I notice that as soon as writers broach this question they begin to quote. I hate quotation. Tell me what you know. Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke and Bacon were only young men in libraries when they wrote these books. There is then creative reading as well as creative writing.
Character is higher than intellect.