The Driftless

Is There Objectively Good Writing?

An all-too common position today when it comes to the arts (and creative work in general) is that quality is subjective. The individual consumer’s perception is paramount, and all attempts at subjecting art (1) to criteria of quality feel wrong, somehow, mostly because nobody can agree on what those criteria should be in the first place; and because art is always changing. I was inspired to write this essay after reading Clancy Steadwell’s note below. I’m not sure if he’s entirely serious her...