How To Discover Your Writing Style
I have learned a lot about my writing over the last fifteen years. I have been working toward becoming an author for a long time, but every distraction life threw at me — resulted in an abandoned manuscript. At 12 years old, I enjoyed writing scary stories because I loved Goosebumps and thrillers. I had a knack for building suspense and my goal was to leave my audience with a dropped jaw wondering what was going to happen next. As my suspense-writing pre-teen and teenage years passed, I enjoyed writing inspirational and Christian books. Memoirs and biographies are also treasures to me because I feel like I get a close-up in the person’s life along with their successes and mistakes that I can learn from.
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I loved reading books on specific topics such as neuroscience, investing, financial freedom, editing, technology, and education. The list is actually longer but this article can only take so much (so we are not going to go there!).
The takeback I get from a book that I read is how confident the author is about their topic. Their background usually ties in with their topic or their experience makes them more than qualified to present the information. Some authors started from ground zero and ended up writing a bestseller. The point is that authors use their knowledge, understanding, and talents to share information with their readers so they can make well-informed decisions for themselves.
Writers are not going to find their writing style if they only write occasionally. There is not enough time put in to even know what is working or not working for them. In order to get better at anything they must practice, and writing is no different. My weakness when I write is editing as I am developing my story. It drives me crazy because I will spend hours on Chapter 1 trying to make it sound perfect. I am stuck on deciding the proper way to structure my sentences while making sure the reader enjoys the flow of my words.
The key is to stay consistent and set aside time to write, even if you don’t feel like it. When you want to get better at something, you are not always going to enjoy the process because it takes extra work. The extra work is what makes results happen. You discover the topics you are passionate about whether it is how an incident from your life can help people or maybe there is a topic that people want to learn more about and you have the expertise. You may even like to write humor because you understand the healing benefits of laughter and it means a lot to you when you envision your readers chuckling as they dive deep into your book.
But I Am Not Perfect
“How can I find my style if I can’t even write properly?” So many people come to me thinking that in order to work with me as their author coach, they needed the same qualifications as an English Teacher. People thought they needed to know how to speak properly and have the same amount of knowledge as an editor or publisher. I explain to them that is not the expectation I have and they are allowed to come “exactly as they are” and I work with my clients by meeting them where THEY ARE in the writing process. My clients feel less pressured and less stressed after my reassurance because they understand I am their coach and they are with me to receive guidance throughout their writing journey.
Usually, people have a topic in mind they love writing about but they do not know how to form their ideas on paper. There are many creative writing exercises that help overcome writer’s block. Just focus on one topic and start writing about it. When you write take notice of the descriptive words you use. Do you enjoy pouring out nouns and verbs? Do you find it essential to use colorful words to paint a visual picture for your readers? Any reader would appreciate that because our brains recognize each word as an individual picture. It is important to pay attention to how you use your words and explain situations as you write because it can make or break the connection to your audience if it lacks clarity.
It is a beautiful feeling when a story is completed and ready for the next phase but then the unattractive part begins — the editing. I am certainly not the best editor in the world but I can read a manuscript and make necessary corrections so the manuscript (draft) is understandable to the reader. Then there is the verification of facts that may be cited in material for publication. I have also worked with authors to develop content to stay within a publication’s style and editorial policy. Yes, I know this sounds boring but it is extremely important if you are looking to get your book to a wide audience.
It is important for me to improve my writing and help others to do the same. To show how proactive I am about improvement, I purchased The Elements of Style by William Shrunk Jr. and E.B. White. This book is pocket-sized with information worth that of gold when it comes to the style of writing. I take it everywhere with me because I refer back to the simplest rules in the English language that I find myself overlooking at times. One quote I found helpful and appropriate to share from the book is, “Write in a way that comes naturally.” Once you put down the excuses and grab your pen to start writing, you will become proficient in the use of language. Do not worry about your style because it will emerge as you indulge in the habit of writing.
Your style will never be discovered before the pen hits the paper. That is like putting the cart before the horse. Allow your brain to get inspired by reading more books. Look at different authors and see if you can tell what type of writing style they have. Is the author’s words more of a narrative form? Or persuasive? The more you expose yourself to different kinds of writing you will understand what works for you and imitate just enough to expound on your own style.
