Everybody can write but that doesn’t mean everyone is a good writer. Some are naturally talented, others have wild imaginations, all show a resilience and belief in their craft.

So which writer are you? What will make you stand out from the crowd and write something to inspire and entertain? Give yourself a head start and identify your strengths – and what you need to work on – with these expert tips.

Narrative skills

Telling a story

The best writers have the ability to create a story that people want to read – it’s that simple. Whether you’re writing about cars or politicians or life-changing moments or an imaginary forest filled with dancing foxes, if you can tell your story in a way that makes your reader want to fall into the world you’ve created and find out what happens next, you’re doing something very, very right.

Believing in the story you are telling

If you aren’t convinced by your characters and the story you’re telling, why should anyone else be? The best writing is writing that rings true. That doesn’t mean it has to be based in actual fact, but that it has to carry a sense of conviction. If you’re merely going through the motions, and not fully invested in your story, how can you expect it to have an emotional resonance for the reader?

Making a connection with readers

Remembering the reader is a key skill for good writers. If you can reach out to a reader, fire their imagination and make them feel that they are emotionally invested in the story you are telling – that they want to know what happens – you have achieved the storyteller’s biggest ambition: to write something that becomes a part of their readers’ lives.