Do I have a writer in me?

What is good writing? What it takes to be a? good writer?? Is it instinct or skill?

Are writers born? Or, is writing a skill that can be acquired?

We asked some budding young writers. Let's read what they have to say on this.

While there are very few writers who are born gifted, writing, like other forms of self-expression, is developed by the individual. One can learn and acquire skills to be a good writer. Sukriti

I feel that there are rare cases of being born with talent. What actually matters is the environment you grow up in. Like for me, writing stories began once I realized my love for reading. Had I not started reading, I might not have discovered that part of me. - Parth

I think only acquiring skills would not bring out the results. It depends on one's thinking capacity also. If one has skills and cannot think, the skills will be of no use, and if one has thoughts, but he/she has no idea how to begin or end, the result will be affected.- Niharika

I feel that everyone can write. The environment in which we're raised highly influences the choices that we make. A person who is an avid reader may not necessarily excel in writing as well. Aishwarya

The circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are. - Devansh

I feel that a person might be born with a gift. But, this is rare and it is one's interest and environment that makes an individual a writer. - Surbhi

3 Key Aspects of Good Writing

TheWOOMag brings the 3 Key aspects of good writing that will help you metamorphose into a successful writer.

Creativity:

Good writing is creative. And, that's why most of the writing courses are called creative writing courses Many think creativity is all about using flowery language and big words.

Creativity has a mix of heart and mind. It is the ability to think anew and write differently about things and stories you feel strongly about. Besides, good writers are those who can criticize their own work and also can accept criticism sportingly.

Interests readers:

Who you are writing for? What interests your readers? What are they looking for? Try to find the gap between what your target readers need and what they are getting.

For example, though for decades, young Indians read Mills and Boons which had iconic male protagonists, and exotic locations in Europe, Australia, and the rest of the world, there was still a latent demand for characters and situations that local readers could relate to. Realizing this, Mills & Boons launched an Indian Avatar five years back with The Love Asana by Milan Vohra. In fact, Chetan Bhagat is one successful author who has been able to strike the right nerve of readers through his critics compartmentalizing his writing to the Pop genre.

A certain amount of sensitivity, empathy & observation skill is required to have a feel for our surroundings. Without the capacity to express, generating interest in one's story and connecting with a wider audience, it might remain untapped says Namita Mehta, an ex-broadcast journalist, and a budding novelist. Whether you want to write pop fiction, business book or magazine articles, or anything else, you should know what will interest your readers.

No room for language and grammatical errors

This one is the most non-negotiable aspect of good writing. And, is an area where budding writers struggle in.

Good writers have zero tolerance for grammatical errors. And, language and grammatical errors can easily put your potential readers off. Word checkers and online software are not foolproof and can't replace the human eye. Especially, when English is not your first language, it is also crucial to acquire adequate language skills.

Good writing is not following some success formula or trend, but it is important to read what others are writing. A good writer is a good reader first. Go ahead with what you want to write and set your own trend.