The question of what makes a good writer springs up in my mind from time to time like a quest for a secret formula.  At least, finding that secret was foremost on my mind many years ago when I decided to stick my pen forward and offer my own ideas in the written format instead of the spoken one as I had more conveniently been accustomed in the broadcasting world.

I decided to start my writing career with a boost from a writing course online with a group of like-minded beginning writers on www.writersvillage.com.  The secret formula should be there, I thought.  All I have to do is find it, learn it, and put it to use.  It’s as simple as that.

The course was great.  Like a Marine drill instructor, the teacher had us pour over written material and write a homework lesson every day.  Everyone was required to read every other student’s work online and give a detailed review as it related to the assignment at hand.  It was very time consuming but worth it.  All the while I was intent on finding the secret formula.

After three or four weeks of this, I became impatient.  I wanted to know the formula. 

I finally decided to email one of the students in the group who was already a published author on several counts:  a book, many magazine articles, and website stuff.  Maybe he could slip the secret to me and I would know.  What he said astounded me.

“You’re already a good writer, Ted.  I thought you realized that.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, frantically.  I thought the formula had somehow eluded me and I would never know for sure.  Maybe he was keeping it a secret. 

“You’re the best writer in the group.  Why aren’t you already publishing material?” he asked.

I told him I didn’t know the real secret. 

He laughed.

“You already have it, my friend.  Don’t you see?  There is no secret.  The secret is just writing.  No one can tell you you’re wrong.  It’s a matter of style, art, and good linguistics.  That’s it.  Go for it.”

If he was right, I wondered why certain editors in the publishing business simply ignored my writing.  If I was as good as all that, why did publishers ignore me? 

The answer came soon after going to China.  I found in America, if you don’t have a journalism degree or an English degree from a reputable university, you lose.  Your writing is junk in the mind of an editor from the minute he sees your lack of writing credentials. 

In China, on the other hand, my writing found many outlets in magazines that needed material from good writers, regardless of degrees.  My confidence soared.

Of course, I did, in fact, graduate from broadcasting school where I was taught to write proficient journalism for the spoken word, which is quite a bit different than the printed word.  The distinction had always knocked me out of the contention of getting my works published.  Also, as a graduate from the University of North Texas with a BBA in Marketing, my writing took on an advertising edge.

Now, I realize the real solution:  It’s not a secret formula for writing, it’s writing something that’s needed and doing it with style and the required research for getting your facts straight.  In other words, find the truth and say in an interesting way. 

The reason most editors shy away from the non-journalism majors and the unknown authors is the fear of incorrect information through poor research.  Libel suits in America are dime a dozen.  No editor wants to be responsible for losing the magazine because of a multi-million dollar lawsuit, all because he chose an article from an unknown author.

So, what’s the secret of good writing?  Just write.  But, make sure you do the research, first.  Then, get it in the face of a bunch of editors.  Once you do, be prepared to be a writer with deadlines to meet.  Uh-oh, but that’s another problem for another article.  –T-