13 Attributes of the Ultimate Writer (Part 2 of 4)
By: Chris Craft
Tags: Humor, Communication, Writing Tips, Writing, Satire

13 Attributes of the Ultimate Writer (Part 2 of 4)

Voice, Communication, Vocabulary, and Sense of Humor

Hey, y’all. I’m back with Part 2 of the Ultimate Writer series. I’ve gone back into my writer creation lab, perfected the formula, and discovered the writers who exemplify excellence with the attributes of Voice/Presence, Communication/Delivery, Vocabulary, and Sense of Humor.

After you read this story, please check out Part 1, which features some talented writers who flex in the areas of Soul, Creativity, and Intelligence.

Let me say again…this list is based purely on my opinion. I don’t intend to disrespect anyone by leaving them off this list.

To Recap

This series came from a brainstorm on how I would create the Ultimate Writer based on 13 attributes that I propose are the most crucial to being an excellent writer. You don’t have to be good at all of these writing attributes for your own writing pursuits, but proficiency in a good number of them would do you well.

The 13 attributes for the Ultimate Writer are:

Soul

Creativity

Intelligence

Voice/Presence

Communication/Delivery

Vocabulary

Sense of Humor

Heart/Empathy

Work Ethic

Stamina

Guts

Versatility

Connecting

As you read down the list, you may notice that I’m stepping through the attributes from the all-encompassing eternal aura (the soul) all the down to the Ultimate Writer’s “feet” with Connecting -or the ability to use writing to network with others and grow a community.

Today, in Part 2 of this series, I’m focusing on the attributes of Voice/Presence, Communication/Delivery, Vocabulary, and Sense of Humor.

Part 3: Heart/Empathy, Work Ethic, Stamina

Part 4: Guts, Versatility, Connecting

Here we go!

Voice/Presence

A writing voice or presence is an important writing quality for those who desire to show that they are an authority on a topic. If you want readers to believe you, confidence needs to emanate from your words. Of course, having a voice/presence should come with the moral responsibility to use it for good. To do otherwise would be tragic.

Ayodeji Awosika is the writer who I chose for Voice/Presence. When I read Ayo’s writing, I can tell that he means what he’s writing and that he knows what he’s talking about. There’s no denying the confidence in his writing. There’s no denying his experience! The way that he uses his platform to motivate his readers is truly inspiring.

A story by Ayodeji that shows his voice/presence: Deep Work: The Cheat Code to True Productivity

Communication/Delivery

Writing is ultimately about knowing how to get a point across to a reader. There are myriad ways to make or deliver a point, but keeping things simple has always been a great way to make sure your reader understands what you want them to know.

At the same time, simplicity in communication doesn’t have to be boring or dry. I respect writers who can communicate a message clearly and still manage to inject a dose of creativity into how they deliver their message. This is a skill that I’m working on improving in my own writing.

Cynthia Marinakos is a talented communicator and illustrator whose accessible and entertaining word usage makes her my favorite writer in terms of Communication/Delivery. She successfully uses word choice, creativity, formatting, and organization to efficiently communicate her message. Not only that…her illustrations are a perfect accompaniment for communicating her message visually.

A story by Cynthia that shows her gift as a communicator: How to Be the Writer You’ve Always Wanted to Be

Vocabulary

When I wrote about intelligent writers in Part 1, I wrote that being an intelligent writer goes beyond using big words. The same is true for flexing your vocabulary as a writer. Sure, you can occasionally use a rarely used word for utility (or to impress the reader), but your vocabulary can also be used to help people see commonly used words in a new way. A writer with a good command of his or her lexicon leverages creative word usage for effect!

I must admit that Ryan Fan’s writing makes me break out the dictionary sometimes. He is the writer whose DNA I’d integrate into my Ultimate Writer for the Vocabulary attribute. It’s impressive how he weaves rare and common words together without forcing it or sounding pretentious.

A story by Ryan that showcases his acumen for word choice: Life is Not a Problem to be Solved, But a Reality to be Experienced

Sense of Humor

Laughter is good for the soul. A well-timed joke can win you loyal readers like nothing else can. But using humor in writing ain’t easy (unless it is for you). Either you’re born with it or you work pretty darn hard to craft a humorous style. Personally, I think the great funny people were born with that talent.

Writers with a sense of humor know how to make even some of the most painful events in life funny. That’s why many say that comedians are some of the most secretly depressed people.

There’s more than one way to be funny, which is beautiful. Funny writers can be dry, energetic, introverts, extroverts, sarcastic, satirical, overt, abstract, silly, tragic, or witty. I believe that every human has a style of comedic writing that they favor for a tickle.

Okay…there are a ton of funny writers out there, but one stands out to me…

Kyrie Gray is so dang funny, y’all. I would say that satire is her superpower. Her fearlessness helps her touch on controversial topics while her sense of humor keeps it light. Her satire writing DNA is what I’m using to create my Ultimate Writer for the Sense of Humor attribute. Honestly, if you want to learn how to write satire, I would highly recommend studying Kyrie’s writing.

A story by Kyrie that puts her superhuman satire on display: I Would Do Anything for My Children As Long As It Doesn’t Affect My Lifestyle Brand

A quick note about Kyrie’s story linked above: One, it’s some of the funniest satire that I’ve ever read. But secondly, on a serious note, I’m launching a family blog and Kyrie’s story inspired me to be careful not to put the blog and the business over parenting and being present with my wife and the kids. Thankful.

Well, that’s it for Part 2 of the Ultimate Writer series. Who would you have picked for Voice/Presence, Communication/Delivery, Vocabulary, and Sense of Humor? Let me know by leaving a response.

Now, go read Part 1 in case you missed it. See you in Part 3!