Enquire a hundred different people for their definition of "good writing," and you'll get a thousand unlike answers.

On a very basic level, the cosmos of a story tin be divided into two parts: concept and composition. Without a control of both sides, a writer—more specifically, his or her story—is bound to fall brusque of greatness.

Concept

How many times have you heard someone say, "I've always wanted to write a volume about…"? Or "I accept this not bad thought for a story…"?

When information technology comes to fiction, nigh of u.s.a. dive into the ideas behind a story earlier we always ply the pen or keyboard and transpose thoughts from mind to page. The bent for artfully stringing sentences together typically comes later.

Now inspiration comes in many forms, and creativity often strikes without warning. Merely a handful of traits do non brand a graphic symbol. A theme cannot serve as substitute for plot. And a thin storyline can be stretched only and so far.

In short, not every inkling is worthy of a novel.

Understanding how to combine concepts—knowing what to keep, what to lose, what to tweak—forms the roots of good writing. Of course, all of the wonderful ideas in the world won't amount to much on their own. They must grow into something that can exist experienced by the exterior world.

Limerick

At some point in our education, nosotros all learn to write. Common curricula tackle the basics (e.g., parts of speech, judgement construction, and proper punctuation) likewise as the assembly of these verbal apparatuses into a purpose-driven slice.

Stories have a beginning, center, and an terminate, and they typically contain a climax and a resolution. Essays and inquiry papers pose a hypothesis from the outset and are filled with arguments built upon evidence. Etc., etc.

Writing is an art, yes, but those who neglect the scientific discipline of it tend to plow readers off past breaking both documented and unspoken rules. If you litter your prose with homophones, run-on sentences, repetitious words or phrases, and incomplete thoughts, your readers won't take you seriously.

If you accept any readers at all.

And so there are those who go across merely competent writing—those who work such wonders with words that there'southward no doubtfulness they were put on the planet to pursue this art form. These writers conjure up mind-bravado metaphors and paint the most evocative imagery in the reader'south imagination.

The Craft

Both the sides of the arts and crafts—concept and composition—require creativity. Neither one-half is inherently more important than the other. They depend on each other.

Granted, in that location are some writers who could crank out a vignette about an lowest or everywoman simply plodding through life. No extraordinary dorsum story, no heed-blowing plot twist; just a serial of otherwise unremarkable events. If that author'due south exquisite apply of linguistic communication pulls readers in and keeps them engaged, the style alone might transcend the mundane ideas behind the writing.

Likewise, a writer could come up up with a brilliant concept—an unexplored aspect of the man condition or an intriguing new situation—and be found wanting when information technology comes to execution. Maybe said author could be forgiven for his or her shortcomings in the composition department if the ideas are compelling enough. Maybe.

Most of the time, a writer must strive for mastery of both sides of the story before he or she is successful.

Depending too much on concept or composition volition just reveal the weakness of the other. Many readers won't waste their time with a well-written only boring (or otherwise conceptually flawed) book. And a writer who has an amazing concept but lacks the chops when it comes to limerick can't hope to practice his or her idea justice.

The solution, unsurprisingly, is practice. Challenge yourself to have your ideas to the adjacent level. Proceed at those finger exercises, read and learn from amend wordsmiths than yourself, and then watch your prose improve.

You lot'll never get a straight answer when information technology comes to what makes "practiced writing" skilful. But if y'all neglect to deliver in either the concept or composition department (or both!), yous're bound to get an earful most what makes writing bad.