I found this questionnaire for writers on Ph.D. in Creative Writing. The aim is to revisit it every time you feel you’ve grown as a writer so that you can measure your growth and figure out where you want to go next, or even just look back and see how far you’ve come. It’s not an easy questionnaire, but it definitely put some things in perspective for me and showed me where I need to work harder.

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Why do you want to become a writer?

I want to become a writer because stories are always flying into my head and slamming into me, demanding to be written. Writing has always been my best form of communication, and stories have always been my best friends.

What are the books that you return to over and over, and what is it that appeals to you about them?

I’m probably missing some, but I’ve read

• Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine
• Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Craighead George
• The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass, by Stephen King
• Prozac Nation, by Elizabeth Wurtzel

again and again, and could read them yet again as soon as I finish them. Each of them have a strong, unique narrative voice. Each of them pulled me in from the very first sentence. All four of them stayed with me long after I read the last sentence, and I think about each of these books on an almost daily basis.

I think you can also add

• A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
• A Disobedient Girl, by Ru Freeman

to that list, even though I’ve only read them once each so far. Those two novels taught me more about the importance of language than any college course ever could. I’m just grateful that I could perceive what I was learning while reading.

What do you want to write, and why do you want to write it?

I haven’t decided on a genre. I just love writing. I’m not sure yet if this makes me a bad writer or a good one. I do know that I want to write stories that move people the way the books in the list(s) above moved me. I want to write stories that keep people awake at night after reading a bit thinking about what they read. I want to write stories that are so good, I get hate mail for doing this or killing that character in the story. I want to write stories that are so good, they make me cry.

Who might be interested in reading your work?

This is a tough question to answer because I don’t write for one genre. I tend to write stories that don’t fit into one category neatly, so my ideal reader is okay with genres blurring into each other and things that are a little strange.

This question freaks me out a little, honestly, because I’d never really thought about it before. I will have to think about this more and come back to answer it again when I have a better answer.

What are your strengths as a writer?

It’s easier for me to find weaknesses, which is why I, quite honestly, did that section first.

I become a better writer with each story I write.

I write good dialogue.

Even when my stories are dark, they have a twist of humor weaved into them. Maybe this makes me perverse.

I can see what will need to be improved as I’m writing a piece, and edit without feeling too tied to it (most of the time, and this is honestly a relatively new development).

I’m honestly struggling to find anything else to compliment myself on, which is why “I need to have more faith in my writing” is under my weaknesses.

What are your weaknesses?

I need to get better at creating characters. I want to create quirkier, more three-dimensional characters with stronger voices. I wish I could create characters like Joss Whedon or Robert Kirkman. My characters always feel flatter to me when rereading after a period than they do at the time I’ve created them.

I also need to take more risks. I usually write in third person because it’s easier for me. I’d like to try my hand at writing in second person, and I’d love to get better at writing in first person.

I want to get better at creating conflict. I like stories that have multiple problems as well as the character’s main problem. Inner conflict always goes well with simultaneous outer conflict, and I always seem to forget about this.

I need to learn to trust my readers. They don’t really need my descriptions. Actions can describe my characters much, much better.

I also just need to have more faith in my writing.

How would you describe your writing style?

I think I’ve only just begun to really find my writing style, so this is another difficult question. My old English professor — who is a part of the writers’ group I attend — says my narration is very sarcastic. This is rarely the effect I’m going for, so I have to try very hard to tone it down, especially when writing in the third person. This must be why editing was invented.

I would like for my writing style to be its own, rather than heavily influenced by another author. For years, my writing style mirrored Stephen King’s. The sarcasm must be left over from those days. I very much like Joe Meno’s style. I also really like Alice Sebold’s style. I want my style to be hard hitting, like a slap in the face, but not sarcastic. I just want to use language to grab hold of the reader and not let go until they’ve finished the story or novel. I want my style to use language in an interesting, original way; I want to say everyday things in a way that makes the reader stop and think, “Wow, that’s creative.” I do not want to be even remotely cliche.

What do you think writing can do that no other art form can do?

Writing can create other art forms; countless songs, movies, graphic novels, paintings, and more have been inspired by written words. Writing allows people who wouldn’t ordinarily think anything of language see and think about language in a new way. Writing inspires sharing; books are passed from friend to friend to parent to sibling to child to friend. While music and other art forms are shared, I think writing is physically shared the most. It prompts group discussions and creates conversation. I have talked to people I wouldn’t normally talk to countless times because of a book I saw them reading. You can’t see music someone is listening to with headphones.

Writing also transcends time. Today’s one-hit wonder will not be remembered tomorrow, but Kate Chopin’s The Awakening will be read in English classes for years to come. e.e. cummings and Robert Frost will be studied in classrooms for years to come, as well. While Frieda Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh will be studied, too, literary classrooms will send students home with texts that those students will share with their parents as they do their homework. Paintings on projectors can’t leave classrooms, and reprints can’t walk out of museums, but books can be borrowed from the library.

I love art and music, don’t get me wrong. I just love books more.

What do you think your writing can say or do? Define your vision.

I think my writing can help me discover parts of myself I never knew existed. I also think my writing can show people the good and bad in humanity.

Again, I need to have more faith in my writing; I’m having a really hard time answering this question.

How do you define growth as a writer? What is the next level you’d like to achieve?

I’ve actually written a whole post about how I define growth as a writer, where I am, and where I’d like to be. I think there are four stages:

• Amateur Writer
• Decent Writer
• Good Writer
• Great Writer

An Amateur Writer has natural talent, has paid attention in English class to grammar and spelling, but they have no technique. She might write stories here and there, and they might be fun, but there may be no conflict or tension, and characters may be flat. She may do these things well, but she always does it accidentally.

A Decent Writer still has natural talent, but she’s finally developing some technique. She has a slight idea of how to create conflict. She knows how to best begin a story. She knows how to create tension, and three-dimensional characters. She may or may not do any of these things well.

A Good Writer has natural talent, knows how to use grammar and spelling effectively, and also knows how to effectively use the things she’s learned about conflict, tension, characterization, and more. She does these things very well in her stories, but still has a lot of learning to do.

A Great Writer rarely relies only on her natural talent and uses all of the things she’s learned to craft excellent stories. She uses conflict and tension effectively, creates three-dimensional, realistic characters, and has developed a voice for herself as a narrator as well as for each of her characters.

Note that none of this has anything to do with editing or getting published. All of these stages are measured by first drafts.

I still think I am somewhere between a Decent Writer and a Good Writer. I feel like I’m really close to becoming a Good Writer, but there is something I’m missing. Maybe it’s that I just don’t write enough. I’m hoping I will find it by writing more, and soon. I’m so close, I can taste it. I just wish I knew what that something is.

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There’s a bonus question for the next time you do the questionnaire:

How have you grown and changed [as a writer] since the last time you answered these questions?

I hope that, when I do this again, I’ll have a long answer for this part.

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Did you do this questionnaire? Leave me a comment with the link so I can see your answers!

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[ED: Clarified a great writer's use of natural talent. 12/09/2011]