Last Updated on January 21, 2023 by Nathaniel Tower
I recently received an email with the subject line “Are you a good writer?” The email didn’t come out of the blue. It was an email blast from a blog I had recently subscribed to. Side note: Dammit, I just ended a sentence with a preposition. Does that mean I’m not any good at writing?
So the email was pretty uninspiring. It was just an invitation to sign up for a webinar. If you’re cringing at the thought of a writing webinar, I don’t blame you. Most of them offer nothing actionable and no advice on how to be a better writer. They just keep pushing more and more product so they can keep making more and more money off people who want to be successful writers.
Then I received another email a couple days later with the subject line “Is it any good?” It was from the same writer, and once again it was self-promotional. But this time there was actually some decent insight. Sort of. Apparently, according to this guy, it’s impossible to say whether you’re a good writer or if the thing you’ve written is any good because “good” is subjective.
So am I a good writer?
I get his point, but I call bullsh*t. There are good writers. There are bad writers. Good writers occasionally write bad stuff. Hell, good writers might produce more bad than good. Bad writers don’t ever write good stuff. And bad writers are never successful (although there are plenty of mediocre ones who are).
To be fair, the blogger I’m talking about wasn’t just copping out on what “good” writing is. He went on to talk about how it’s more important to be effective than it is to be good. I really can’t argue against that. If I create a flawless piece of writing that is held in high esteem as being objectively good by all the preeminent scholars, then that’s certainly an accomplishment as well as a sign that I’m good. But if no one other than these so-called preeminent scholars read it, and if that piece of writing doesn’t make me any money and produce any other results relative to my goals, then it isn’t very effective. On the other hand, if I write a novel about teenage vampires that’s routinely slammed as being sh*tty writing but sells millions of copies and makes me super rich, then I’d call that pretty f*cking effective.
But screw effectiveness. We’re talking about being a good writer here. You didn’t come here to find out if you’re effective. So let’s talk about seven things that prove you’re a master of your craft.
You don’t necessarily have to nail all seven of these items in order to be a good writer, but you should be able to check off at least a few of them.
Here are 7 signs you’re a good writer:
You’re grammatically proficient
First and foremost, you have to be a technically good writer in order to be a good writer. If your grammar is such a trainwreck that people generally struggle to comprehend what you write, then you aren’t a good writer. Notice how this says “grammatically proficient.” It doesn’t mean you have to be a grammar scholar. Rather, you need to have a firm grasp on all the rules and be able to apply them in your own writing without thinking too hard about it. Will you make mistakes? Sure. Will you bend the rules? Of course. All good writers do that.
So how do you know if you’re grammatically proficient? No, you don’t have to diagram every sentence you write. You can do something as simple as dumping your final draft into a tool like Grammarly. If you’re a good writer, you probably won’t have too many mistakes. Just keep in mind that not everything flagged by Grammarly is actually a mistake. From my own experience, about one out of every three critical issues isn’t a real grammatical mistake. And I never bother with the so-called “advanced” issues. That’s all just a scam to get you to pay for the full version of Grammarly! (FYI: I’m only half-joking here.) Bottom line: If you’re a good writer, you’re probably very good with grammar.
You have your own style
Every good writer has his or her own style. Think of it like any other art. You can often tell who painted a picture just by looking at the style. Same with music. You can usually identify a song’s artist just by hearing a few notes, even if it’s a song you’ve never heard before. Writing is an art form as well, and it’s often possible to guess who wrote a piece without seeing the author’s name.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that everything you write has to be unmistakably yours. It simply means you’ll have a style that’s unique to you and clearly sets your writing apart from everyone else’s writing. For better or worse, people familiar with my work can generally read a new story I’ve written and say, “This reads like a Nathaniel Tower story.” That’s what I call style, my friend. Exactly what your style is doesn’t really matter. Naturally, not every style is good, but having style is important to being a good writer.
People ask you to write things for them
This might be the most obvious sign that you’re a good writer. I think it’s fair to say that most people aren’t very good writers. It’s a difficult skill to master, and most people don’t ever try to master it. In fact, most people will freely admit they aren’t good writers (and will usually laugh it off). So once they find out that you are good, they marvel at your abilities and ask you to write things for them.
This could come in a lot of different forms. Maybe they’ll ask you to read over an important email before they send it. Or they might want you to write the content for the new website they’re thinking about launching. They could ask for your advice on a cover letter for a new job. It really could be anything. It’s kind of like how many people will ask a lawyer for any type of legal advice even if it’s outside of that lawyer’s area of expertise. Once they know you’re a good writer, they’re going to come to you for all their writing needs.
You can write fast
Most good writers I know can really crank out their words. This doesn’t mean that writing always comes easy. There might be times when you struggle with a particular topic, or you might get stumped on what exactly to write about during a particular session. But when you get going, you can really hammer out a lot of great words without taking a break (and I’m not talking about guys like Donald Trump who know all the best words). There’s no specific words-per-minute requirement for being a good writer, and writing fast doesn’t mean you have to be able to finish a full novel and get it published within a month. Rather, it means you have a gift for really crushing it on the keyboard (or the old pen and paper, if you prefer).
You (generally) get good rejections
All writers get rejected. Getting rejected doesn’t mean you aren’t good. But when good writers get rejected, they often get a little something extra in the correspondence. The editor goes beyond the standard “we enjoyed reading your work, but this isn’t for us.” Good rejections often contain very specific compliments regarding your writing. Whenever you get these comments, take them seriously. Be proud of them.
As a former editor who sent thousands of personal rejections, I can promise you that I never told anyone they were a good writer unless I really believed it. On the other hand, I told many people I “enjoyed” reading their work when I really didn’t. That was part of the canned response we always sent. Since good writers are generally good readers, you should be able to tell the difference between a form rejection and a sincere compliment about your writing.
People like reading what you write
No one likes reading bad writing. Well, maybe on occasion for a few laughs. But no one is going to sit there and consistently read things that aren’t good. If people are asking to read your stuff, then you are good. If people want to publish you, then you are good. If you have friends who are willing to read through your entire manuscript, then you are good. If you’re not good, they’re going to come up with excuses for why they can’t read it. Of course, it’s also important to remember that it’s all a matter of taste. So just because someone doesn’t want to read or publish your work doesn’t mean you aren’t good.
You love writing
This is a pretty simple rule, but people generally do things they love doing. Sure, it’s possible to hate writing and still be good at it, but it’s much rarer to love writing and be bad at it. After all, writing can be a very frustrating thing. Why put in all that energy if you aren’t good at it? If you love to write, I’d say there’s a 99% chance you’re good at it.
So are you a good writer?
If you’ve taken the time to read all this, then I’d be willing to bet you’re a good writer. Why? Because good writers are committed to their craft and take the time to contemplate their strengths and weaknesses. Bad writers will immediately dismiss most attempts at writing advice and go off to create their own bad writing. And good writers typically ask questions like “Am I a good writer?” while bad writers phrase it like this: “Am I a bad writer?”
Whether you’re a good writer or not, you can always become a better writer.
What makes you a good writer? Share your own thoughts about good writing in the comments. And don’t forget to share this post on all your favorite platforms.
Am I a good writer FAQs
How can I tell if I'm a good writer?
Although writing can be subjective, there are some telltale signs that you're a good writer. You're probably a good writer if you have a strong grasp of grammar, you write relatively fast, and if people ask you to write things for them. Another strong indicator that you're a good writer is if people compliment your writing on a regular basis.
What does it mean to be a good writer?
Determining what exactly a good writer is can be difficult. Since writing is subjective, many people disagree on what makes a writer good. However, you can generally spot a good writer by strong grammar skills, a unique style, and the ability to resonate with a reader.
What makes someone a writer?
In the simplest terms, a writer is someone who gets paid to write. This could be a novelist, a journalist, a copywriter, an SEO writer, a blogger, and many other types of authors. Writing doesn't necessarily need to be your sole profession in order for you to be considered a writer.
How can I become a writer?
You can become a writer simply by writing. If you want to be a good writer, you'll need to practice your craft. If you want to be a professional writer, there are many different opportunities available including journalist, copywriter, social media writer, novelist, poet, and much more. Becoming a writer isn't easy, but if you are passionate about it and work hard, then you should be able to find the right opportunity.
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