Ireland asked Millie Florence:

What do you consider a 'new writer' being? How does someone know if they have emerged from a new writer to a bit more advanced writer?

Millie Florence A quote I've always liked is "The difference between a good writer and a bad writer is that a good writer knows when they are bad, and a bad writer doesn't." -- Dan Brown

I would change the wording a bit, though, to be: "The difference between an experienced writer and an inexperienced writer is that an experienced writer knows when they are bad, and an inexperienced writer doesn't."

All that to say: You know you're no longer a new writer when you are experienced enough to be able to look at a piece of writing and determine what is wrong with it, why, and how to fix it. You might not know how to fix it right away, often it will take some time and thinking, but you have all the tools to figure out what’s wrong with your story and repair it. You know when something feels off.

How do you get there? To become a good writer, you need to be willing to learn. Before you can ask “Is my book good enough?” you need to ask “What makes a good book?”.

Ask—
How do I plot? Should I plot? What makes a good character? How do I make a fight scene feel realistic but also exciting? Why do I like this book, but not that one? Why does this scene feel weird? What makes good dialogue? What’s my favorite plot twist and why does it work? How could it have gone wrong? Where did it go right?

Now google those questions. Read three different blog posts about them and watch five different YouTube videos. Discover a book one of the bloggers recommends about the writing craft. Read that book. Ask more questions. Now you’re learning. Now you’re growing. Now you’re on your way to becoming an AMAZING writer!

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