Do you feel like you have a lot of thoughts and ideas but struggle to get them down on paper? You aren’t alone. Many people think that they can write until they actually sit down and try to write something. If this sounds familiar, then don’t worry. This article will help you figure out whether or not you are a good writer and, if not, how to work to be one.
You can figure out if you are a good writer by self-criticism to find your own weaknesses that you can then focus on improving. But there will always be someone who does not like your writing. Someone whose opinion matters more than yours will say they don’t like your writing, and that’s okay.
Writing is subjective, which means that what matters most is how you feel about your own writing. There are some characteristics that define a good writer. If you want to figure out if you are any good, take a look at the following list to evaluate yourself against.
You Can Create a Good Story.
There are many people who struggle to come up with an idea for a story. If you feel like this is your struggle, remember this: almost anything can become a story. A good writer has a creative mind and uses it to their advantage. Think about what’s going on around you. If something stands out, use it as the basis for a plot.
If you can come up with really engaging plots, that is a good sign that you have a skill essential for good writing. Continue working to develop this, no matter how good or bad you think you are.
You Want to Write Each Day
If you can’t wait to get back to your writing each day, you are on the right track. Writing is a passion for many people, and if you have that same feeling, your writing skills will likely improve every day.
If you really want to be a good writer, make sure that you write even when inspiration doesn’t strike. Don’t wait for it, force yourself to write something, anything to keep going. Very soon, it will be second nature.
If you think about writing and plot ideas when doing other tasks, you are likely confident in your skills.
A bad writer may not admit it to themselves but will find it more challenging to continue the effort required to keep writing.
A desire to keep writing and constantly put in the effort will mean you will improve. You will become good if you are doing this.
You Read Often
People who read often are more likely to be good writers. That’s because reading is one of the best ways to learn about your own writing style and how it compares with other people’s writing.
If you aren’t sure what you like or dislike about a piece of writing, go back and see how other authors have handled a similar situation.
Reading will also open your mind to new types of writing and genres, which gives you ideas for the things that you can write about yourself.
Absorbing other people’s writing styles will help you reach your full potential as a good writer. The more you read, the better your writing skills will become.
You Share Your Writing with Friends, Family and Writers Groups
It can be difficult to share our work, especially if it is not complete yet. But showing your work to friends or family members is important because they will be able to give you feedback.
If those people are not writers, then it is also good to join a writers group because you will find people who can provide even more extensive feedback and constructive criticism. In addition, they will have experienced the same issues as you and can help with advice that helped them.
You keep trying to perfect your writing skills by seeking help from other writers and using this input as motivation to improve your work.
Even if it’s not complete yet, being willing to share your writing is a good sign that you are on the right track to becoming a good writer.
You Are Patient With Your Writing
Writing is not easy.
Good writers know that it takes time and effort to improve their writing skills, and they make an effort to work through their struggles because they love writing.
If you can embrace the fact that good writing does not come overnight and if you are happy working on something for a long time, you probably have what it takes to become a good writer.
You are ready to put some real work into your writing, then you are already on the right track.
Being patient with your writing because you enjoy the process of improving your writing skill is also a great sign.
People who become good writers never give up, even if they have moments where they feel like their work is not improving.
If this sounds like you, you may be well on your way to being a good writer.
Are you convinced yet that you have what it takes? Ok, here are a few more:
You Can Take and Give Criticism
Good writers are not afraid of other people’s opinions, no matter whether they are positive or negative. The only way you can actually learn whether your writing is any good or not is to get other people’s thoughts on your work.
If you have the confidence to know that your writing can improve, then you are ready to take on other people’s opinions and use them as fuel to become a better writer.
If you are not afraid of criticism, then you are in the mindset to be willing to improve your writing skills. However, if you think your work is perfect the first time around, or if you refuse to listen to anyone who suggests improvements, then you may not be a good writer just yet.
Be open to criticism. It can help give you a new perspective that you may not be able to see that enables you to develop further to be a great writer.
You Edit and Rewrite Your Work When it’s Complete
Not all writers are perfectionists. Some people simply enjoy writing without worrying too much about the end product. That doesn’t mean they cannot become good writers, though.
Confident writers know that good writing cannot be rushed. If you want to create something worth reading, it has to be re-read and edited many times.
If you are the type of writer who is willing to go back and edit your writing when it’s complete, then you might just have what it takes to continually improve.
Being able to edit and rewrite your work when it’s complete is a good sign that you’re on the way.
You Expect Rejection
Just like every other job, there will be times when you get rejected from writing opportunities. It’s essential not to take this too personally because everyone who seeks publication gets rejected and typically many times before finding success.
Good writers know that rejection is a normal part of the writing process and they don’t let it get them down.
Quite the opposite in some cases, actually: The more you get rejected, the more determined you can become to improve your work and impress those people who rejected you.
If you’re not afraid of rejection, then you can be ready to use feedback you may receive to your advantage. Think of any rejection as helpful feedback on what not to do.
Even if you are rejected many times, it’s essential to learn from these experiences.
If you take any feedback that comes with rejection, then all the better. Of course, bad writers will be offended, while good writers will take it as advice.
Writing is always development and improvement, no matter how experienced or inexperienced you are.
You Know What You Are Writing Is Not Perfect
A good writer knows that perfect writing does not exist. They can work through all the areas where their writing falls short and keep improving it because they know there is always room to grow.
Even after you have edited your work, you will likely not be totally happy but will have to let go of the need for perfection at some point.
If you can write with the confidence that it may be improved, then you’ve already made a significant step toward becoming a great writer.
The writing process isn’t perfect, but this is what makes it fun. Without mistakes and unexpected twists and turns, there would be far less excitement in the creative process.
If you accept that writing is a process of mistakes and improvement, you will continue to improve.
You Know You Are Getting Better
You need to be honest and self-evaluate. For example, if you are not confident about the quality of your writing, you may feel the need to put it online anyway to get public feedback as a constructive process.
A confident writer will know they are getting better because they will keep comparing what they wrote last year with what they are writing now. Thus, they can see how far their writing has come and how much improvement they have made.
Whether your writing is getting better or not, you should think critically about it and see the areas where you’re improving.
Writing doesn’t improve with magic. It takes work and lots of it.
A good writer knows this and will always be working toward becoming a better writer.
Being able to write and complete a book or story isn’t enough – you have to work through your writing and really improve it. You can be a good writer, but you need to put in the effort if you want to become a great writer.
You Complete What You Start
Many bad writers will fail to finish what they started. Whether it’s a blog post or a novel, if you abandon your writing in the middle, then you may never become good at what you do.
Good writers know that to be a successful writer takes consistency and commitment. If you want to write something, don’t just start it – finish it. Push through challenging periods to go from beginning to end in your story. Learn from these challenges.
It is only by following through that you will find your voice and learn how to improve.
If you’re willing to commit to your writing, then you will eventually become a good writer – and the best part is that even if you don’t make it as a professional, any experience you gain along the way will be invaluable and serve you well in other aspects of life.
You Don’t Blindly Follow The Rules
There are plenty of “rules” that writers need to follow, but you have to be able to think independently and judge situations on a case-by-case basis.
You should always break the rules if they serve no purpose or aren’t doing any good.
Good writers know that some aspects of writing are expected, so they won’t go out of their way to bend or break these rules.
However, they also know that there are certain circumstances where the rules do not necessarily apply and will break them as needed to make their writing better.
The difference between a good writer and a great one is their ability to intuitively understand the right choice in any given situation. Knowing which rules to follow and which ones to break is a critical skill for any writer.
You Know Your Strong Points And Weaknesses
No one is good at everything. This isn’t meant to discourage you but rather help you understand that you will still need some form of training before you become good at what you do.
Every writer has their strengths and weaknesses. A good writer knows this and doesn’t try to mask them under a false sense of bravado.
Being honest about your writing is the only way you will improve further. Unfortunately, many amateurs won’t ask for outside help because they’re either afraid of being criticized or just don’t want to know where they still have room for improvement.
Only by knowing ourselves can we reach our full potential as writers and achieve success.
You can break the rules if it serves a purpose. You complete what you start and know your strong points and weaknesses. If you keep working on getting better, these are all signs that you could become a good writer one day.
You may think of yourself as a good writer, or you might not. It doesn’t matter if it is your full-time job, freelance writing for income on the side, or just something that comes out when inspired; what really matters is how much time and effort you put into your craft.
The more time spent developing skills in storytelling will yield better results with less frustration.
Let’s reinforce a few essential items to consider when trying to become a better storyteller:
- read often – to improve vocabulary and stay up to date on your niche
- write every day – even if only for 15 minutes
- share work with friends and family members who can give constructive criticism
- edit & rewrite until complete
- expect rejection, but don’t let it stop you from being creative because there’s always an audience for your story.
What kind do you think you are? Let us know in the comments below.