Is being good at English grammar necessary to being a good writer?

No, I think creativity, originality and imagination are more important!

Yes! Grammar is also essential in writing if you want to write things full of meaning

No it is not necessary. Writing is a gift or a talent; when somebody is gifted in writing nothing can stop him from doing so!

I agree with all answers given to some extent.

The key to answering the question is realizing the word "necessary" is present. What I mean is, if you are a writer, I will consider that you are talented/creative, that is a given, otherwise why would you be a writer?

So, back to your question, I would say yes, it is necessary to write correctly (grammatically) to be a good writer, otherwise your text would be unintelligible or at the very least not enjoyable.

To communicate an idea in writing, it has to make sense first and foremost. Nevertheless, one does not need to be good at grammar in the sense of knowing names of grammar points and all the rules, etc.

Bottom line is that grammar is a great tool for the connoisseur.

 

No, I don't think so. There are many aspects of English language and grammar is just one of them. A good writer needs to have sound vocabulary knowledge, love for writing and talent.

Grammar is an essential component in writing. We can write meaningless things that are grammatical and meaningful things that are ungrammatical. In both cases, grammar and meaning must be present. Otherwise, there will be no writing.

Consider Chomsky's following utterance: Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

This is an example that illustrates what I have already said.

 

 

It is like having a building made out of improper material. The building might look good but it will not last long. 

To be a good writer, one has to be talented to begin with, and any Grammar will add on later

I do not think so. The writer should have competence as well as talent and ambition to write a novel, short stories and even poems. I think to have a good literary background is the key to be a good writer.

It is often said that you have to know, and understand, the rules before you can break them. Great stream of consciousness writers like John Don Passos famously adapted his grammar - but he was always understandable. So did e.e.cummings ... who neglected capitalization. In arguably one of the great novels, James Joyce's Ulysses, the rules were often bent - in order to faithfully reflect the speech of those particular Dubliners. But, it is pointless to write in a way that few others can understand. And, there is a standard international English that all English speakers can comprehend.

No, being good at English grammar doesn't necessary mean being a good writer.