Ok, now your comment makes sense to me. That's why I get stuck a lot. Because I start to say: what in the world? That's a bit much or you're trying too hard or this needs to be simpler, etc. I'm selective like that so I get what you're saying!😊
Shaelin is definitely my favourite RU-vidr for all things writing-craft. Additions to these seven that come to mind include: well structured, well paced, thought provoking, authentic, challenging. A good novel is an interesting story told well.
I find it useful to distinguish between quality and taste. Taste is subjective, personal, solitary. Quality, on the other hand, is intersubjective. It's not a solo thing; it exists in the communication between the author and the reader. If a writer and a reader have similar tastes, the writing may still fail because of a lack of effective communication. That's where "good" writing comes in, imho.
Another great video! In my mind, the trifecta of good writing is that the piece has to be Interesting, Clear, and Insightful. Interesting so readers pick it up, Clear so readers keep going, and Insightful so it stays with them.
I would suggest that insightful prose doesn’t necessarily translate into staying power - some people simply forget everything. But you’re certainly on the right track to cite insightful prose as a hallmark of good writing because that’s the aspect that rewards the reader with something worth reading-even if it lingers all too briefly on their mind.
Great video, love the perspective. I loved how you spoke about insight. I read to experience something new, to learn, to be a better person, so I want to read about something you have insight on. Life is so amazing we only get one, so I want to hear about your life, your mother's, your hero's, and a million other lives I'll never live. Insight into another being enlightens us all and is one of the core elements of why humans learn by story.
Thank you... nice video. Based on your criteria, I'm on track to becoming a better writer. I do struggle with cohesion...I tend to nail certain aspects on your list, just not all together, but that's why I keep writing, to improve. Little did I realize back when I first started writing how satisfyingly crafting great sentences and paragraphs would be.
Where can I find a video on your RU-vid Channel that teaches "how to make a good hook in writing", if you taught it? I'm from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I've been subscribed to your Reedsy Shaylin Channel for a long time, I'm writing a novel thanks to what I'm learning in your videos, and I'm your unconditional fan. Thank you very much for you existing. Você é dimaixxx (You are amaaaaazing) and you speak like someone with authority.
8: Write for the reader. Always keep in mind that others will read it. Look outward and consider the audience. We all write for ourselves but that doesn't aways make it good for the other.
Someone here said "write what you would like to read" (and I believe Toni Morrison said something similar). Im going to add a little ti that: "write what you want to read AND buy." Would I spend money for this, or would I re-buy it? Or would I recommend it to someone?" If not, I need to go back in and rewrite. It's never going to be "perfect" because we all have different tastes. But if I would spend money on it, I think that's a good place to start. And you can get others to say if they would spend money on it. 😊
I would say the most important thing that signals to me that the writing is good, would be clarity. Making sure the reader understands what you are trying to convey is one of the most essential things. Clarity is the skeleton of making the story come to life. Something can be interesting, but unclear. And therefore it can be difficult to relate to the story. Because the reader spends time trying to interpret the meaning, and it can dislodge the flow and remove the readers mind from the world.
Its important to read books cause you see what you dont like that what authors do vs things they do like, I have a hard time engulfing in game of thrones books.. and people love that story! odd indeed!
You could evaluate a book through grammatical accuracy and sentence structure, the English Literature sort of thinking, but that's a rather dry and academic method and won't tell you much beyond the technical.
