Heya! I'm new to this site, so apologies if this is in the wrong place, but lately I've been wondering about how to go about refining my style as a writer. Reading others' work always makes me awed at how a voice can completely change a piece. Grammar and spelling wise, I'm starting to make some progress, but my writing doesn't seem to have that unique factor that really engages a reader. I was hoping you guys might have some insight.
Hi, astrotales! I wanted to ask you some questions:
How much do you read? What are your favorite books / authors? Have you researched the norms and theories of writing? Have you read anything about the literary canon?
I say this because reading is almost half the work of writing and it is just as important. I mean, it is very good that you write and write; but, since you are looking for a style, you must propose it as a goal. It may sound silly what I'm telling you, but unless you are aware of that desire, it will take even longer to find that style you are looking for.
One's evolution as a writer can be compared to climbing a mountain. It will already seem clear to you that there are thousands of ways to do that. But there are those who have already made their own journey, who are the writers, and in your case those who you have read. And there are also those who directly advise you how you can climb that mountain. Those are the guides. Some are the critics; others are those who publish theory and advice. Together they have built that long thematic corpus called
literary canon. Harold Bloom, for example, advises you how to read intelligently and also what to read. Stephen King took advantage of his convalescence after an accident to write
On Writing, a writing manual that is still in full force and is also very simple and easy to read.
Ultimately, everything we write is the result of these two aspects: reading other authors (not just the ones we like, mind you) and the study of theory and advice. The first generates something that Harold Bloom calls
influence and is a process most of the time unconscious. The second is the writing tools. The equipment you have to climb that mountain. I suppose you understand that the quality of this equipment depends on how much you have studied on the subject.
You don't need to know
Semiology; you just need to know how to use the pillory and strings. More or less what is called
having a correct writing. That is the first requirement. You know: subject, verb, predicate. Because first you have to know the basics to know how to treat them. No one who begins their sentences without a capital letter or does not know that the comma exists (except Burroughs, of course; but he only did that in
The Nova Express) can pretend that his writing is considered experimental or audacious; it's just bad writing.
Going back to this example of the mountain, in some way some paths (themes and genres) that other climbers (writers) followed seem better than others, you identify more with some than with others. And it's like being in love, something only you know. You can't explain why you like one trail better than another; you just know.
But how should you climb that mountain? Why do some trails seem more difficult than others, or those that seem easy to imitate actually hide quite complex plots that are only discovered halfway through while read? What are the trails or methods to climb that should NOT be followed? On the contrary, which ones are advised to go up first? What problems will you run into?
Well, that's what guides are for. They are akin to old, seasoned mountaineers who just by smelling the breeze (or reading a few random paragraphs) can detect an avalanche or determine if the day is ripe for climbing. They are the ones who can guide you about the style, the form, the dilemma show versus tell, etc.
Some are literary critics; others are editors; others, competition juries. But everyone from time to time publishes some kind of manual where they summarize their experience. In fact, you met the first ones at school. They are the ones who taught you the first rudiments of spelling and writing. The use of language.
