How to Tell If You Are a Good Writer

Even the best writers have moments when they wonder if their writing is good enough. How do you know if your hard work is something that others will like? You might be discouraged when the numbers don’t come out the way you hoped, but building an audience can take time and patience, so you cannot always judge your success that way. Here are a few ideas that will prove you are on the right track.

You interact with your audience

When I first started vending my books at the local craft market, I often struggled to sell even enough to make the market fee. One day my husband asked me what I was hoping to accomplish at the market because I wasn’t making much of a profit. I explained to him that although I would love to sell more books, interacting with the people at the market was more important. I was making connections, building trust, and listening to people who needed to talk. I now have repeat customers and children who have purchased a book come running up to my booth to see if I have anything new.

Online, you can interact with your readers and don’t forget to interact with the readers of other writers. We can learn so much from each other as an online community.

 You make your audience feel something

Someone at the market asked me what I wanted to do with my writing. I said I wanted to help my readers and I want them to feel something. My first children’s book is about what you would like your child or grandchild to have in life. I have had several women cry when they start reading it. I don’t want anyone to cry, but I’m glad my words can bring out emotions.

You help your readers

We have all had some difficult moments or become good at doing something. Your wisdom or skill could help someone else.

You are consistent

Being consistent means, you have prioritized your writing, you are working on your craft, and when you show up every day so will your audience.

You are authentic and inspire trust

Readers want writers who are real people not someone hiding behind a mask. It’s ok to show your weaknesses. You might help someone else by being transparent.

You believe in quality work

A good writer polishes the writing until it is the best you can produce.

You love to write and can’t imagine not doing it

If writing is a passion and you know you will continue to do it even if the numbers say you should throw in the towel then if you aren’t already a good writer, you will be someday.

A Checklist for Making Your Writing Visible

You might be a brilliant writer with a million ideas and important messages to give your readers, but if no one sees your writing, those messages will never reach your audience. Writing without marketing that writing will lead to frustration and to questioning why you are writing. You might be thinking that you don’t have any idea how to market your writing, but you would be surprised to know that there are some simple steps you can take to make your writing visible.

Connect with local media

Make connections with your local media even if that means giving them free content. I know there are some writers cringing right now, but sometimes that free content can open doors to paid offers.

I started sending articles to my local paper and magazines, and since everyone wants free writing, I was able to write regularly for both. The school where I was teaching noticed the articles I was writing and asked me to write for the school and they offered to pay me.

When you first start publishing your writing you should develop a writer’s footprint. That means if someone is searching for your name, your writing should be easy to find. While I was writing for all three publications, my daughter put my name into google and it came up as news with a list of all my articles.

Ask local media to write about your success. There is a local online newspaper who runs an ad every time I publish another book. The editor has been one of my angels, and she told me in the beginning to take every opportunity to make your writing visible.

Take some time to see what periodicals are in your area and if there is a way to include your writing.   

Thank your contacts regularly. One editor, another one of my angels, was so helpful that I sent her a food basket and flowers. She told me it was the first time a writer had thanked her for her work.

Write online

We are in a time when many people want to read from their phones and computers, so online jobs are everywhere. Ask Google where the paid writing opportunities are and start sending out some queries.

Use social media

Share your writing on social media, create videos talking about your writing, make a newsletter, and ask your friends if they know of someone who needs a writer.

Create a blog

My blog has allowed me to share my writing with a larger audience. I have written 13 books which I vend at a local market. At the market, I can pass out my business card which leads people to my blog and my writing.

Volunteer as a speaker

Anytime people can hear your name, you have a chance to show them your writing. Local organizations are always looking for speakers. I went to a retirement home to talk about writing, and I had so much fun because many of the residents wanted to write their stories, but didn’t know where to start.

Libraries and bookstores need people to do book readings. I have to confess that I hate doing this because it makes me feel very awkward and nervous. I did one at a bookstore and after my son-in-law beamed at me and said, “So, when are you doing the next one.” I shocked him because although I’m usually positive, I looked at him and said, “Never!”

Use your creativity and look for as many opportunities as possible to let your readers see your work.

Challenges come in many forms, they can be financial, mental, or involve support. My two biggest challenges are mental and support based. I never think what I have written is good enough, so I often become stuck in the middle of a piece while I ask myself, “What’s the point in spending all this time if no one will like it?” What you must realize though is how powerful words are and the words you are writing might be what someone needs. What if you change everything for someone because of what you have written? You never know if you do not try. I remember when I was teaching, I had a student who always worked so hard. The class turned in a weekly journal, and once I wrote how proud I was of her and how much I admired her work ethic. I did not think anything else about it until the day the girl graduated and she came to find me after the ceremony. She said, “I wanted to tell you how much those words meant to me. I was struggling and you made me feel special.” So, you never know if your writing will stink or make a difference, but you should do it anyway.

A lack of support from family is a challenge for me. No one in my family enjoys any of my passions. I have always loved to run, but the rest of my family says the only time they will run is if something is chasing them. While I have a library in my bedroom and a stack of books I am currently reading, no one in my family is a reader. I read to my children when they were little and gifted them books until my oldest told me she didn’t want any more books. I know they have to find their own passions, but I would love to be able to talk to them about my writing without seeing their eyes glaze over. I am blessed that I have found support with several friends who are always there for me as well as the support I receive from my publisher and the writing groups I have joined.

My financial status can be a challenge since I do not yet make a windfall with my writing. My expenses include paying for the illustrator for each children’s book, paying for each market when I vend my books, and paying to have personal copies of my books printed. I know that I will find a way to make my writing more profitable eventually, but it can be frustrating when I want to start a new project, but I cannot afford to see it through.

See failure as a chance to grow, not a reason to stop. Failure is never much fun, but most of the time it is a great teacher. Instead of being frustrated because you were not successful the first time, regroup and use the failure to be better.

Keep a sense of humor. This is important in anything you do. When you start to feel like everything is going wrong, you have a choice to have a pity party or see the humorous side of your situation and start to figure out plan B. Plan B is more productive. Laughter can make most things seem better. One of my rejection letters from an editor started very sweetly, telling me she had enjoyed my article, and there were some great aspects to it, but then something snapped, and she started to rant about how I needed to experience the school of hard knocks before I found success, success wasn’t just handed to everybody, and it continued from there. I imagined an overworked editor who was trying to be encouraging to a writer, and then she snapped and needed to vent. I used that e-mail to not take rejections too seriously.

  Don’t take rejections personally. As a writer, you will receive countless rejections, and sometimes they sting. You will have rejections that offer constructive criticism and others that are not kind. Remember that the rejection is one person’s opinion.

  Know your worth. Your writing could change someone’s life. Remember that when others do not support your writing or try to quiet your voice. You do not have to write for free unless you want to, and you should not hesitate to ask a fair price for your work.

 Regroup-reflect-reset. Every writer has moments when she feels like what she is doing is not working or that your writing needs a refresh. Instead of feeling frustrated, take some time to reconsider your approach and brainstorm some different ideas. Doing something different can boost your motivation.

 Try is a failure verb. The editor for my first book gave me pure wisdom when he told me to stop using the verb try. He said, “Jen, try is a failure verb. It is weak. Use strong verbs.

 Seclude yourself from time to time. We all occasionally find ourselves pulled in a million different directions. Everyone wants our time and energy, so we often need to claim our private time and to do that you might have to go somewhere like a library or a coffee house to hide. Let someone know you will return soon.

Know your audience. My daughter-in-law is a successful artist, but her art is targeted at a specific audience. I once suggested she come to sell her art at the local artisan market where I sell my books. She said, “I know who my audience is, and I also know who would not appreciate my art.” If you are writing for a certain audience, gear your writing to them.

 I do not mean you must stick to one niche. I write about a variety of topics, and I want to challenge myself by writing in different forms, but if I am writing a picture book for children 4-8, I am going to write it in a way that is attractive to them.

 Learn how to make it flow. When you are reading your favorite books, pay attention to the flow, the way the words make the scene move. You do not want your writing to be choppy. One way to notice if your writing is moving smoothly is to read it aloud or have someone else read it aloud. Play with different sentence structures and see what works best.

 Offer a new perspective. I love reading writing that makes me see a unique perspective. I want to be able to think about opinions from all sides, and when someone offers me a different window on a thought or event, I enjoy that moment of enlightenment.

 Be transparent. Readers want to be able to relate to someone who is like them. Show your flaws and how you are trying to improve them. Talk to your readers about topics that matter to them or create a world of fiction where they can escape their struggles.

 Stay focused and finish. I can only speak for myself, but I often become distracted while writing. People call, text, walk into my office, and ask for my attention, and I can lose focus because I look out the window and start watching the neighbor’s dog. Most of the time, I lose my focus because I always have several projects going on at the same time.

 Put in the work. You cannot complain about a lack of success if you are not putting time and effort into your craft. Make writing a priority, find a suitable time and place, and sit down and do it.

 Let your writing sit. After you have finished writing, walk away from it before you send it for publication. Often, you will decide to add or delete something when you look at it again.

 Check your facts. Make sure your research is correct before you publish something. Check your facts with more than one resource. You should be a trusted source of information for your readers.

 Take out hatefulness. We all feel bitter and angry at some point, but your pen is powerful. Decide if you want to use it as a weapon to hurt or a way to heal. I know when I write something full of hate, I do not feel good about it afterward.

Craft catchy titles. Your title is your first chance to pull the reader in to read your work. Create titles that make people want to investigate what you want to say.

 Keep it simple. The best messages are the most basic ones. Be honest and real, and just tell your story.

 Ask for feedback. Hearing critiques of your work can be difficult, but the feedback can help you grow. When you can brainstorm with someone by listening to what he thinks of your work, you can collaborate with him to improve your writing. If you have a writing friend, ask him for an honest opinion.

 Do not force your writing. I often hear the advice to write every day. A better idea is to write consistently. If you force yourself to write, what you produce might not be of the same quality as what you can produce when you feel more creative.

 Be authentic. Do not try to be someone you are not. Your readers want to know you are genuine.

 Do not let the thought “What if this stinks” keep you from finishing. When a writer spends time and effort on crafting a book or article, negative thoughts can creep into your brain. You might ask if the quality of your writing is worth your effort, but you will not know until you do it.

 Write the bones down. Many writers have trouble starting because they feel overwhelmed. Instead of worrying about having a perfect product, write down all your thoughts and then start to make sense of them and create the form you want.

 Build trust. Once your readers know who you are and that they can trust you, you will find greater success, When I vend at the local market, people want to talk to me before they buy my books. A man who was considering carrying my books in his store told me he insists on meeting an author first to make sure the author is genuine. You build trust by being truthful, delivering an honest, helpful product, and being transparent.

 Do not worry about pleasing everyone. Taylor Swift had a beautiful reaction to a question about her album. The interviewer asked her how she felt about the negative comments about her album. She responded that she was not the art police and any art was subject to interpretation, and everyone had the right to that interpretation. I heard something similar while vending at the craft market. A young lady named Lindsey makes beautiful jewelry. Several customers asked her if she ever made any silver jewelry. Her response was that she was a gold girl and since gold made her happy, that was what she was going to make. If you are happy with what you have created, you are winning.

 Have a formula for articles. I write on a platform called Medium where I have a chance to interact with other others and learn from them. One author had a great formula for writing good articles. Here it is.

• Identify a problem.
• Make the problem felt. (Why is it important to solve it?)
• How have others tried to fix it?
• Give your solution.
• Give a takeaway. What is an action step the reader can do?

 Engage with readers. The more you can interact with readers, the more you will understand what they enjoy about your writing, and they will feel more like a part of your adventure.

 Write a great query. Before you can craft a catchy title and use your first sentence to grab the attention of your readers, you must catch the attention of a publisher with your query.

         Your query should be around a page, and within that page, you need to describe your writing as well as provide any information a publisher might need. Convince the publisher why your work should be accepted. How is it unique? What qualifications do you have?

Here are the guidelines for formatting a query.

• Use a normal font and typeface, such as Courier and 10- or 12-point type.
• Include your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and website.
• Use one-inch margin.
• Address a specific editor or agent.

 Remember to say thank you. Thank your customers and thank everyone who has helped you on your journey. That includes the people you ask to do reviews, your cheerleaders, your editors and publishers, local media who help spread the word about your work, and those who share the wisdom you need.

    The three people I thank the most are my friend Kim, my friend Donna, and my publisher Victor. When I first began writing full-time, I did not believe in my ability or my identity as a writer, but Kim did. She taught me to only listen to critique that makes me better. Victor, my publisher, has made my writing adventure possible. He advises me if he does not think a book idea is feasible, and he guides me through new projects. My friend Donna is ready to help me with anything I need, and she encourages me constantly.

Break some rules. You can break a few rules. Do not let the rules constrict your writing. You need to use good grammar, but the way you construct your writing does not always have to fit in a box. One rule that I hear all the time is to write what you know, but if you do not write about other subjects that interest you, how can you grow?

Avoid using I think. It is evident that this is your opinion, so don’t restate the obvious.

Keep track of submissions. Document where and when you sent your writing and how long do you need to wait before expecting a reply. The market listings for a publication will tell you how long is appropriate to wait for a response. Wait a few more weeks after the suggested time then follow up with an e-mail or letter.