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

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

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

“Some of the wildest moments that just feel like they’re writerly flights of fancy are actually correct,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2024

Ready to reclaim her writerly voice, in 2019 Green entered the University of California, San Diego’s prestigious graduate playwriting program, affiliated with The Old Globe theater in San Diego.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 14, 2024

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