Your Writing Style
Not a lot of people know what a person means by your writing style, and how style can differ from writer to writer. You’ve probably heard a lot about a writer having a particular ‘style’, but what exactly is that, and how do you develop a unique one of your own?
Writing style is the way you write something, the words you choose to express yourself. For example, one may write, “The sky was black with ash.” Another may write, “Black clouds of ash hung over the horizon, blocking out the sun.” See the difference? Both sentences say essentially the same thing, only in a different way, and one not necessarily better than the other.
Here are some ways to hone your own unique writing style:
To start, read a lot. Read your favorite fantasy books again and try to pick out a few things you like about how that author writes. Do they use many short paragraphs, or take extra time to describe significant details? Jot down a few of the things your favorite authors do and keep them in mind with your own writing. Since you are not copying just one writer but taking a piece here and a piece there, it’ll be unique to you the way that your writing style develops.
As well as reading fantasy, try to read outside your normal circle of favorite books. Many books these days have more than one genre, like fantasy-romance, or fantasy-mystery. Read books in some of the other genres to see if you’d like creating a novel that has more than just fantasy in it. And while you’re reading in other genres, you may even find you like another one just as well or more than fantasy, and develop ideas for that genre as well.
As important as reading is, the only way you’ll ever get better at developing your writing style is to write. You should be writing something everyday, even if it’s only in a journal you keep for recording your thoughts. Experiment with different story lines and elements of your favorite writers. Practice may not make perfect, but it sure gives you a definitive head start up against so many other wannabe writers.
Happy Writing!
Stephanie Hurd
4 Comments
Wow! Did I know that you’re a writer? (I think I did, and forgot sorry)
I love you website so far, and I really think you should keep on developping it. It’s quite helpful.
Thanks, Brittany! I really hope for this site to be successful. I don’t remember if I told you or not, so it’s okay if you didn’t know since I’m at fault too lol
Whilst I totally agree that all writers should read as much as they can, for newer writers there can be a temptation to mimic or copy their favourite writers. I know that I spent a great deal of time trying to be like my favourite authors. This is all part of the learning curve however, and to be expected I suppose.
As you rightly pointed out, the only way to develop any kind of style is to write for yourself. Its important to find what flows naturally for you… It all depends on how your brain is wired as to how you write… my wife always laughs at the turn of phrase I use both in my writing and every day speech… she is forever telling me ‘only you would say it that way’, but like I tell her – its just my own style…
Yes, I know I went through stages of wanting to write exactly like my role model writer, and it was exactly crappy writing. Writing is a life-long career for most, not just one book that somehow sells a million copies and sustains us for the rest of our lives without needing to write a word more.