Writing14/07/2008 11:56 am

I do a lot of writing. None of it fancy - this blog, my editors letter, publisher reports, Morning Pages, thank you notes, the occasional feature or interview... Fancy or not, it's something I think about a lot, and so, I know, do many of you. What is 'good writing? How could mine be better? Is writing a talent or a skill - and what's the real difference?

I get a lot of messages from readers of Psychologies with questions along these lines. There is a vast well of untapped writers out there, all inescapably drawn to express themselves in print, with varying degrees of confidence and experience.

I'm still asking those questions myself, so may not be the best person to try to answer yours. But I recently found a very short essay by the late great Kurt Vonnegut (if reading ' a lot and closely' is the first instruction for any writer, Vonnegut is one of my own recommended additions to anyone's reading list), entitled How To Write With Style.

The essay itself is well worth reading in full but Vonnegut thoughtfully provides a short summary of his advice which actually contains everything any of us engaged with or attracted to writing of any kind needs to know:

1. Find a subject you care about
2. Do not ramble, though
3. Keep it simple
4. Have the guts to cut
5. Sound like yourself
6. Say what you mean
7. Pity the reader

Email your comments

"I was in the car with my husband this morning travelling to work, when i noticed my last issue of psychologies in the glove box. I took it out flicking through with only one thought in mind. How can I write as good as these articles? So, I went on this imaginary small voyage in my head, thinking what it would be like if I was amongst those who gets to publish their articles each month? I would write books and magazines articles, all sorts. And here you are, whilst I visit your website before going to get my copy of psychologies for this month, you have written something which is what I am looking for right now. What a coincidence? Or Is this the law of attraction working?"

by Shalinee