What Makes a Good Creative Writer?

It takes a great many qualities to become a good creative writer; here are 10 of them:

1. A love of reading – this comes first and is as important as a love of writing

2. A love of writing – pretty obvious, unless you've never tried writing before

3. A love of words – meaning you are dedicated to finding / using the right words / phrases for whatever it is you are writing

4. A good imagination – crucial!

5. Good powers of observation – being a people watcher and an eavesdropper!

6. A love of telling stories – always telling stories to anyone who will listen

7. Being disciplined – establishing and sticking to some kind of writing routine

8. Being thick skinned – being able to take criticism / rejection

9. Being patient – and I MEAN patient – especially when waiting for agents or the publishing process

10. A lifelong dedication to improving your writing skills – attending workshops and courses, reading books about writing, attending author talks, joining a writers' group, joining an online critique group and anything else that improves your writing skills.

I think I've covered the main qualities, but feel free to add any others you think are missing!