5 Writing Styles of Famous Authors That You Should Emulate
If you are just starting out as a writer, it could be quite a difficult prospect to develop your own writing style. Remember that if you want to stand out as a writer, it is important that you have a signature writing style.
If you want to be a truly recognized writer, it is a good idea to learn from the greats. The greatest authors always have their own style of writing, and it has earned them a place in the annals of literary history. This does not mean that you should copy their writing style. Instead, you should take cues from them, develop your writing style. Here are five writing styles of famous authors that you should learn from.
1. Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway is considered as one of the finest writers in literary history. Writing style wise, he has a very efficient and economical one. If you want to emulate the great Ernest Hemingway’s writing style, you should make sure that your writing is straightforward, concise, and realistic. Stay away from flowery wordplay, and get to the heart of the matter.
Example:
In the morning I walked down the Boulevard to the rue Soufflot for coffee and brioche. It was a fine morning. The horse-chestnut trees in the Luxembourg gardens were in bloom. There was the pleasant early-morning feeling of a hot day. I read the papers with the coffee and then smoked a cigarette. The flower-women were coming up from the market and arranging their daily stock. Students went by going up to the law school, or down to the Sorbonne. The Boulevard was busy with trams and people going to work.
-The Sun Also Rises
2. J.K Rowling
In the past few decades, J.K. Rowling has cemented her legacy as one of the most famous authors in the world. Her Harry Potter novels are often considered as classics, and her writing has a special charm to it. While some critics say that her too style is too simple, it captures the essence of all her stories, and is capable of drawing the reader into the story, reader and child alike.
Example:
If you want to know what a man’s like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
3. Hunter S. Thompson
When it comes to writers, there are few who are as unique as Hunter S. Thompson. He is a bigger than life character, who is known for his Gonzo Journalism, and usually used the first person narration style. Thompson’s style is very stylish, and has a somewhat hastily written quality to it. This matches Thompson’s somewhat subjective style, wherein he shares his own opinions on a subject quite often.
Example:
No sympathy for the devil; keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride…and if it occasionally gets a little heavier than what you had in mind, well…maybe chalk it up to forced consciousness expansion: Tune in, freak out, get beaten.
-Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
4. Franz Kafka
If you read Franz Kafka’s work, you would notice that there is a sense of anxiety and alienation. He also creates characters that face strange situations that makes them overcome very bizarre challenges. The term Kafkaesque is derived from his writing style, and is known for its bizarre elements. If you are going to take cues from his writing style, you should remember that his character writing has a very cerebral feel, and most often uses strange and oftentimes absurd descriptions.
Example:
I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.
- The Metamorphosis
5. Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. is known for his dry and spare writing style. His style is a self-professed simple one, however, it is also quite subtle and potent. He often uses wordy run-ons, and keeps his sentences quite short. His works often have a social commentary feel, and espouses lofty ideals such as social equality, pacifism, and the human decency.
Example:
And I asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep.
-Slaughterhouse-FIve
Conclusion
If you want to develop your very own writing style, you should take cues from famous authors. These authors were able to develop their own writing styles, and have captivated the world with them. With these writing styles, you’ll be able to take cues, and develop your own writing style.
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