Trying To Write Like Someone Else
I’m not writing this for Medium. I’m writing this for you. I’m serious. That 1–2 people that clicks on this. Maybe, if I’m telling the truth, I’m also writing this for myself as well.
Putting digital pen to paper has got to be one of the most intimate of acts. It’s one of the truest expressions of self and one that can pay dividends if you put yourself in it.
I’ve seen a number of medium articles on “how to write a story that gets views”. Where the focus is on someone elses writing efforts or conforming to the styles of other writers. I’m here to tell you that it just doesn’t work.
Writing stories, just because you think it will sell, will drive you crazy.
Well, my friend, that’s not going to make people read your stories. The lord knows, I’ve been down that road a number of time. The goal for your writing shouldn’t be about copying something you see, but learning to write honestly for yourself.
It’s also not going to make you a better writer. The only thing it’ll do is trap you into writing what you think other people will want to hear. It’ll make writing things more challenging and it’ll drive you absolutely crazy. Half my drafts folder is full of stories that I think other people want to hear.
So, my best advice, just stop being something your not. Stop trying to be someone else. You have in you a wonderful writer, who has brilliant ideas, you’re just afraid to share them.
Write for the person inside you trying to get out.
Remember that dream where you find themselves naked in front of the school. Writing honestly is a lot like that. Except when you write for yourself, you are intentionally getting naked in front of everyone else. That shit is scary. That takes a tremendous amount of courage. Not everyone can do it, and hence not everyone knows or wants to write honestly.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t read other great writers that have come before you, or learn to be a better writer by studying them. What I’m saying is that you should, under no circumstances, say, “I wish I wrote like…”. Being yourself is the one thing that only you can take away from you.
Write as if you’re talking to a close friend or family member sitting right across from you
Imagine trying to be the popular kid by copying or playing someone else’s role? How well do you think that would turn out for you in a school setting. If we’re being honest, not very well. Instead when you see that type of person, you say the same thing I’m saying now. Be yourself, be honest, and find the people who have likeminded ideas.
Your honest writing will resonate with an audience instead of trying to prove yourself to an audience you don’t really understand. So start writing with a purpose. Tell a story to someone you know. Remember the reader wants to hear your real voice. They want to see the real you. So stop hiding behind someone elses writing and start being you.
