Wednesday's Writer's Tip - More on Style #MFWRauthor #Writing

A writer's style is something developed over time and there are many components to how this develops. Have you ever read a story by an author who has switched from one genre to another yet you know that particular writer is the author. That is style. So let's look at some of the elements that make up the style. There will be more than one Wednesday looking at this. Another thing about style is the editor and sometimes their style or the style of the puclishing house seems to be the style not the authors. I once judged a contest where three of the books were from the same publishing house and had the same editor. Frankly I was unable to find the writer's style in these books. They all sounded the same. Yes, the stories were different and the characters well developed but the flow of the stories remained the same.

Style is individuality. Each writer has a particular way of using language. Much depends on where they were born, where they learned the language and even their choice of careers.

Write in the way that's natural to you. This can be how you choose to do your stories as in point of view of the characters. Some people are comfortable writing in first person. Others want to use a selective third person. There are writers who like to dip into each characters head. Finding the way that's natural to you may take some work. For me third person is the most ocmfortable. Though I've done a book or more in first person those books were a struggle.

When writing what I call the rough draft, let the words flow as they will. A rhythm will develop but of course the choice of words will change when revising the story. Don't stop the flow but push forward. When you stop to find a different word you have slipped from writing into revision. I know there are writers who polish each passage before moving on to the next. Simce this works for them they have probably amstered their style. When you're starting out it's all right to write the draft only the author can love.

Style is using wrords to convey meaning. Being clear as to what you mean to let the reader know needs to be clear and concise. The effectiveness of the writing goes back to the writer's commitment to the project. So once you've mastered that rough draft and want to throw up your hands and scream, remember in revising you can get rid of all those repeated words, the passive sentences, the bitsof dialogue that any of the characters could have said. As you keep writing and working you will learn your style.