When my first son was born, I was a prototypical first time parent. I asked a lot of questions at each pediatrician visit. After one particularly self-doubt fueled question session, I looked at our beloved doctor and asked, “How will I know if I’m a good mom?”
His answer?
“The fact that you’re even asking the question means you’re doing just fine.”
This morning, I took my youngest to the orthodontist. He’s never been a very dedicated teeth brusher and I’m paranoid he’ll end up with staining from not adequately caring for his teeth while he has his braces on. This was his first adjustment appointment after having the braces put on a month ago and so I asked the orthodontist how his teeth looked in regards to cleaning. He assured me he was doing okay but that there was definitely room for improvement. Then he looked me dead in the eye and said, “That you’re even asking means he’s going to be okay. Just keep paying attention.”
I believe writing is similar.
If you’re asking whether you’re a good writer, you’re probably better than you think.
If you’re asking it’s because you care about the quality of your writing.
If your’e asking, it means you’re paying attention.
And being curious and caring are truly half the battle. Chances are, if you’re asking if you’re a good writer, you’re probably open to learning and improving your craft, regardless of your skill level when you start.
Be curious.
Be inquisitive.
Dig deep into your craft and ask for feedback. Yes, you may get feedback you don’t like–been there–but in the end, it always makes the work stronger and by extension, makes you a stronger writer.
If you read a lot (and as a writer, you should!), then you will inherently know what a good story feels like even if you aren’t sure of the specific components yet. It may be hard to articulate at first when you start writing, but you’ll get a vague “it’s not there yet” feeling about your own writing. As you dig into those “not there yet” feelings, here are a few things to be curious about as you analyze your writing:
- If you feel you can write a strong sentence but you still feel something is missing in your story, it’s probably a structure problem.
- If you have a fast-paced plot but things feel a little flat in your writing, you may be missing a bit of character development or emotional interiority on the page.
- If your characters are deep and voicey but even you’re getting a little bored on a draft re-read, you’re probably missing some cause and effect action.
Are you a “good” writer? Who knows. But if you are a writer who wants to know how they can improve, a writer curious about their skills, a writer willing to challenge themselves, then you’re in a great position to grow into your chosen calling as a writer.
Keep asking. Keep learning. Keep believing in yourself and you’ll only improve as a writer.
And hopefully, if I stay curious about my son’s brushing habits, he will also improve in the dental hygiene department. A mom can only hope (and nag).
Featured photo above by Katrina Wright on Unsplash
Great message! I think many writers suffer from a lack of confidence or the inability to see their writing as important. We need to be reminded that our writing is legitimate and valuable.