Everyone who has read something has written something. We all write. Writing is communication. And we can only achieve this when we communicate clearly and accurately.
We write social media posts, emails, books, essays. We may also be journalists writing news articles or opinions. Whatever we write, especially in a professional setting, we have to ensure it is written to high standards. Or, as someone famously remarked, it should have essential elements to enable it to stand tall and slap mediocrity in the face.
So, what is good writing and what sets a piece of writing apart from mediocrity? And, crucially, can everyone/anyone write well?
We will look at five elements in no particular order that make a piece of writing stand out.
Clarity
Clarity is pretty much everything in writing. Readers should understand everything you write. Clarity means you are going to be careful about your choice of words and use them advisedly.
How you build your sentences and paragraphs matters. Readers prefer short sentences, but they need to be varied. If, for example, the first two sentences are short, the third should be a bit longer—to create rhythm and prevent monotony.
Some people’s vocabulary is very limited. If you want many people to understand what you are writing, choose words most people understand.
Punctuation
It is hard to talk about clarity in writing without punctuation. The two are inseparable. A piece of writing with sloppy punctuation is hard to follow and looks very amateurish. Good punctuation is a bit like arranging stuff in a house neatly. But it does much more. It adds polish and shows discerning readers that the writer actually knows what they are doing. Poor punctuation can change the meaning of what the writer wants to say, so it is important to pay great attention to how everything is punctuated.
Structure
Once people read the opening paragraphs and decide to read on, they will be sucked in if your writing is organised. The transition from one paragraph to the next should be seamless. One paragraph should segue into another in a way that feels natural to the reader.
The sequence should have some order. You do not want to leave readers saying something like: “I think these two paragraphs should have been at the very beginning.” A clean organised structure means the writer knows how to manage their writing and is therefore able to hold the reader’s interest and attention.
Purpose
Any piece of writing must have a reason for its existence. You may write because you want to, but if there is no real purpose for writing, it means you are going to struggle to find readers—and hold their attention. Purpose is what sets the stage for a piece of writing to resonate. It means the writer spent some time thinking about what to write about and has compelling reasons to write. A piece of writing with purpose cannot be accused of being all over the place. It is focused, and the writer knows who will take interest in it.
Conclusion
Many people remember what they read in part because of the way the writer brought it to an end. Good writing ends with intent, not a fizzle.
As to whether everyone can be a good writer, the answer is (unfortunately) no. Many people who write well have a flair for writing and read a lot. The more they read, the more they learn to write—just like those whose works they read. It is extremely rare to find great writers who read nothing.
🔴 If you care about good writing and grammar, make this section a regular stop. With time you will realise why coming here regularly is an efficient use of your precious time.