetry, fiction, general creative writing etc. Personally, I'm convinced you can either do it or you can't.