A little experiment and conversation starter for this Wednesday.
We all know that getting published is hard and that only the strong survive, to the point that agents only take on a handful of clients a year despite thousands of submissions. At the same time, accurate feedback is rare in this business, and it’s hard for someone to get a sense of their abilities. This might be a way of measuring that.
So You Tell Me: based on what you have seen from comments and contests, do you think you’re a better writer than the average reader of this blog?
Then let’s discuss the results and implications in the comments section.
Stuart Neville says
Because I know my answer to that question would flip between yes and no on an almost hourly basis, I shall abstain. Sometimes I think I rule, sometimes I think my pet cockatiel can poop better words. I don’t see a way to answer the question honestly and objectively when it’s so loaded to begin with – but I suppose that’s the point.
Rick Daley says
I have awesome hair.
Parker Haynes says
Do I think I’m a better writer than this blog’s average reader?
That depends on my blood alcohol level at the time of the question.
More seriously… my biggest concern is NOT whether I’m a better writer than someone else, but whether I’m a better writer today than I was yesterday, or last week, or last year.
I imagine all of us (except those whose level of self-confidence approaches conceit or arrogance) have both moments of elation at our writing and often severe self-doubt.
Just my opinion
PurpleClover says
TRAVIS said: “Since I fully realize my strength is in storytelling and not the actual writing, I answered no. I am in awe of others ability to string words, but beautiful prose is sometimes like beautiful women. Fun for a while and pretty to look at, but not what you want for a long term relationship.”
Okay I have to agree with the first half…you probably needed to be more specific with what makes a writer better. My grammar or word choice may not be up to par to some, but maybe I can tell the story better?
As for the statement about beautiful women:
WHAT?! First of all, assuming you’re married, did you just call your wife ugly?!
Why can women not be beautiful AND commitment worthy?! That’s almost as bad as saying they are either “smart” or “pretty”. sigh.
tsk. tsk.
I will give you a break this time…
Debendevan says
My sense from my own writing is that we write best when we are passionate about the topic or subject matter. My passion is the unevenly chronicled history of the Flemish Diaspora and the contribution of the Flemings to history (see http://www.flemishamerican.blogspot.com ). On that subject, I would comfortably argue, I do indeed write better than the average reader of this blog.
Martin Willoughby says
Seeing as prospective writers are more likely to read this than the average blog reader, it’s probably a bad question.
I would say I’m equal…but would like some feedback on that.
(I’m British and like to compromise)
L.C. Gant says
I’m surprised at how many people either “played it safe” with their answers or didn’t answer at all. I answered “yes” right away, no hesitation. I don’t consider that arrogant at all.
This is an industry that will eat your confidence for breakfast if you let it. In order to even get in the door, I have to convince you (the agent) to believe in my ability to tell a story. I have to sell my point-of-view to you. So, if I’m not confident that my work is better than average, why should I expect you to think it is?
I agree that it’s difficult to tell the quality of someone’s writing just from blog comments; personal blogs are a better indicator of that. However, I disagree that you can’t know whether you’re a good writer or not. I’ve seen enough “average” writing to know I’m better than average.
Do I still have a lot to learn? Absolutely. But I know my skill level. There’s a difference between arrogance and confidence. Arrogant writers think they’re perfect. Confident writers know where they need improvement, but they also know how they stand out from the crowd.
Hard work and “luck” aside, this business is all about standing out from the crowd.
Great question, Nathan! I had fun thinking about it!
SL says
Nah. These days, thanks to medication, my thoughts are so jumbled that most of my sentences/verbalised thoughts don’t make a whole lot of sense and are full of inconsistencies. 🙁 Sigh.
Julia Weston says
L.C. Grant said: “This is an industry that will eat your confidence for breakfast if you let it…”
So THAT’S what’s happening! Maybe I should start lacing my confidence with arsenic.
Nathan Bransford says
kat-
Good question, although I don’t necessarily see it as divisive. Honestly I think it can be taken many different ways. Is it a fair premise? How do you define it? What do the results mean?
I really didn’t intend for it to be divisive, just a conversation starter and food for though.
Kat Harris says
I would vote on the “Do You Think You Have Better Hair Than Nathan” poll.
But only after he posts a more recent picture.
🙂
Do I think I’m better writer than the average reader of this blog?
Maybe.
I don’t know.
I write for a living, but I don’t know how your average readers make their livings.
You have created a positive community for writers on this blog.
Why would you ask a question that feels as divisive as this one?
Nancy Coffelt says
I’ve been published since 1992 (boy that makes me feel old!) and it feels like the more I grow as a writer the LESS confident I feel.
I’m now so super aware of my mistakes, both big and small. Aaaak!
That being said, I’m hopelessly addicted and am eternally grateful for the internets and the opportunity they give me to spew all my “extra” writing.
Hmmm. I’m wondering if the people that voted “yes” here also laugh at their own jokes.
Kat Harris says
Sorry I deleted the original comment I asked. My phone rang and I accidentally pushed the “send” button before I was ready.
*blushes*
Thanks for your response.
Hilary says
Writing is the only thing I have EVER wanted to do.
I can’t afford to think about this.
This is like asking, “Do you think you’re a better lover than all your spouse’s other lovers?”
Well, I hope so, but obviously my opinion doesn’t count for much, and obviously your purpose for asking this question isn’t getting my answer so much as informing me of something I didn’t want to hear.
ikmar says
I like Hillary’s comment.
To be better than the average, you have to be better than 50% of the other writers. Add optimism and ego, and that percentage changes a bit more. Add personal taste and biased viewpoints about style, and it changes even more.
So, assuming our self-confidence is stronger than our self-doubt, I’ll say 75/25 is a healthy ratio.
Stephanie says
Hmmm… I don’t know. I would say I feel that we’re all so different, it would be hard to say who is better and who isn’t. I would never presume to say I was better than anyone else because all that is subjective. I’d like to believe there’s room enough for a wide variety of writers in the publishing world. I will say this, though…I may not be better but I have more persistence and determination than most people I know. Plus I’m the most prolific writer I know.
Anonymous says
It’s an impossible question, really. We all probably have different ideas of what makes a “better writer.” Some may be thinking of writing in the sense of sentence structure, grammar, and spelling. Others may be factoring in hard work, creativity, percentage of sales, or any number of things.
We all have our strengths.
-A
Anonymous says
Hmmm
Here are some thoughts:
I don’t like to compare myself in this community. At the same time, I think it is a fair enough challenge because people like Nathan and editors have to make comparisons and choose.
So, do we vote yes for ourselves?
Another thought:
I have had trouble with defining “better writer.”
I have often put myself as deficient because of my insecurity over my mastery of the craft of writing.
However I do have something going on, I believe.
It is easier for me to discern the values around these aspects when I compare craft to art. There is technique and then there is art.
I have seen a LOT of very skilled technique that is not art. Art takes me somewhere else and can be in many forms, but it is more than form itself, even when it concerns itself with specific forms.
I think I am not as good of a writer as many others so I am quite grateful for help, kind help especially, including editing that recognizes the art and does not try to reshape that as much as to help it stand sturdier, spellcheck, dictionaries,microsoft word, word processors, and readers who contribute to my being/becoming a better writer.
It takes a lot of committed folks I think to make a writer into the best version he/she can be.
Doug says
It depends. On certain topics I am the expert. On others not as much. Does it matter to me. Not in the slightest.
I write what I like to write. If you like to read it, I’m happy. If you don’t, I don’t mind. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
This may sound snobbish to you, but it’s all part of the process of thickening your skin. Very important part of being a writer.
Jason Branch says
I honestly don’t think that it’s a very fair comparison. Blog comments do little to show story-telling ability, character interactions or development, or other literary devices more important in writing fiction. You may have an argument for comparison with non-fiction, but when a body writes for publication (fiction or non-fiction), he or she trudges through the multi-layer editing process, unlike a blog, where answers and comments tend to be less formal. Apples and oranges, in my opinion.
Ink says
Hilary,
I’m guessing if your spouse has a whole bunch of other lovers, well… you might have more problems than figuring out how you’re writing stacks up on Nathan’s blog. 🙂
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Ulysses says
Am I a better writer than the average reader of this blog?
I don’t know. How good is the average reader of this blog? It’s pretty subjective, too, isn’t it? Who’s judging? What are the criteria for “better?” My grammar is good and my spelling (although often Canadian) is usually accurate, but beyond that it’s tought to be absolute.
I know only this: that there is no-one in the world who can write the stories I write as well as I do.
Of course, as others have said, writing (and art in general) is a supreme act of ego. Not only must you believe you have something to say that is worth hearing, but you must believe that no-one can say it better. So by definition, I’m better at writing my stuff than the entire population of the planet, not just the average reader of this blog.
I bet I’d suck if I tried to write someone else’s work.
Am I a better writer than the average reader of this blog? In the main, probably not. I’m probably in the average, but I’m working to get better.
Amy says
Anlyledo has a good point.
There has been a psychological study in business asking managers if they believe they are a top 10% employee at the firm. 80% answered they believe they are a top 10% employee. Most people believe they are better than they are, but really, is there anything wrong with a healthy dose of self-confidence? You should believe in yourself if no one else is going to… I’ve seen the opposite, people who think they are never good enough, and it’s paralyzing.
Be proud and believe in yourself!
Nathan: Do you believe you are a better blogger than the other agents? (Now there’s a can of worms!) (And you don’t have to answer that question.)
AC says
A lot of us probably got into writing (to be published) because at one point we’ve read a book we hoped we’d love and later thought, ‘I could do that–and better.’
Readers of your blog are probably much better writers than the majority of people sending queries to agents.
Hilary says
Lol @ Ink.
Good thing I’m not married.
Indignation off my chest, I’m going to go mail out a short story now.
Nathan Bransford says
Amy-
Haha, good question, and no, I don’t.
Holly Anderson says
I’m the absolute best at saying what I am thinking, and that’s what I write about.
So there you go!
sex scenes at starbucks says
I think there’s a ton of GREAT writers out there, with fabulous stories to tell. But it’s so taste-based that writing is only one piece of success.
Scott says
If I land an agent, I’ll have some hard stats to go by. Until then, I’ll say “no”, because blogs are weird and it’s a more productive mindset for me considering the subjectivity involved in such a comparison.
I mean, imagine reading an entire series of comments here that barely adhered to the laws of any punctuation or grammar universe, voting “yes” to the question, and then finding out that the “CM” tag at the top of all of them stood for “Cormac McCarthy”.
:O
Ink says
Of course, the key to all this is something no one seems to be mentioning: How do we tell if we’re right? And if we can find out, should we?
A lot of people think they’re better than average. Some of those will be, and some won’t (at least if we could ever make an objective decision on it). But, if you think you’re better and you’re not… is it better to know the truth or is better to hold on to that pleasant delusion of your own ability? Does it harm or help you to know the truth?
And if you think you’re below the average… would it be good to find out you’re actually above it? Or would that steal your drive and diminish your need to grow as a writer?
In other words, what is the value of confidence? Where does it help and where does it hamper a writer?
Interesting discussion here… how many of us are going to go and blog about it this week? 🙂 Hypergraphics of the world unite!
My best, as always,
Bryan Russell
Anita says
I think there are people who are better writers on an intellectual level than others, but if the intellectuals don’t know how to create likeable characters and a rousing story, then who cares about their smart writing?
Morgan Dempsey says
Do You Think That You’re a Better Writer Than the Average Reader of This Blog?
No, but it doesn’t stop me from trying.
Amber says
Very interesting reading.
I agree with most, there are some really good writers on this blog.
BUT – I think to spend so much time and be so dedicated to keep writing and keep ignoring rejections on this long road to getting published, we must all have that bit of arrogance that lets our muse tell us to keep going, we can do it!
Brigid says
I voted no. I am young, and I am still learning. (That being said, I was basing my guess on the contest winners and the more memorable–typically well-written–comments.)
But don’t write me off. I am improving.
Flemmily says
So, the next question (for the folks who said ‘yes’)is are you: A. Overconfident, or B. Realistic and a Damn Good Writer?
I will admit this, though, I think the readers of this blog are largely better writers than what the average agent or editor would find in their slush piles!
Or, at the very least, they should be.
Adaora A. says
That’s kind of a double-edged sword Mr. host. At least that’s how it reads to me. If we say yes we’re arrogant, if we say no then we don’t have any confidence. I like to think it’s a bit of a happy medium. I think there isn’t any sucessful person on earth who didn’t get make it without a bit of humilty, a bit of arrogance, creativity (which I reckon is relative), and talent (also relative in some ways).
Marilyn Peake says
I actually can’t answer this question because I don’t have enough information about who reads this blog. I know that, on all blogs, not every reader posts comments. Some of the entries in your last contest blew me away; they were exquisite. I assume, from some of the comments on this site, that your readers include literary agents and published authors, some published by small publishing houses and others published by the big publishing houses. If those people turn out to be your “average reader”, I can’t say that I’m the better writer. Am I a good writer, however? I think I am; I hope I am. My writing has received a large number of great reviews from reviewers and has won numerous awards. I have a minor in English Literature, and I try to improve my writing with every new piece I write. I’m looking forward to hearing your interpretation of answers to the question you posed today.
JES says
Sheesh. Just about every significant word in that question needs to go in quotes:
Do You “Think” You’re a “Better” “Writer” Than the “Average” “Reader” of This Blog?
“A better writer” doesn’t always translate to “a writer, better-published,” and I think we could all agree on that. (So MANY variables go into the second.) But even discounting that, we’re stuck with deciding if (for example) “more careful writer” (of things like typos) implies “better writer,” or if “snappier wit” does, or, or, or…
We all know our own tics and foibles and they always seem more charming and forgivable than someone else’s. I suspect the commenters and contest winners whose writing here appeals to me probably have quirks like mine.
Are we better than the others? I dunno.
Madison says
You know, I’m the best writer for me. If I compare myself to everyone out there then I might end up growing depressed because there’s TONS of people out there who can write better than me. But I’m improving everyday and loving what I do, so that’s all that matters. 🙂
JohnO says
Nathan, you have the makings of a social psychologist. They’ve been studying a recurring human pattern of people overrating their own abilities:
https://www.apa.org/monitor/feb03/overestimate.html
But a problem with the way you posed the question: Does your blog even have average readers?
Wanda B. Ontheshelves says
Re: “I don’t think I could make a fair assessment based on off-the-cuff blog comments. There are so many variables to “better or worse” including amount of time and polish put into a finished piece and the market to which it’s directed.
To base someone’s quality on blog comments? I don’t feel I have the right so to do.”
***
Well, I kind of go back to NB’s basketball metaphor – would you be able to pick out the NBA basketball player who was just goofing around, or having a pickup game with nonprofessionals? I think you’d be able to…or WBNA…
It might even be you could get more of a sense of a writer from their blog posts, than you would get from the query they labored over…because the voice would come through in the blog post, while it gets obliterated in the labored-over query…or conversely, the dashed-off query (my old specialty).
I’m biased, because I have gotten positive comments from an agent about my blog posts…just no deal yet…my mother says (simultaneously supportive and bewildered): “You always do your own stuff. Can’t you do more of what other people are doing?” Then I think of my creatively frustrated grandmothers and all their childrearing and housekeeping (certainly worthwhile endeavors), and it’s like, no, no I can’t…oh well, I’m off on a grandmother tangent, never mind…
Steve Fuller says
If the answer is no, then why in God’s name would you write?
If you aren’t better than the AVERAGE reader of a blog that gets (I’m guessing) a couple thousands hits per day, then you will never get published.
Janet says
Well yes, of course. How else would I find the courage to continue?
Whether or not my impression is justified is another question altogether. Like most people believe themselves to be better than average drivers, it stands to reason that most writers believe themselves to be better than average. We’re not all right, obviously.
What really plagues me is HOW MUCH better than average is necessary to get published… Better than average just doesn’t cut it.
Michael says
Now, I’m not dumb or cocky enough to say that I’m the best writer who reads this blog, but from my experience with other aspiring writers, I am better than the average. I know that good and better are subjective terms, especially when talking about art, but I wanted to participate in the discussion and all I could say was yes or no. There was no decline to state option, so I’m happy with my response.
Whirlochre says
I’m with Kiersten and LC Grant on this.
I have to believe it (as I have to believe many other things) or I simply wouldn’t make it out of bed in the morning.
Maybe this POV will be perceived as arrogance by some but I have no direct control over that — and in any case, I submit my thoughts to this post on the basis that unless they had been solicited and I’d given them considered consent, they’d almost certainly never have erupted spontaneously, heedless of all other souls, from the froth of my megalomaniacal bombast.
Whatever the answer to this question (and there are no rights or wrongs, just variety), the simple truths remain. No-one is guaranteed to like me, nor anything I write, and unless I work at what talents I’ve got I’ll stay stuck at the level of aptitude my delusions of the moment equate with brilliance/ineptitude.
As for Nathan’s hair — groomed as if by nereids, I say.
anonnumberone says
WELL…
After reading the comment left by Eric (10:08 am), he seems smarter than me. But this wasn’t about smarter but about writing.
Ordinarily I’d have to say that I do consider myself a better writer than most. Otherwise I wouldn’t keep trying.
Of course, that could just be my “…incompetence robbing me of the meta-cognitive ability to realize…” that I suck.
Hey, wait a minute, maybe I don’t like Eric’s comment after all.
Jen says
No. I still have a lot of work to do and a lot to learn.
That said, I don’t try to compare myself to other writers. I try to judge myself against earlier work, to see how far I’ve come and how much further I have yet to go before I’m satisfied with what hits the page.
kitkat says
I voted no. I don’t have that much confidence in my writing. I like to write – I love to write! It’s more exciting than eating (for me), but since I haven’t seen anything except first paragraphs… well, I won’t jump to any conclusions.
Besides, over confidence will ruin a writer. I’d rather be shy and always work for improvement, than become lazy and complacent.
Jen says
Reposted to fix a spelling error that got past me:
Almost forgot:
RE: Steve Fuller’s comment, “If the answer is “No”, then why in God’s name would you write?”
The answer is obvious. If I don’t, I’ll never get better. Whether or not I’m any good at it yet doesn’t negate the fact that I love to write, enjoy it immensely even when it makes me crazed, and feel I have something worthwhile to say.
That’s why I do it.
Scott says
After reading all those comments, I definitely need a margarita. Where’s the Behler beagle when you need her?
I love to write. Writing is a journey I eagerly take. I have confidence in my writing. That was not always the case. Am I a better writer than the average reader of this blog? I have no clue.