3 Ways of Developing Your Writing Style
The good news is that you won’t even realize it — that’s when developing a unique writing style is easy. You’ll be at a point with your writing that you’ll instinctively know the tone to use without losing your signature voice. You’ll know how to structure your sentence and how you want it to sound. The bad news, however, is that it’s going to take a lot of time and work.
But hey, you’re a writer! It’s part of the job description.
There are three methods of developing your writing style:
- Understanding Your Topic
- Critical Reading
- Routine Writing
Bear in mind that these are what helped me develop my signature style. It took going to college to develop a style that reflected my voice. It all naturally formed like a volcanic bedrock of stress and highly caffeinated coffee.
Okay, a little over the top, but you get the picture. It took hard work, but once I got the hang of it, the rest was history.
What is ‘a Writing Style’?
Every writer has it. A copywriter has it, a graphic novelist has it, and even your favorite blogger has it.
Let’s look at the definition of style in terms of writing:
“… style is a technical term for the effect a writer can create through attitude, language, and the mechanics of writing.”
In essence, a style is the way you communicate your ideas and attitude through writing. Most importantly, it has to support your content. It’s important that you have a strong understanding of grammar and mechanics in order to develop your preferred writing style.
It’s how high school English teachers sniff out plagiarism in essays like a bloodhound on the hunt. The way you express and structure your ideas is unique to every person: it’s easy to suspect a student when they suddenly adapt a new voice and vocabulary that’s a far cry from their last paper.
Understand Your Topic
First, you need to know what you’re writing. Are you trying to develop a nonfiction piece or fantasy epic? Do you want to write for The New Yorker or just be a content blogger? You have to know your niche, or your audience, before you move on to the next steps. Knowing exactly who your audience is can help you decide what you want to read and how you want to write your piece.
Now, knowing your topic and discipline is only a part of developing your writing style. You have to understand it. If you’re going to be marketing writer, should you write long, complex sentences? Of course not. Likewise if you’re guest posting for a travel website, are you going to use sparse, technical sentences to describe Italy? I hope not!
The best way to truly know your topic and/or niche is to research it. Research who your audience is, what resonates with them, what their concerns are, etc. You can find out by combing through social media or by simply finding magazines for your prospect niches. From answering these questions, you’re already brainstorming how you can appeal to your readers and address their questions.
The point is, truly knowing your topic through diligent research paves the way to your writing style.
Critical Reading
I can’t stress this enough: you have to read. And I don’t mean that one novel you bought, but haven’t cracked open yet: I mean a copious amount of books. Whether from a bookstore, library, or a thrift shop, get your hands on any and all reading materials.
Reading is crucial to developing your writing because you’re essentially taking mental notes on how other writers craft their work — you discover what you like and don’t like. You understand what you can pull off and what you’re not ready for.
For instance, find a random paragraph of something you’re currently reading (aside from this article of course) and read the paragraph out loud. How does it sound to you? How does it flow? What about it do you like? Better yet, what don’t you like about it?
How does the blogger start each new blog post? Is her tone formal when she posts social networking advice? Does he incorporate personal anecdotes in his DIY?
Or what about the nonfiction writer? How does her essay make you feel? Do his articles for the Atlantic keep your eyes glued to the page? What sentence do you want to highlight, circle, and bookmark all at once?
Don’t stop there. Branch out from the books you’re comfortable with and into the genre you normally stroll pass at the library.
I’m only interested in reading genre fiction, but I still have a copy of Junot Díaz’s This is How You Lose Her with tabs and bookmarks still poking out of the pages. Why do I read an ample amount of nonfiction? Because there’s so much nonfiction can teach me about storytelling and forming a connection to my audience. To remind myself that all novels are supposed to evoke emotion and passion from the reader, even nonfiction works.
Basically, every book and or anything with words is a new possibility to learn. You learn what you like about the writer’s voice. You learn what you don’t like. It’s only when you learn that you start subconsciously applying to your own writing. So read.
Routine Writing
You have to write — there are no and’s or but’s about it. If you’re committed to developing a writing style, then you have to consistently put pen to paper.
Now, I’m not going to tell you to write every day or else you’re a hopeless failure. But to strengthen your writing, you should aim to have a daily routine that encourages you to write. Develop the discipline early on so it won’t be hell for you when you start your writing career.
Think about it: a popular graphic artist didn’t learn to draw or develop a style by sketching every once and awhile. She improved by drawing routinely: she worked on her weaknesses and polished her strengths before amassing a portfolio of polished works.
The same principle applies to writing. It’s a muscle you have to keep exercising in order to get better, stronger.
The best way to commit to a routine is to have your goals laid out. What is your goal in three months? To write a novel, write 15,000 words on your blog, or have three feature articles published? Commit yourself to a goal and that’s when the routine forms. That’s the key to measurable growth.
For instance, let’s say you want to be a fashion blogger; commit yourself to a minimum word count of 900 words on the best affordable beauty products every week. It doesn’t matter if you go beyond the word count: in three months, that’s around 10,800 words (if the math is off, understand that I am not a writer by accident). The point is to train your mind to feel comfortable with what you want to write. Without even realizing it, your style is developed and will continue to evolve as you maintain the blog.
Likewise, if you have an idea for a weird horror flash fiction, you can write a quota of words a day until you reach your word count goal. If your goal is to write new flash fiction every day for three months, you’re training your mind to structure your sentences, voice, and narrative daily.
If you don’t have the time to write flash fiction every day, you can still write enough to develop a style. If you’re not on social media — Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest — make an account and start interacting with strangers. Just put yourself out there and get used to self-expression. Soon enough, you’ll have a signature beat and style that screams YOU.
The point is, writing is about getting out of your comfort zone and doing it often. Your style is formed from constant learning and engagement. You don’t learn a new language by not speaking. You don’t learn to sing by not singing. You don’t develop your handwriting by not writing at all.
Your Style
There you have it. You have to write a lot. Read intensely. Know what exactly you want to write. Learn useless ocean facts about starfish. Read an essay in The New Yorker. Start live tweeting a show you love.
Fortunately, to develop a writing style that reflects who you are happens without you even noticing it.
Bear in mind developing your signature style just doesn’t happen in a day. It’s a long road you have to walk on. You have to make it a commitment like an artist or a ballet dancer would to their craft. I can’t give you an estimate on how long it will take for your style to show — mainly because I can’t know for sure how dedicated you are. The only thing I can tell you is take Louis L’Armour’s advice to heart:
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
Once you adapt your writing style, the rest is easy.
