A Reader Asks: How do you determine skill level?

In email, I received the following note from a reader.

I want to say up front that I think this is a very difficult question to answer, but an important one that we are all struggling with all the time (as I see in posts all over the internet phrased in all kinds of ways). I believe it is a question that touches all writers, and especially those of us at the beginnings of our writing careers and aspirations.

With permission, I'm quoting it here in italics.


How to determine skill level?

My goal i...