What Defines a Great Writer?
Lists containing names of the greatest writers in the world often appear on the internet, in newspaper and sometimes even in the television. Some new names appear every time while others disappear. There are also some writers that appear on every such list. Why are they so special? What is it that defines a great writer? Are there any universal criteria?
Lists containing names of the greatest writers in the world often appear on the internet, in newspaper and sometimes even in the television. Some new names appear every time while others disappear. There are also some writers that appear on every such list. Why are they so special? What is it that defines a great writer? Are there any universal criteria?
More importantly, I would ask what happens with most writers from smaller and less known countries. Works of these authors often stay known only to the local market. So, while unknown, many of them wrote works of comparable quality and deep ideas as the world’s most famous writers who are considered to be the greatest of all.
Recently, I read an article depicting 50 best writers of all times. Well, I consider this a thing of opinion as there are many genres with lots of authors (famous or not) writing top quality works with deep and original ideas. Anyway, I have never heard of some writers on that list. And it is not because I do not read (in fact I read a lot). It is because very few people in my country ever heard of those people and their works were either not translated into our language or they did not get the sales here. We also never learnt about them in school.
On the other hand, we learnt about some local authors (Slovak, Czech) whose works were of equal quality with works of many of the world’s most famous writers. Apart from that, they wrote works with ideas far ahead of their times (mostly considering the social status of their country). Local situation differed from that of many other countries. So, their works are exactly the same thing for us as works of great writers of other nationalities are for their countrymen while they remained original. The only difference is that they wrote for much smaller market and their works were never translated to world’s most popular languages, because there was no market for them there. Do you think that this makes those writers worse than their famous colleagues? Also, I can ensure you that most countries/nations around the world have such writers.
So, my answer to previous question is “No, I don’t think so”. Anyway, apart from the fact that critique regarding literature is usually subjective, the issue of being famous is here too. I would never dare to say that one author is better or greater than other just because he is known to more people around the world. It is the quality of writing and ideas behind it that count with me, not author’s nationality, language of choice and fame (which is often linked as those writing in more popular languages have far higher potential to become well-known) That is also the reason why I would never try to compile a list of this type (for example – best writers of all times, etc.). If I were to compile a list, it would have character of “My favorite writers list”.
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August 30th, 2010 at 6:54 pm
I agree with you there. Even if someone is not well known, the quality of their writing can make them great.
August 30th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
You have a good point about some of the best writers being unknown. Sometimes it’s just luck that we know about writers. The English-speaking world wouldn’t have Russian writers if it weren’t for one lady who translated almost all of them around World War One.
August 30th, 2010 at 8:31 pm
I agree that these lists about the best writers are often based on opinion. Nice article and i enjoyed reading it.
Emmie
August 30th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
I know where you are heading. You are talking of great authors in your country without naming anybody Michal. I challenged you to name any of those authors you are moaning about and actually thought I would find them here but now I know the reason for writing this. Have you read Shakespeare? Have you read a book like Anna Karenina which every literary critic agrees to be the greatest novel ever written? Have you read any Tolstoyan text? I agree the list are entirely based on opinion but the fact that they almost always have the same individuals time and again should tell you a lot.
By the way, would you rather that in deciding great authors we use ‘facts’ such height, body weight and skin color? Stop moaning about my list and produce yours that has those authors from your country.
August 31st, 2010 at 12:10 am
I like your post because you explain very good points in it
August 31st, 2010 at 12:14 am
Great post….
Keep doing the great work…
August 31st, 2010 at 6:19 am
I am not heading there. My point was simple – Almost every country/nation has such authors and the rest of the world usually never heard of them and they do not make it to any lists. As it was said, if no one translated works of great Russian authors, Tolstoy would never make it to any of these lists outside Russia regardless of the fact that he wrote top quality works. Also, I am not moaning, just explaining my point of view in this article and pointing out a flaw behind most works/lists talking of world’s best writers.
I read Shakespeare and saw some of his plays in theatre and I must say that I liked them very much.
I read Tolstoy’s works and also works of many other authors on that list (works of some of them like f.e. Cervantes’s Don Quixote, are even on list of my favorite books) and I am not arguing about them being a great writers. All I am saying is that there are many more writers whose works are of equal quality and remain unknown and that is why I would never try to compile list of world’s best writers because I (and anybody else) don’t know them all. Though, title like “World’s most famous great writers” would never ring a bell in my head.
I don’t know from where you got the thing about skin color, etc. as I clearly wrote what defines a great writer for me (quality of work + ideas behind the work regardless of fame).
I surely will produce articles about some local authors, but it’ll take some time as I start moving to new apartment tomorrow and I might be without internet connection for up to 2 weeks.
One more thing- I am not moaning about your list. That list just started my ideas (and it is clearly apparent from what I wrote here) and I am explaining my view, not trying to discredit your list or attack your work or you in any way as I admire your work and often agree with what you write there. Yet, you seem to chose an offensive stance here.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:25 am
Oh, and thanks for all your comments.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:51 am
Thanks so much for sharing with us your thoughts.
Do come back fast with your writings and comments, once you have settled down with your housing and internet connection.
August 31st, 2010 at 9:49 am
A very well-written and presented article. I am suggesting this one for the awards.
September 1st, 2010 at 10:04 am
A good writer with passion, educational, entertaining and very sincere..
September 1st, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I LOVED this! I believe I have found another fantastic writer on Triond.
September 9th, 2010 at 8:15 am
The popularity of an author depends on a LOT, luck and hardwork taking most of the space. And so does their greatness.
Greatness is a very vague adjective.
Great write my friend!
September 9th, 2010 at 10:33 am
Great observation. I agree that every country has unique set of writers that in their own right are ingeniously amazing. Every writer has a personal unique style but certainly no writer can be termed as the greatest. It is a continuing process. Man’s life is too short to discover all writing gems. Anyway your approach is quite analytical and logical. Superb effort.
September 11th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
A thought provoking article.
September 12th, 2010 at 12:14 am
A very well-written article. I notice you use transitional words to go from paragraph to paragraph. that is very good. Every writer has a unique style of writing. The good thing about writing is that with practice you can become a really good writer. I think good writing is about the quality and what you put out there.
September 13th, 2010 at 8:11 am
too much helpful things here to learning…great
September 22nd, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Great post and very interesting too.
Emmie
September 25th, 2010 at 6:47 am
loaded stuff…