| "> | | | | have learnt how to overcome their weaknesses |
| I was tempted to start out by saying something | | | | and written excellent plays, enriching the world |
| like, 'Gee Mozart was great, but think what he | | | | some fraction of the amount Shakespeare did. |
| would have done with the help of the Internet to | | | | Even if they didn't talk to William Shakespeare, |
| link him with all of the other composers, | | | | they could have discussed writing with a broad |
| musicians, and instrument makers in the world?' | | | | range of other writers from all over Europe. |
| However, I'm not sure he would have massively | | | | Assuming they possessed some talent, they could |
| benefited from being able to connect with | | | | have found someone who was strong in the |
| anyone, anywhere, anytime. The same goes for | | | | areas that they were weak in, and have helped |
| Picasso, Michelangelo, Shakespeare, or any of the | | | | others who were weak in areas they were gifted |
| other grandmasters of various arts. William | | | | in. |
| Shakespeare was a genius who created one | | | | Thankfully we have the Internet. Online chat |
| thousand seven hundred new words, one in ten | | | | rooms and writing forums allow would-be authors |
| of all the words he used. Hard to imagine such a | | | | anywhere to talk to experienced writers and |
| genius being helped much by being connected with | | | | make friends with other aspiring writers. A young |
| the rest of the world's writers. | | | | woman in the smallest village in Norway, hours |
| However, I think the inverse is true. Think of | | | | away from the nearest person with any serious |
| what being connected with other writers of the | | | | thought of being a writer, can talk to other |
| world (including William Shakespeare) would have | | | | writers everyday. Aspiring songwriters can talk to |
| done to help writers of that era. Imagine a young | | | | other composers, painters to other artists. |
| woman, ten years younger than Shakespeare, | | | | Anyone can talk to the leading expert in their field |
| living in a tiny village in Ireland. She had a true | | | | (if she will give them a few minutes of her time) |
| shining gift for plot and description which could | | | | without long trips by coach or car, or arranging an |
| have made her one of the great writers of her | | | | appointment many weeks ahead of time. |
| age. Sadly, she didn't have an understanding of | | | | Hopefully with this ease of connecting with |
| character motivation. So she lived, struggled with | | | | anyone, anywhere, anytime, and the broad |
| character motivation, died, and was forgotten. | | | | support gained through connecting, people who |
| She would have benefited greatly from being able | | | | have the potential to be geniuses will be |
| to go into a chat room and then talking to William | | | | encouraged. They may grow into another |
| Shakespeare about creating well-rounded | | | | Shakespeare, another Mozart, or another |
| characters. If they'd had the Internet, any | | | | Michelangelo. |
| number of failed sixteenth century writers might | | | | |