What makes a good writer? Whether you want to be one or need one, the question is the same. Therefore, we ask, "Is a good author someone who can capture the absolute heart of an issue in a single sentence? Or is it one who can take a simple idea and expound on it with a plethora of words, accurately identifying every angle? Or is it something altogether different?"

Certainly everyoneexcept those in some small circleswould agree that grammar is important. And it is. However, this alone cannot make one's material recognized as a job well done. Let me demonstrate: "I'm bored!" is a perfect grammatically constructed sentence. But it is definitely not an exciting sentence to read. Is it?

One skill that could potentially place an author's product in the category of good writing is to master the use of verbs. For instance, "I can fly the plane for you" is more engaging than saying, "I can be flying the plane for you."

But this alone does not guarantee someone's work to be place among the best. Consider this: "I went to the store yesterday and saw people shopping for items they wanted, and I noticed they were buying them." This sentence is loaded with verbs. But is it worth reading? It certainly does not seem to be something people would want to spend the next few precious moments of their life pondering over.

Even constructing the best introduction does not guarantee a well-written article. It is easy to make a reader curios, but answering the question is another matter. Let's put it this way, if we were to have an introduction that articulated a persuasive series of questions on why the earth turns on its axis one way verses the other, I would be very interested in knowing the answer. But can you give one?

"What, then, does make a good writer?" you ask. And that is a good question.

In some ways the answer can be subjective. That is, I had once read somewhere that Ernest Hemingway was the greatest author that ever lived. Consequently and naturally wanting to emulate him if he were, I quickly asked a librarian what it was about Ernest Hemingway's work that gave him this status. She said, "I don't think he is. I prefer science fiction."

Well, that didn't answer my question. But it did teach me that for someone to be considered an expert in this field, it is, in some ways, dependent on the reader. Someone who likes reading fiction, for instance, may not enjoy reading nonfiction. And vise versa.

However, there still is something almost tangible that does make an author either bad or good at his skill. A good writer isand here is the answerone that can articulate with good grammar something that is either inspiring, meaningful, or informative. To adapt the real-estate adage: it is content, content, content!

Essentially what makes one good at this, then, is someone who can catch the reader with a tantalizing introduction, write with good grammar content that keeps the reader's attention throughout the article, and also ends by satisfying the desire that was in some ways conjured up from the introduction. Wouldn't you agree?

What makes a good reader is another question. And maybe you can answer that.

Alfred Spengly is a freelance writer / editor, and you may visit his site at http://www.alfredspengly.com