The Qualities of a Good Writer: 5 Technical Habits a Good Writer Needs
In previous articles in this series, we have discussed the habits and personal skills that a good writer should have. But what we have not talked about are the habits and skills that allow a writer to put their words on paper. And then ask them to read. And it makes sense.
We haven’t talked about the technical skills that a good writer needs to develop.
The first of these five habits is proper spelling. Perhaps the most hated of abilities. That skill that is more difficult to obtain and more obvious in its abandonment. It’s true. We can excuse grammar, we can excuse wrong word selection or wrong use of words. But the only mistake every reader will catch is misspelling the word.
It seems simple and innocuous. After all, it’s just spelling. And if it’s just a word or two in a piece as large as a book, it can go unnoticed. But more than one or two … even in a piece as large as a book … has a major effect on credibility. After all, if you, as a writer, can’t bother to spell correctly, how can you bother to consider other ideas and work to truly understand your topic?
The second of these habits is the use of proper grammar. Now that we are no longer in school, we are no longer trapped in the tyranny of the English class. But even so, and despite our ability to use grammar rules, we must push the limits of our sentences. We must know when to use a ruler. Why is it made the way it is. What is the meaning of the phrase? When should we break the rule?
The third habit is the constant development and use of our vocabulary. Words are the blocks and mortar of our castles in the sky. They are our levels and squares. They need to be cared for, nourished and polished. A good writer should make a habit of constantly improving his vocabulary so that the right word is always at hand.
The fourth habit is to keep it simple. Throughout our school life we have been taught to use long and complex writing. Write in academic style. Which is fine if your purpose is to confuse poor students. But in the real world, your reader can choose to buy your books or not. In the real world, the reader either likes you or you starve. And complex sentences tend not to please readers. Instead, most readers prefer a simple and straightforward style.
The fifth technical habit is developing your own voice. This is the distinctive use of words and the writing style that defines the writer. For many traditional writers, developing one’s voice was a difficult task that required a lot of time and years of practice. But there is a simple way. You will see that you have been developing your voice for most of your life. You just need to write the way you speak. That alone will give you a distinctive voice. From there, it is simply a matter of refinement and polish. But even so, the constant refinement of one’s voice is still a habit that a good writer should adopt.
