6 Methods to Find Your Own Unique Writing Style by Joel Foster

 

Six Methods to Find Your Own Unique Writing Style:

 a guest post by Joel Foster

 

 

Writing does not come easy to many people, and it can be hard to write down thoughts on paper. As prolific writer Stephen King said, “The scariest moment is always just before you start.”

 

For extra inspiration, we highly recommend any writer reads On Writing by Stephen King. Many of his films can also be watched online to get a collective taste of his style of plot writing.

 

Where to start is always the biggest hurdle writers face. As you begin, set the intention to write in your own voice as if you are speaking to someone instead of writing.

 

In this article, we’ve put together some methods that will help anyone find their unique writing style.

Write about What You Know

 

The best way to finesse your own unique way of writing is to write about something you know well. It can be about a hobby, work, friends, or anything you are knowledgeable about.

 

Write about subjects that you know best. You won't have to research the topic, and the words will flow from your mind to the paper. This way of writing ensures that your voice will be the only one in the article.

 

You can use this as practice until you find your own writing style. Just like we all don’t speak the same way, we don’t all have the same voice when we write. When writing about a hobby, pick a very specific part of that hobby and write about it in detail.

Photo by Rirri on Unsplash

 

Write about Experiences

 

Writing about experiences is another excellent way to practice writing and finding a unique writing style. Pick any experience from your life and write about it. It can be a non-fictional account of something you experienced with all of the details.

 

It can also be turned into a creative fictional story. Just by picking an experience from your past, you can embellish the story, add characters and write what you feel. When it comes to writing, imagination can be a powerful tool.

 

Many successful fiction writers take parts of their life experiences to use in their creative writing. Use people that you have known and use them in your stories. For example, J.K. Rowling based Professor Snape after a chemistry teacher she had in school years before she wrote the Harry Potter series.

Photo by Lucas Vasques on Unsplash

 

Describe a Scene

 

Everyone sees a scene or a picture differently. Write about a scene outside the window, or find an image and describe it in your own words. Describing a scene or picture helps you find your own unique way of writing.

 

 Photo by Pat Whelen on Unsplash

 

A picture might evoke different memories or emotions in each person. When a writer describes a picture or scene, that person's emotions and memories will be a part of the description. Make it as descriptive as possible. The better the description, the more a unique writing style will emerge.

 

Talk in Your Writing

 

Writing should be just like talking to someone. Just because it is a written work doesn’t mean the tone of vocabulary has to be changed. When you write about your experiences or describing something, write about it as if you were explaining it to someone sitting across the table from you.

 

Photo by Jessica Da Rosa on Unsplash

 

 Write as if you were talking to a friend. You wouldn’t talk down to them, be dull or feel you have to use complex vocabulary for the sake of it. The narrative would be descriptive. Most people don’t talk to a friend or a group of people using big words that have to be looked up in a dictionary. And writing should be the same way.

 

Freewriting

 

Freewriting is sitting down and writing whatever comes to mind. It can be fiction or nonfiction. The point of this exercise is to sit down and write. Most writers like to set a time limit, but other writers write until they finish their thoughts. Those that use a timer use freewriting as a warm-up, before more focused writing. Freewriting can be done every day. A great resource is Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, which encourages a practice called Morning Pages where you freewrite in the morning as a way to unlock creativity.

 

 Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash

 

Writers use this freewriting technique to come up with new inspirations and ideas. What you write can be as crazy as you like. It’s amazing how many new ideas can come out of this exercise! Freewriting is usually fast since there is no pre-planned topic to write about, just what comes to mind.

 

Freewriting is also an excellent way to overcome writer’s block. There is no need to worry about grammar or spelling. When finished, look over what was written. There could be nuggets of gold in there! Or, you might find you like the way you've used certain words in sentences. Using free writing will help writers find their own unique style of writing.

Read Out Loud

Reading your work out loud is much better than just seeing the words on paper. You will hear your style of writing and how you formed the sentences and the words you use. When you hear something you don’t like, change it until you do.

 

By hearing your words, you will learn to recognize what sounds good and what doesn’t. Experiment with different sentences, phrases and words. This is how to develop a unique writing style. Read books to see how other writers have developed their own particular style of writing. Some of the best writers are also avid book readers.

 

Guest Blogger Bio

 

Joel is a freelance writer who writes about entertainment, novels, technology, business and film. 

 

Check out our latest Writing in the Modern Age blog article here.