Elementary English – ENG 001 VU

LECTURE 2

QUALITIES OF GOOD WRITERS

Good writers have two things in common: they would rather be understood than admired, and they do
not write for hairsplitting and hypercritical readers.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900),

The qualities of a second-rate writer can easily be defined, but a first-rate writer can only be
experienced. It is just the thing in him which escapes analysis that makes him first-rate. Willa Cather
(1873–1947)

Writing is an art as well as a science. Writing is an art since it has various styles to it and it is a science
as you would use different techniques to write it.

Good writing however has much more to it than just the common techniques used. [It depends on who
your target audience is and whether you know your audience well]
The parameters for a good writer depend on the audience who is going to read it.

For instance, the differences between the style content writers use and the style full-time is that the
content-writers mostly use first and second person; whereas a writer for a newspaper would use an
objective tone (third-person reporting). The language used is also different for different media of
communication.

The general yardsticks to determine whether one is a good writer are to check whether his/her article has
a good flow, eye-catching content and the language. The sentence structure, grammar, ideas and the
form used are some of the other factors that play an important role in determining whether one is a good
writer.

However, there is no one way to find out who a good writer is. Let’s see what qualities do newspaper
writers display? Besides having
* A lively interest in people, places and events
* An ability to write in a style which is easy to understand
* Good spelling, grammar and punctuation
* An appreciation of the part a local newspaper plays in the community
* A willingness to accept irregular hours
* An ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
* Determination and persistence

You need to acquire the followings also:

A good journalist should be a good writer for sure. All journalists are essentially good communicators.
Any aspiring journalist can become a good communicator by learning the skills.

A Broad Range of Knowledge: Great writers have a broad educational background a wealth of
knowledge and experience to draw from to help make their writing more interesting and engaging.

A Good Grasp of Grammar: Great writers have a thorough understanding of correct grammar and write
clear, coherent prose.

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Elementary English – ENG 001 VU

A Sense of Ethics and Accuracy: Great writers choose their words carefully, always ensuring their work
is both accurate and meets ethical standards, whether personal or those of the organization the piece is
for.

Context sensitive: All good writers write in contexts. They adapt their messages to sensitive or non-
sensitive situations and don’t misjudge this.

Considerate: All good writers know their readers needs. They know what is “How much” for the
‘skimmers’ and the ‘skeptics’.

Dream and Reality: Writers live in a world of reality and the same truth they reflect in their writing also.
They know the success of a message depends upon four important communication ingredients: social
contact, common medium, transmission and understanding.

Persuasion: All good writers know their language and the trick of the trade. They know how to persuade
their readers. They know how to find the best available means of moving a specific audience in a
specific situation to a specific decision.

An Ability to Express Ideas: Great writers are able to express their ideas clearly in a logical format that
is easy for a reader to understand and follow.

An Ability to Write Well in Different Styles: Great writers can write well in a variety of formats,
including technical, persuasive, and descriptive prose.

An Understanding of Who the Audience Is: Great writers know who their audience is and write in a
manner that will appear to this base.

Creativity: Great writers have a strong sense of creativity and always have new ideas for material and
can craft interesting openings that draw a reader in

Interviewing Skills: Great writers have excellent interviewing skills and know how to make a subject
open up in order to get the best material

Research Skills: Great writers have savvy research skills and are able to quickly find the information
they need to make a piece more interesting.

Specific Subject Knowledge: Great writers are knowledgeable about the subject they write about.
Science writers, for example, should have a strong background and knowledge in the area they cover.

Source: R Jackson (journalists.net); Sharmila S (journalists.net)

http://journalists.net/index.php?news=2601
http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Makes-a-Good-Writer?&id=96221

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