 Short Stories: April 08, 2009 Issue [#2950] |
  Short Stories
This week: How Do I Develop My Own Style? Edited by: esprit  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter! I am esprit and I'm glad to be guest host this week.
"Proper words in proper places, make the true definition of style."
(Jonathan Swift |
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How Do I Develop My Own Style?
 The first and most basic rule of writing a short story is: Learn to tell a good story.
A really good storyteller can get by with less than brilliant writing, but brilliant writing will not save a bad story.
But, I bet you already knew that.
Don't search for an agent until you've learned how to write a good story.
Don't worry about feedback damaging your style.
Major Components of Stories
The five Double-u's - Who, What, When, Where, Why and sometimes How. Is that the way it was taught to you in school? Sometimes How? The qualifier 'sometimes'' needs to be changed to 'always', because it is impossible to have a good story without the How.
The elements of fiction are: Character - Who, Plot - What, Setting - Where and When, Theme - Why, and Style - How a writer sets all these things together to tell a good story.
Style includes the multitude of choices fiction writers make, consciously or subconsciously, as they create a story. It covers the big-picture, strategic choices such as point of view and narrator, but it also includes the nitty-gritty, tactical choices of grammar, punctuation, word usage, sentence and paragraph length and structure, tone, emotion, the use of imagery. In the process of rewriting, these choices begin to blend together to become the writer's voice, his or her own unique style.
"Proper words in proper places, make the true definition of style."
(Jonathan Swift)
Style is: Using the words that come naturally to you.
Of course you want to increase your vocabulary, but If you're using a word only to sound impressive, you're likely to misuse it or use it awkwardly. You'll be showing-off.
Style is not: dialect, creative spelling, incorrect grammar, telling an aside author-to-reader secret, choosing to not use punctuation, using fancy, ten-dollar words, using slang for slang's sake, etc. .
Be clear. Awkward writing takes readers out of the fictional dream you're working so hard to create.
Be concise. Make sure each sentence is as direct and simple as possible.
Be precise. Clear, detailed writing will make your prose come to life.
Pay attention to word choice.
"You do not create a style. You work, and develop yourself; your style is an emanation from your own being."
(Katherine Anne Porter)
Style is developed, good or bad, in direct ratio to how much time is spent learning the craft of writing. Style Is Craftsmanship. It's knowing how to structure a sentence, knowing what wordiness is and how to cut it. Knowing how to study feedback and use it as needed. It's knowing how important it is to write the story as it comes, and then rewrite it clearly so it all makes sense to readers.
Style emcompasses 'Voice'. Knowing how the voice is changed to fit the individual characters and story. A hard, raspy, clipped voice for the detective, dialect for the cowboy, etc. Style is the intelligent use of words to tell a good story in a fresh way.
"Style and structure are the essence of a book; great ideas are hogwash."
(Vladimir Nabokov)
Beginning writers sometimes feel that reviewers just don't like their genre of choice, so hesitate to make the big changes thinking they will damage something. This is not the case. It's true that each genre has its own rules that must be considered when reviewing, but if the basic structure is weak and out of balance, the final story will never come together. Give it a strong foundation with the first rewrite then build upon it.
Your unique voice and style will develop as you learn your strengths and weaknesses. You'll notice the elements that you enjoy writing are the easiest. They're the easiest because you're close to, or have mastered them and you know they are good. Now, it's fun. Whether scene descriptions or rounding out characters, you'll love it because you do it well. Identify your difficult areas and practice to improve them. Consider writing paragraphs focused solely on the problem element. Body language? Fill your pages with it. Practice.
Your unique voice and style will develop as you practice to improve.
"Who cares what a man's style is, so it is intelligible, as intelligible as his thought. Literally and really, the style is no more than the stylus, the pen he writes with; and it is not worth scraping and polishing, and gilding, unless it will write his thoughts the better for it. It is something for use, and not to look at."
(Henry David Thoreau)
There are rules to writing that must be mastered and they apply to all genres. Style is knowing how to write a good character, how to present the setting, and how to keep it all in order. Style is writing a piece so smoothly that all the readers notice is the world you've taken them into. The author and his words will become invisible.
Do you tire of seeing the same advice over and over? Such as: Read good writers and study them. Practice. Rewrite. It's repeated so often because it's the best advice anyone can give or get - it actually works.
Your style will be naturally yours and naturally good.
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As guest host, I have no feedback to share, so I'll put a question to you and hope for ideas for another newsletter. We'll call it 'Tips From the Experts'.
We all know writing well is not easy, so tips are always welcome. Especially those tried and true tips that actually work. What would you advise a beginning writer who was having trouble in any particular area? How did you finally master your worse nemesis?
It could be anything, even time.
Send your tips in as feedback to this letter and I'll grab them. Thanks!
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