About 2,500 years ago, Socrates posed the question in Plato's Phaedrus: "What, then, is the way to distinguish good writing from bad?" But as it turned out, he was just being a wise guy: the question was rhetorical. Hell-bent on discrediting the newfangled invention of writing, Socrates went on to argue that a written text, unlike speech, can only remind us of what we already know. "So it is with written words: you might think they spoke as if they had intelligence, but if you question them, wishing to know about their sayings, they always say one and the same thing."
We know this, of course, because Plato wrote the dialogue.
So despite Socrates' objections, writing caught on--"big time," as they never said in ancient Greece. And in the centuries since, teachers, editors, and writers themselves have tried to work out a reasonable answer to his rhetorical question: what does distinguish good writing from bad? And in what ways are good writers different from bad writers?
For the complete article, go to What Is the Difference Between a Good Writer and a Bad Writer?
Comments
When a book catches me on the first page, it has been writen by a good writer.
When bookand I feel a little alone, empty or sad, surely it has been writen by a good writer. (I meant when I finish a book)
When I look forward reading a new book by that author,he is a good writer.
Perhaps I know very a little aboutgrammar,sentences constraccions,etc. I only use my intuition and I know what I feel.
The way I distinguish a good writer from a bad writer is that they seem to know – whether innately or from vigous editing – how long to keep each scene. The suspense stabs you on every other page as you wait for the story and characters to unfold yet you never rush because you know each sentence will be a journey and you don’t want to miss a single word. Any questions you have answered soon after you ask them and you have an opinion on all the characters. A truly good writer can make characters you can really hate (e.g. Jane Austen). Novels you want to read over and over again – especially the ones as soon as you finish it the first time you flip back to the first page and start all over again. Though the absolute best writer will make you cry with them. They will make you connect. You shut yourself off from the world so you can drown into that book and close it sobbing like a baby.
I had been writing since 2003 and now consider myself a writer, though not a published writer. I have no clue if I’m a “good” writer but I hadn’t received any negative opinion from my readers (a few) so far. Mostly, the criticism had to do with plot holes. I heard Stephen King once say that this is a good sign. I had the form right, but as to substance . . . There.
I don’t distinguish good writers from bad ones. Who am I to judge? The writings of several venerated authors, both living and dead, have bored me beyond tolerance. Currently successful writers who pop out best sellers by the dozens each year seem, to my unlearned eye, to have renamed the characters from their previous book and moved them to different time periods. Yawn. Personally, I blame the publishers for that but that’s a different topic.
I know nothing about what constitutes a good or bad writer. I only know what I like. Books are like paintings. They engulf me or they do not. Some books I wish would never end. Some go on too long.
I think that a good writer is someone who doesn’t start the story in the intention of writing it, becomes the character during a daydream and accomplishes the adventures themselves, making it so that you don’t know what will happen next any more than the reader will, but you let the sequence of events fall into place how they will as if they were happening at that moment. Then take the adventure and toss it around in your mind and talk to other people and tell them the story once per person, and don’t actually write it down until you feel that the adventure couldn’t possibly get better. Then type it up and let your friends read and critic it to see what they can add.
A good writer writes how they speak. They illustrate their world through the use of words, to be regarded and interpreted by the reader. Good writing is synonymous with proper usage, spelling, syntax, and the ability to convey emotion through the manipulation of words. A good writer recognizes that writing is an art, and being a good artist is mastering your tools: finding connection between the inner eye and the hand. A good writer constantly scrutinizes and improves on their work, until a masterpiece evolves.
I’m only 16, but i’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as i can remember. Unless, or course, you count that week in the third grade when I wanted to drive construction equipment for a living.
I started out thinking that I was a good writer, but I made every single mistake which identifies a lackluster and mediocre writer. Now, I often have doubts if I’ll ever be published on a large scale. But then, I always set unreachable standards for myself. I’ve been told by english teachers, family, friends, and the like that I’m as good, if not better than Christopher Paolini, or J.K Rowling. I never believe them, because, frankly, you just can’t trust your family and friends to be good quality control.
Looking through the above quotes, however, my energy, my vitality, has been restored. Reading through those quotes, I realized that I have every single characteristic which identifies a good writer. Every page is hard for me. When I’m actually writing a story, every detail of every page is reviewed multiple times. I put hours into making sure that all the dialogue is canon, even if only to advance relationships between characters, and that it sounds natural to the reader. I try to reach people when I write. I want my stories to make an impact on them that will keep them thinking for months, even years, after they read it. Otherwise, I don’t even think I could enjoy writing. And if I don’t enjoy it, then what’s the point of writing?
So it is said that there is more than one way to be great. Also, there are how many:
“ways to skin a cat”?
A writer does not write with the main objective being that of attention, or recognition.
Indeed it may be within their desires, but the writing is not a power of control. More, a power that controls you. Even if you can control your writing style…you cannot control your writing or you are not great. Like you cannot pursuade your heart to pump blood in the other direction, you have no way to tell your mind to stop writing even as you sleep. Not trying intentionally, but not being able to stop.
The desire to try constantly, is only a desire, and you may become good and doubtfully, but possibly, great. The desire to stop beyond your ability to stop… now that is what makes a great writer.
Do not mirror your favorites, do not seek a style, and most certainly, DON”T TRY TO WRITE. If your a writer, it comes naturally, and to what extent determines your level of “rank”. You can purposely sharpen your tool as much as you like, but in the end, a butter knife will never be a samurai… it is all about what the blade is made of.
Quotes never make things facts. But if you want to know who I quoted that from, it’s Tim McGee, a teacher at Worland High School in Wyoming back in 1999. No-I am not from Wymoing (I was just watching one of his lectures and know that he’s from there) He has a Ph.D in philosiphy. Yes, I know I said that quotes don’t make things facts yet here I am, quoting someone, but you don’t need to quote someone to know that quotes are simply the opinions of one person.
HUMAN PENCIL: Can I quote you on that?
—-By the way, that’s not hippocrissy because I said quotes don’t make things “facts” and you’re using quotes to prove facts. Pencil man or whatever is using quotes to express an “opinion”.—-
If I sound like a jerk today, don’t bug me about it.
Oh yeah, and to the guy who said he thinks he can write better than Christopher Paolini and JK Rowling: go to KidPub.com It’s an online website for young writers (and it’s interactive) since not a lot of people have an account on it (the most anyone’s been on was 77 but that was one time. Usually, it’s 14-30 in the evening), we’re all one big family. We can really help you grow. Oh, but you have to pay for membership. ($13/year)
Good writing says something to you both clearly and effectively.
Having said that, I think “WALK/DON’T WALK” was just as well-written as The Bible or “Hasta la vista, baby.”
People get it, people remember it and it brings something good to their lives, be it insight, entertainment or safety.
A good writer says what he/she means. A bad writer says what he/she thinks others want to hear.
When a book grabs you, takes you into a mgical parallel world, and won’t let you go til the tale’s finished.
A chimp on crack could write better than Paolini. I wouldn’t try to beat JK rowling though. Her writing style might not be the best in the box but her storytelling ability is top notched.
What a negative article.
All the would-be novelists that may look at this and linking pages (as well as the replies), see the traits mentioned or associated with being a ‘bad’ writer, and assume it to be true.
For anyone who has inspiration to write or be a novelist, please do so with gusto and self-confidence. A ‘good’ writer is someone who wants to write for the love of it.
So disappointing !!!
I agree with Jamie, the article should be motivating rather then demotivating ..
There is no harm to try and fail atleast you gave it a shoot.