What is bad writing?

"Rob Parnell is the foremost writing guru in the world." Vin Smith,
Midnight Bookworm.

What is Bad Writing?

by Rob Parnell

http://www.easywaytowrite.com/

Let's first decide what is good writing.

Basically, anything that transports you as a reader is good. In a sense, it doesn't matter if the writing has lots of faults. Good writing is that which works for you - even though others might not agree. It's a personal thing.

Bad writing can work for your mother, your spouse or your best friends. They will not see the faults - and neither will you.

But good writing is what moves many people - and for the right reasons. This is why best selling authors are by definition good writers, even though the purists might criticize their style.

I've seen many arguments on writers' groups over the years about JK Rowling. It's fairly widely acknowledged (amongst writers) that her writing style leaves a lot to be desired. She breaks a lot of the rules of good writing but, her fans say, that's not important. Her mission is to tell great stories - which she's clearly very good at - and so who's to say she's a bad writer?

How can millions of readers be wrong?

I used to have this same argument with musicians. It's easy for purists and cynics to say 'Madonna is crap' but I would say that she must be talented and wonderful simply because she's so incredibly popular. To me, success is the benchmark.

If someone can inspire adoration, sales and loyal followers then surely you have to say they are talented.

And writers who can inspire millions with their words must be good at what they do.

You might not like Dan Brown's writing style. I've heard many writers criticize him - but you can't ignore the profound effect his writing has had on the public. I've read all of his books - and I can't believe he's made us wait so long for his next one!

There are many tell tale signs of ineffective writing. Bad grammar, clunky self consciousness, verbosity, authorial intrusion, lack of basic point of view skills - and a hundred and one other things that I cover in many of the 100 or so articles on my website. But don't let the mechanics - or rules - get you down.

Many would be great storytellers get so worried about their writing style, with all its faults, that they stop themselves from writing - for fear of embarrassing themselves.

But this is not productive.

Only writing is productive.

Pick up the rules as you go along - but don't stop yourself from writing. Listen to what others say and make adjustments but never believe you're not as good as anyone else.

Having read a million or so manuscripts in the last 30 years I would say there is only one really bad way to write.

And that is when an author deliberately sets out to write to IMPRESS.

You can tell they're saying, "Look at me, look at my writing! Aren't I great, isn't my writing superb!" Because, ironically this has precisely the opposite effect on the reader.

They might not quite understand why they don't like it - but that niggling feeling that the author wants you to be impressed with them can be very irritating to read.

In a perfect world, the author must disappear from view. The only important thing is the story - or in non fiction, the information.

The interesting thing to me is that once authors grasp this fact, their writing seems to get better on its own.

Because the rules of writing are simply there to help clarify your meaning to readers. And good writing is clear writing.

Bad writing is that which is confusing, deliberately obscure or simply hard to read. It may be perfectly grammatical and error free but, let's face it, if it's dull and uninspiring, it's bad writing.

Best regards and keep writing!

Let's first decide what is good writing.

Basically, anything that transports you as a reader is good. In a sense, it doesn't matter if the writing has lots of faults. Good writing is that which works for you - even though others might not agree. It's a personal thing.

Bad writing can work for your mother, your spouse or your best friends. They will not see the faults - and neither will you.

But good writing is what moves many people - and for the right reasons. This is why best selling authors are by definition good writers, even though the purists might criticize their style.

I've seen many arguments on writers' groups over the years about JK Rowling. It's fairly widely acknowledged (amongst writers) that her writing style leaves a lot to be desired. She breaks a lot of the rules of good writing but, her fans say, that's not important. Her mission is to tell great stories - which she's clearly very good at - and so who's to say she's a bad writer?

How can millions of readers be wrong?

I used to have this same argument with musicians. It's easy for purists and cynics to say 'Madonna is crap' but I would say that she must be talented and wonderful simply because she's so incredibly popular. To me, success is the benchmark.

If someone can inspire adoration, sales and loyal followers then surely you have to say they are talented.

And writers who can inspire millions with their words must be good at what they do.

You might not like Dan Brown's writing style. I've heard many writers criticize him - but you can't ignore the profound effect his writing has had on the public. I've read all of his books - and I can't believe he's made us wait so long for his next one!

There are many tell tale signs of ineffective writing. Bad grammar, clunky self consciousness, verbosity, authorial intrusion, lack of basic point of view skills - and a hundred and one other things that I cover in many of the 100 or so articles on my website. But don't let the mechanics - or rules - get you down.

Many would be great storytellers get so worried about their writing style, with all its faults, that they stop themselves from writing - for fear of embarrassing themselves.

But this is not productive.

Only writing is productive.

Pick up the rules as you go along - but don't stop yourself from writing. Listen to what others say and make adjustments but never believe you're not as good as anyone else.

Having read a million or so manuscripts in the last 30 years I would say there is only one really bad way to write.

And that is when an author deliberately sets out to write to IMPRESS.

You can tell they're saying, "Look at me, look at my writing! Aren't I great, isn't my writing superb!" Because, ironically this has precisely the opposite effect on the reader.

They might not quite understand why they don't like it - but that niggling feeling that the author wants you to be impressed with them can be very irritating to read.

In a perfect world, the author must disappear from view. The only important thing is the story - or in non fiction, the information.

The interesting thing to me is that once authors grasp this fact, their writing seems to get better on its own.

Because the rules of writing are simply there to help clarify your meaning to readers. And good writing is clear writing.

Bad writing is that which is confusing, deliberately obscure or simply hard to read. It may be perfectly grammatical and error free but, let's face it, if it's dull and uninspiring, it's bad writing.

Best regards and keep writing!