What Makes You a Good Writer? Using Words Creatively

I stumbled upon your article while I was during research for an article I'm currently working on. Funny enough this is the question that stumped me too. I really enjoy your piece here! It's exactly how I would describe a good writer, "thought-provoking, interesting and able to captivate the intended audience from start to finish."

Great article!

I get a lot fewer of the freelance jobs I apply for online these days. There is a lot more competition and standards are changing too. They want different things from writers now. I find it's sometimes really phony and more unethical (more marketing oriented than I feel comfortable with).

Great hub! SHARING this one!

This hub is well said. I bookmarked it into a creative writing file and shared it with followers, Twitter, and Facebook. The question is one that a writer or a writing group can productively return to again and again.

Your answer is very good as far as it goes. I would go further into the question by distinguishing between a good writer and good writing. A writer is one thing--a person--and the writing another. If a writer grows in character and becomes a better, more mature, wiser, more compassionate, etc., person, the writing will get better, too.

As regards good writing, I would distinguish between denotation and connotation. Good writing not only conveys the author's meaning clearly but conveys and evokes the author's feeling. When I go hubhopping, it is easy to tell good writing from bad writing--I can't make sense of the bad writing, but I am most attracted to the hubs that are not only well written but from which (as from yours) I get a sense of a sincere person with a good heart and with a take the ups and downs of life with good cheer attitude. That comes with character growth and can't be faked. That aside, a writer can give a hub a core emotion--the satisfaction given by a favorite recipe, the concern stirred by a social problem, the bewilderment brought by a question like, "What makes a good writer?", and so on.

I had to read your hub as I am wanting to learn as much as possible about writing. You pointed out some good suggestions on writing simple, keeping it readable and enjoyable for the reader. Thanks for sharing.

This hub is inspiring, and that is one sign of good writing. A good writer produces good writing, which I think is both science and art. Science as in using grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure plus the elements of composition. But art as in the spark of creative imagination that makes those words come alive to excite the mind of the reader.

good question, cindy... and I like the definition by Balzac. It fits my philosophy at least

This is very motivating, gave me a nice positive feeling that helps me think of new and ever expanding ideas. Good hub and a great writer!

Hi homestead .. I did find my book .. YAY! I had a job interview & want to take the job, but it conflicts with my childcare situation so I'm very torn. Just giving you follow-up.

I like the way you captured the essence of what writers (good ones) do! Great hub - voted up, useful and awesome.

This is a question that we all ask ourselves I think. And I think it is important to ask and answer it for ourselves--I loved your answer!

HSB, very thought-provoking. I think I may always have a problem with "less is more" because I like talking too much. LOL You and the person quoted are right about writing what you know. I have had to write about things I didn't know, and it is a struggle. Not that I don't get writer's block, but writing what I do know just seems to flow. Thanks for writing such great info! :-) Votes and shares!!

With so many writers, as we all are in some way, at some time in our lives, and most ideas already old news, it seems to me that it is the unique expression of a relatable idea. It is the assemblege of words that hits a note...an idea that goes a notch beyond how we have already thought. Your article is uplifting and inspirational. You've got it, girl. Happy Birthday to you.

I think an urge to say something and language skill makes a good writer. Any random person may have idea inside his/her mind, but only good writer has skills to execute his/her idea in words.

Happy birthday Cindy!

Good for you! You set-out for something, tried it & that's important. I had a GREAT book on Freelancing by Moira Allen. I lost it this week. Keep a prayer that I find it, please. I will pray for success in your next shot at a paying job. I've enjoyed your mind-joggles. Stll working on the answer to that question. It means so many different things at different times, but I'm working on it.

My mother asked me who I was writing my book for?

It was the key question after asking what the book is about?

Clever mother.

Your Hub was a lovely piece of writing and your answer was clever. I'd add that a good writer has a unique point of view, naturally.

Loved this Hub which is wonderfully thought provoking.

Thanks.

Hi Cindy-Thanks for sharing this process with us because it's really helpful. There is so much to learn. Regarding the question on what is a good writer-I think a good writer is someone that writes their experiences from the heart and brings the reader with them on that journey. Writers hopefully intrigue, entertain and educate. To me, the bottom line, no matter what topic your writing about, is the passion behind the writing that brings the reader into your world and experience. Thanks for making me think about it. I hit many buttons. BTW-Thanks for help with my questions, I really appreciate it. I was surprised when you reminded me you've only been on Hubpages for five months. Your doing great here and it seems like you've been here longer.

How did I miss this hub? That is a tough question and you had a great answer. I have a feeling they were more interested in your ability to communicate your answer than the answer itself. Would I add anything? I think that a good writer also produces a passion and excitement to the reader, and possibly motivates him or her to action.

Great hub! I am dying to know what happened with this job. I just wrote a hub on the topic of writing and I was glad to see some overlapping ideas; the road to truth has many paths. I really liked the quote by Ferdinand Brunetière, Honoré de Balzac.

Tracy

Great hub. I think all of us have a different answer and of course they are all correct. Like Mr. Miagi say, "If come from inside, it right way. That's the creative side and there is no getting around the mechanics of creating a top notch story that takes the reader from beginning to end. It's the flow of great writing. Thanks for all the wonderful articles they are a pleasure to read.

I did something exciting yesterday, I wrote my 1st HubPages post. I am in the same place..acknowledging that I AM a writer, want to write and want to get PAID for my writing. I tell fellow writers (as another posted), you're a writer if you write. However, there are accepted skills and rules for writing; I want to be both.

A better writer is something i'll always aspire to be.

Hi homesteadbound, me again. I just thought I'd mention a hub I posted a little while ago that you may not have seen, but which might provide a little more insight into the writing processes that help produce good work. It's a collection of working tips and advice from successful authors, that apply equally to online and hard copy writing. I won't crassly link it here in your Hub, but if you're interested, look for "Working Tips And Quotes From Famous Writers That Will Make You a Better Online Writer" via my profile page.

PS: That's an *invitation*, not a promotion...

Hi homesteadbound, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to notice this. My loss, it's excellent, and has obviously provoked plenty of thought, judging from the comments.

I'm not going to give my interpretation of the answer to the question that was posed to you. I like yours.

As you know, because you've read some of my Hubs, it's not that I don't have an opinion on many aspects of effective writing....suffice to say that I agree with your identification of the audience as the most important aspect. No readers = no point.

I do however, have a new question for you. In the comments above, you say "I want to write fiction so bad".

Here's my question: "What's stopping you?"

I spent my working life writing commercially. Not surprisingly, since joining Hubpages I've written a number of experience-based Hubs sharing tips about how to write for a living. But I've also, for the first time, tried my hand at free verse, satire, humour, truelife stories, and fiction. I've been pretty happy with the results, have received some great feedback (lifeblood to me, and I think most writers here), and am dangerously close to getting the bug to write more, and longer pieces. Fiction especially.

That brings me to the other point you questioned in your article. About why would you start to write if you don't know what you want to say? I haven't started any of my fiction pieces with anything other than a blank sheet of paper, and a willingness to let the story reveal itself. Completely counter to the way I worked my whole career, and so much more fun. I just posted one trying to match the style of an author I admire, and in this case, I did have a point I wanted to resolve on. But no idea of how to get there. I mention that only because, If you feel like reading it, you might find a surprising relevance to that question of "Why start directionless?"

Don't say,"I want to write fiction so bad". Just do it, homesteadbound. What have you got to lose?

Good article! I believe, as many have said above, that good writing is dependent on the the audience -- there is really not one right answer. Writing to teach is completely different to writing for a medical research journal, to marketing copy, to legal documents, etc. Of course being clear and unambiguous, consistent, correct (credible) and concise is invaluable. In today's society, being entertaining is becoming more important.

Hi Cindy. This is a great hub with wonderful info I'm sure I will benefit from. Thanks for publishing. Voted up and useful.

homesteadbound, I love reading your articles and I love you reading mine and commenting on them. Your articles are captivating. When I begin one I have to finish it. Thank you for sharing your writing here on hubpages.

YW, I see, ty.

'I have found the artwork you have spoken of both interesting and beautiful.' — you mean, the illuminated manuscripts, or wording in tattoos?

Blessings.

YW.

I liked the quote, too!

Homesteadbound, does your interest in words extend to calligraphy? because it strikes me that careful word choice and artistic expression of them make an excellent combination (and a part of the exploding ascent of the tattoo industry harnesses this, too). You'll be aware, of course of Medieval illuminated manuscripts where a single word or letter could be the basis for fine artwork, too.

Blessings.

Voted up.

Good hub.

Here's a good quote from Alexander Pope (writers ... and politicians ... take note):

'Words are like leaves

And where they most abound

Much fruit of sense beneath

Is seldom found.'

Or, stated differently, choose words carefully.

Homesteadbound, my server and my computer are going awry many times that I failed to see your response to my feedback. Sorry about that ... Anyway, about the 4 C's --

Clarity -- a good article is very clear in its message(s) and its contents, and adaptable to both targeted and variable readers.

Correctness -- we know that it is important to be grammatically correct at all possible times; these include punctuation marks and symbols.

Concise -- instead of dragging, a good article is brief and complete.

Credible -- always write the truth, something that comes from the heart and what you truly believe in and know about.

I follow your hubs :) You are truly an interesting writer and a prolific one and someone to look up to. Many more successes and God bless you!

Hi homesteadbound

What makes a great writer? Well, I think you have covered everything so I have nothing to add except that I wish you the best and hope you get the job.

I look forward to reading more of your hubs.

Voted up and awesome.

I never consider myself a good writer, just a newbie-would-be writer. My interest is wide thus I find there are so many good things to write about and it confuses me where to start. Phew! This hub is very helpful!

homesteadbound, I knew I was going to learn a lot from you! Sure, you may be a writer if you write, but I guess that makes you a cook if you cook and an artist because you paint/draw/sculpt. Fortunately you have a personable style and a solid foundation to your writing, so you can add those two attributes to the question asked by your hub. Thanks for this one!

Definitely food for the mind.

Twitter also helps you to become a good writer as you should be as concise as possible because you have to say everything in 160 characters! By the way nice hub and yes..voted up!

Thanks for a wonderful article. We writers may write from the heart but unless it connects with the reader, it remains in limbo.

I really like this hub! Thanks for writing it! great writing!

I agree with Dyhannah, a good writer captivates! Evokes feelings within the reader. Great article, I'm new to HubPages but am already thanking the stars I've found such a wonderful site. Keep on writing!

Great hub and great answer! Many writers fail to acknowledge what "type" of audience they're writing to, therefore failing to get their point across. Voted up and congrats on applying for the job. :)

So nice and interesting.

I don't know if there could ever be one right answer to this question, as all great writers are so different from each other. But maybe this is a possible answer? A great writer is someone who can put something of themselves and their personality into the written word, while still engaging with the reader

exactly! a good writer is a better one

You're so welcome. It's a pleasure to see you blossoming here.

A good writer does what you do:

Pays attention to the basics of grammar and language.

Has a good understanding of the topic and/or does enough research to develop his/her knowledge.

Keeps the intended audience in mind.

Makes subject matter interesting through use of vivid examples, photos, and if appropriate, adding personal experience as examples.

Stays on topic.

Keep up the good work. I love your hubs.

Voted up, useful, awesome and interesting.

I had never really given much thought to your question before. What an awesome answer which I think covers it all. I totally agree with you that an audience is a big part of the writers work. You have taken a huge step and I wish you luck in your freelance career. I found this a very well written and thought provoking hub. Voted up and interesting. Best wishes.

y'r hub is useful... :)

If I have 20 thumbs, I will raise all them up! :) You are a very prolific writer, HSB and I truly enjoy reading your hubs like the silkies and the creatures. I pray that you get the writing job because I feel your sincere desire in the writing profession and also, I am confident you can do justice to the job.

I am totally with you in your answer. My version would be -- "A good writer is able to express knowledge, opinions, ideas and/or subjects, using the right form of print media, as well as applying the 4C's of writing with the purpose of sending the message(s) across and also gaining response from his readers."

Similarly, I also find writing an exhilarating adventure because there is so much to learn, so many challenges, so much to do to hone the craft. Truly good luck and God bless!

i always dreamed of becoming a writer since i was young...thank you for sharing...

Great Hub! I never thought about it. Asking myself that question. I do know writing is about passion and sharing that passion with others.

I won't be able to write passionate about any food recipe, make up products or tips on how to sell your house.

I would be lousy at it because there's nothing I have in common with those subjects. However, writing to me is self fulfilling, rewarding and extremely addictive when you write for people who actually read your work.

Hubpages is a wonderful community with great writers like you! Nice to have met you:-)

What makes a good writer????I think you have to be a sensitive person to get your feelings across to your audience. That sounds pretty simplistic, I know. I think it helps to have some God given talent, too. Creative people like to write, just like we like to paint, play and listen to good music, appreciate nature, and on and on. I like to think I can write, but when I read some of your work, and works of other Hubbers, it makes me doubt. I do love to write, though. Good luck with the job!

I hope your dream becomes a reality. No wait, it is a reality. You are there. A master of words and a capturer of the reader and conveyer of ideas. I hope you get the job - you most certainly have the skill.