How do you know if you are a good writer?

[cloggirl1]

I'm fairly new to writing articles. I work part time for one of the sites that pays very little for articles. I'm not doing it for the money but the experience.

Can anyone tell, in your own opinion, tell me what makes a good writer?
Eventually I am going to apply for demand studios, but I'm going to try text brokers first.
Is there anywhere else that a new writer can apply to get more experience.?

My articles are okay, but I'm sure with more experience they will get better. Are they any links that you all can share with me to look at. I love to write, but in reality I know I need more experience in able to get paid what a good writer should.

I really enjoy writing, especially personal stories, so topic writing is new to me.

Thank you for reading.

Leigh Anne

[bloggergirl]

I really was a horrible writer when it comes to grammer and stuff. I got better by just writing. Knowing if your a good writer is something that everyone struggles with. If you believe in yourself and your writing, then you will be fine.

[WAHbird]

Originally Posted by bloggergirl

I really was a horrible writer when it comes to grammer and stuff. I got better by just writing. Knowing if your a good writer is something that everyone struggles with. If you believe in yourself and your writing, then you will be fine.

I disagree: I don't think believing in yourself and your writing is enough if you want to make it professionally. It's a start, but you have to be willing to take a hard look at your writing and challenge yourself to improve constantly.

To the OP: I've found that honest feedback from an editor or colleague is the best way to improve. It's difficult to assess your own writing objectively.

[Hoping2]

I gotta agree with WAHbird. Writing is work. Believing in yourself can give you confidence, but it won't help your writing. But in the end, writing is just too subjective to be able to say without a doubt that someone is or is not a good writer. Just look at all the Stephenie Meyer fans out there.
*ducking*

[christent04]

I don't know if I'm a good writer. I personally believe that I am mediocre and need to study some more, as writing was just a personal satisfaction for myself growing up. We didn't really write a lot in school when it came to papers, etc. We were taught (even in high school) to focus more on spelling, definitions and things that were related to taking all of those wonderful standardized tests. I grew up in Florida, my last year of high school was in Alabama. My honors English professor was difficult. Dr. Hannah, because he focused on a LOT of writing. I didn't do so well in his class, but I still made it! :-)

So, I think I have a LOT of improvement, despite the compliments I receive on anything I have written. I want to be fantastic, not mediocre. I think for me to know that I'm a GOOD writer, I would have to pass my work out to those who are experienced and those who others turn to for writing advice. They would have to give it the stamp of approval. :-)

[Yuliya Mironova]

Hi Leigh Anne,

Originally Posted by cloggirl1

How do you know if you're a good writer?

I think it's a huge, complicated, difficult, contentious and enormously interesting question!

And not one I can offer an answer to without writing 1,000 words (which is perhaps an indication that I'm not a "good writer"!).

But, may I still cheekily offer one observation, here? I suspect the question you're really asking here may be "How do you know if you're a good online article writer"? And that's a very different question, isn't it? Because there may be a sense (or even many senses) in which "good writers", among all people, will find it pretty hard to become to become "good online article writers"? Or am I wrong there - (maybe)?

[christent04]

Good point Yuliya:-)

[TXWriter]

Good question!

Here's my take on it:

1. Read everything that you can about how to write.
2. Identify some good writers and follow their work.
3. Seek out feedback on your work from writers and nonwriters. (Consider it a blessing if you have a good editor.)
4. When you can, take advantage of free as well as paid writing classes.

In my opinion, writing is a talent and a skill that is honed through practice. If, after doing all above for a while (remember, it takes time to build up a skill), you are still receiving negative feedback, then it may be time to give up on writing.

A quick way to tell if writing is not for you is to determine whether or not you enjoy it. I know some folks who are actually decent writers and possibly could succeed, but they hate the work involved in writing. For them, writing is the wrong career choice.

I hope this helps.

[Yuliya Mironova]

Originally Posted by TXWriter

1. Read everything that you can about how to write.
2. Identify some good writers and follow their work.
3. Seek out feedback on your work from writers and nonwriters. (Consider it a blessing if you have a good editor.)
4. When you can, take advantage of free as well as paid writing classes.

Originally Posted by TXWriter

A quick way to tell if writing is not for you is to determine whether or not you enjoy it.

I must say, that all sounds like really good advice to me! (And it was ever so much more helpful than my "contribution"! ).

[TXWriter]

Thanks Yuliya Mironova!

Your advice was pretty good too. I just went a bit more general is all. You can't go wrong with practicing and getting feedback (at least I don't think that you can).