Dumb question

[African_Love]

Are writers 'artists'?

[Haunted]

Are writers 'artists'?

I think that's a very smart question to ask :)

I think so. All writers are artists in some form, but I'd be reluctant to include gossip column writers. Wait...come to think of it, they are the biggest BS artists, aren't they?

On the other hand, most artists are definitely not writers.

[Maximilianus]

I agree with my friend Haunted. I think it very much depends on what writers we are talking about. If we talk about the most renowned poets and novelists of all time, then THEY ARE DEFINITELY ARTISTS. If you have further doubts, lemme quote Wiktionary for the definition of the word "art" and you will find that most entries are connected to writing, especially number 8:



art English (IPA: /ɑːt/ )

Noun

1. (uncountable) Human effort to imitate, supplement, alter, or counteract the work of nature.
2. (uncountable) The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colours, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium.

There is a debate as to whether graffiti is art or vandalism.

3. (uncountable) Activity intended to make something special.
4. (uncountable) A re-creation of reality according to the artist's metaphysical value judgements.
5. (uncountable) The study and the product of these processes.
6. (uncountable) Aesthetic value.
7. (uncountable, printing) Artwork.
8. (countable) A field or category of art, such as painting, sculpture, music, ballet, or literature.
9. (countable) A nonscientific branch of learning; one of the liberal arts.
10. (countable) Skill that is attained by study, practice, or observation.
* 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk, Folio Society 1985, p. 217:


A physician was immediately sent for; but on the first moment of beholding the corpse, he declared that Elvira's recovery was beyond the power of art.

[blazeofglory]

All writers are artists of some kind and without some skills nobody can be a writer; for it demands of writers special arts or else they cannot be impressive at all. Writing is an art and if you do not know a style of writing you cannot be a writer and indeed you need to labor hard to emerge as a writer. A writer to be impressive can be able to touch minds and souls.

[KazTarja]

i believe that an artist, a good artist has to have a certain thing that others do not. you could take as many courses as you want, learn as much about writing as you want, but without that certain flair of story telling it would just be a bland narrative.

an artist creates something beautiful, poignant, compelling. a well written story is as much a piece of art as a beautiful painting

[African_Love]

I think I agree, KazTarja/others. For the record, I'm talking specifically about fiction writers.

[The Comedian]

Mostly, no. Almost every writer I know can't draw sticky-lookin' stick figure well.

But if you mean "artist" in the most general sense like "a creative, analytic sort of person", then sure.