How to Find Your Writing Style

We approach the writing of non-fiction or fiction with many rules in mind. We may note how we get the story to gel, the article to debunk something, or the short story to be as simple as possible. Often on the way to these things we discover a voice: a way of expressing ourselves on the page. The next step is to find a style of writing to complement the voice. We can work all day on plot mechanics and dialogue, but bringing in our own style is crucial for any writer. We work on our style over time and, as it compliments our voice, the style will also help us achieve the best of voices in our writings.

Style can be seen in any published novel. Most writers discover their own way of thinking on the page. Stephen King seems to find horror enlightening. Virginia Woolf likes to tell a simple story but with the most intense writing style involved. Paul Auster experiments with different tenses in that he switches from past to present in some of his novels. When we find our own fiction style we still may not be published. Style is not the holy grail, but it can help us not only gain confidence but become published.

When writing non-fiction the style reveals itself in a different way. We work out how we want an article or book to work. We decide what ideas and possibly examples will be presented. The writer should shy away from too much experimentation: clear, focused articles sell-not incredible styles. A style can be complicated too much in non-fiction. We may want it to read like a madman wrote it, but we want the reader to understand everything we say. A style can still be honed, and worked, but we will find experimentation does not lead to sales.

Perhaps we do not know our subject or voice. We subject ourselves to the style. This means we do experiment with different thoughts. The subject will find us when we clearly express our voice. Perhaps we know much on depression and pills. We find a voice that, though not mad, is sorrowful. A writing style would be clear here: We are not trying to reinvent the magazine with this popular topic-the style is to make us different.

And that is the best definition of style: We make ourselves different by calling upon our signature style. This does not mean the story or article will come easier; it means we may stand out from the crowd.