You’ve been there. Maybe you’re there now. Everything you write is horrible. Terrible. It’s the horrible, terrible, no good, very bad writing (day). Welcome to the club. Stay awhile. While you’re here, you should know something. Everything you write probably isn’t that bad. And even if it is sort of bad, that’s OK because good writing comes from bad writing.

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Why Most Writers Think Their Writing Is Bad

Good writing comes from bad writing.

Not only good writing but great writing too. In fact, the absolute best writing on the planet comes (and came) from bad writing.

How so?

Glad you asked.

You know that friend who has lots of really great ideas for a book but hasn’t put any words to paper yet? Maybe they think you should be the one to write it, or the librarian, anyone, but certainly not them. They could never do it.

With that mindset, bad writing hasn’t even occurred yet. They’re still stuck in bad thinking. Bad thinking doesn’t get anyone anywhere and it certainly doesn’t get them to the New York Times (NYT) Bestseller list.

But you’re not ‘that friend’. You took a big, giant leap forward and actually wrote down your thoughts. You took a risk. A chance. A leap of faith.

You allowed yourself to be vulnerable. To be authentic. To be real. To be judged – eek!

Yet now, as you stare at your previously awesome words that are now looking more and more like horrible, terrible words, you’ve come to the conclusion that your writing is bad. You’re bad.

Your life as a career author dreams are dashed.

But.

They’re not.

Because…

Bad Writing Is Part of the Process

Writing is not simply to sell books, spin ideas, impress friends, or have a hobby.

The purpose of writing is to write.

Everything else comes later.

Writing doesn’t require anyone else’s approval or permission.

It doesn’t require a social media platform or marketing strategy.

It doesn’t need to be perfect or even “good”.

Writing is simply the action of taking your ideas and making them shareable and discoverable.

Revision Is Where Good Writing Happens

Once the words are written, then the real work begins. The real work is taking this draft, plot, outline, or even a small collection of ideas and transforming it into something noble. Something epic. Something interesting, educational, or entertaining.

The art of great writing, good writing, or even fine writing comes through the revision process. Editing is where bad writing becomes good writing.

“A person who wrote badly did better than a person who does not write at all. A bad writing can be corrected. An empty page remains an empty page.” – Israelmore Ayivor, How You Can Write Your Dream Book

Your bad writing is far better than someone’s no writing. You now have product that can be improved. You’ve got a vision that can be tweaked.

So, tweak it. Revise it. Edit it. Try saying it differently. Try saying it better. Try saying it with less words and more words.

Why Outside Feedback Matters

If you feel like you’ve tried it all and you’re not sure what to do about your bad writing, it’s time to share it.

It’s time to bring in a critique partner (CP) or professional editor.

These people aren’t as attached to your work as you are.

They will see the plot holes. They’ll notice the grammar fixes. They’ll identify passive or active verbs, weak openings, and verbose sentences.

More times than not, a good critique or edit from someone else will reveal a whole new world to you.

I’ve always been impressed by my CP’s thoughts on various manuscripts. They see so much and my once bad writing became more and more good writing.

Sticking to writing fundamentals ensures each piece I write becomes better than the last.

Keep Writing Anyway

And yet, even after countless words written, I still have my days where I think everything I write is terrible.

It’s normal.

But it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Write those thoughts down and let yourself shine through revision.

Signs You’re Growing as a Writer

Many writers assume feeling dissatisfied with their work is proof they are failing.

Often, the opposite is true.

As your skills improve, your ability to recognize weaknesses improves too.

You begin noticing awkward sentences, weak descriptions, pacing issues, and missed opportunities that once would have gone unnoticed.

That awareness can feel discouraging, but it is actually evidence of growth.

A writer who sees problems can fix them.

A writer who sees no problems at all often has much further to go.

The goal is not to write a perfect first draft.

The goal is to become the kind of writer who can recognize what needs improvement and keep moving forward anyway.

What to Remember When Your Writing Feels Bad

If you’re struggling with self-doubt, remember:

• Every great writer produces imperfect drafts.
• Revision is where strong writing is created.
• Feedback helps reveal opportunities you can’t always see yourself.
• Improvement comes through practice, not perfection.
• The writers who succeed are often the ones who keep writing when others quit.

The blank page isn’t the enemy.

Giving up is.

Final Thoughts

Almost every writer reaches a point where they believe their work isn’t good enough.

The difference between writers who improve and writers who quit is often surprisingly simple: one group keeps writing.

Your current draft doesn’t need to be perfect.

It only needs to exist.

Once words are on the page, they can be revised, improved, expanded, shortened, strengthened, and refined.

An empty page offers none of those possibilities.

So keep writing.

Your future work is depending on it.