Writing Your Way
You can’t write like them. You can only write like yourself.
Sometimes I wish every bit of writing advice — every talk, every blog post, every one-on-one conversation — began with a disclaimer:
This worked for me. It might or might not work for you. Give it a try. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, don’t worry about it. Move on.
When we begin writing, there’s so much we’re trying to learn that it’s only natural to look for rules. And well-crafted stories do have some things in common, beginning with the fact that they all engage at least some readers, some of the time.
But beyond the basics of bringing words and characters and plots together, it all gets more complicated. Each writer not only tells different stories but also tells them in different ways.
Some writers outline; others jump in knowing nothing; others do something between or sideways of both these things. Some writers write multiple fast rough drafts; some write one slow, steady, careful one. Snappy dialogue or lush, descriptive prose. Advance research or learning what you need as you go. Writing every day or writing in passionate bursts of activity. Elaborate writing playlists or complete silence. A book every three…
