writerly

American  

[rahy-ter-lee] / ˈraɪ tər li /

adjective

1. characteristic or typical of an author, especially a professional one.

2. markedly literary.

---

writerly British  

/ ˈraɪtəlɪ /

adjective

1. of or characteristic of a writer; literary

---

Etymology

Origin of writerly

First recorded in 1955–60; writer ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

If the goal is writerly independence, then drawing the red line at writing protects the independence of the final product far less than one might hope.

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026

Imagine a voice-dictation AI that knows when to automatically insert semicolons; be still my writerly heart.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 24, 2026

In this ancient Tuscan city, Leonardo is awakened by his writerly ambitions, a swoony love for medieval Italian authors like Dante and an intellectual disdain for the 20th century.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 25, 2025

Em dashes are among the most writerly of punctuation marks precisely because they don’t really need to be there.

From Salon • Jun. 11, 2025

Savoring good prose is not just a more effective way to develop a writerly ear than obeying a set of commandments; it’s a more inviting one.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker