How to explore and create your own writing style

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Hello Bookworms

As the time goes by, I’ve noticed I have changed, and my writing style has changed. To be more precise, I have started developing a certain writing style, and I have started exploring and creating it. I am using these three verbs: “create” “explore” “develop”, in order to make you understand what it means to have a writing style.

Explore

With a few words “explore your writing style” means start reading your writings. Better yet, find something you have written a long time ago, and read it. You will be amazed how much you can understand about your writings, just by reading your old works. It is true that you create your writing style, but remember that there is a tiny bit of that style in your previous works. One day I took the first writing I ever made (8 years old. I remember I created it, mum wrote it for me). The writing was a reproduction of those fairytales I am grown up to. The story talked about a witch, who cursed a princess (kinda Sleeping Beauty). Basically if this princess steppes on a rock, she will remain there forever. I know this is the lamest and weirdest story an eight-years old can create, but also it is kinda strange how this fairytale didn’t end happily ever after. When I was reading it after such a long time, I realized a couple of things:

1- There was no prince to save her. You can see how much I disliked romance and how much of a “We don’t need men” girl I was since that age.

2- There isn’t a certain reason for the witch to curse the princess, but she still did. Even though I was little, I understood that sometimes people do things because of pure evilness. Not always there is a reason behind it.

3- I guess I was made to write horror. The witch wins at the end, because the princess dies. And also the end was quite confusing. Basically the princess’ feet remain frozen and she can’t move. She remains there, until she dies.

The moral of my story is “Curiosity killed the cat!” The princess knew about the curse, but still she climbed on the rocks, because she was curious what will happen. As a child, I had a strange way of thinking. I thought (actually I still think) that it is better not to know everything, or you might just go insane.

After reading some of my other writings, I realized I had this dark, horror-like, writing style since I was little. Also there was a lot of sarcasm in it. But what confused me most is that I had (and still have) a tendency for weird characters and creatures.

Create: 

Next is “create”. Now everybody knows that “write freely for 30 minutes, then see what you have written” move, but I think it doesn’t work. Seriously, if I did that, my writing would be something like this:

“Wow! What a beautiful day! Actually no, why am I saying that? It rained. I am hungry. I want to eat. This is so tiring! I am tired! Cupcakes! I love Bram Stoker! Vampires… what a great day!”

(I really tried it before writing this post. If I can’t sort my thoughts, I cannot write. Period!)

Personally, I think you should start writing slowly. Find what inspires you. Your writing style has a lot to do with inspiration. The best way to create your writing style, is start putting on paper your inner thoughts. Tell your feelings. Write for yourself! And believe me, you will create the writing style that fits you best.

Develop:

 Nothing remains the same. Life changes, we change, our ideas change, but our writing style never changes, it only develops in something better. So don’t be afraid to develop yours. Did you read something new and you got inspired? Are you feeling horror-like or inspirational?

At the end your writing style symbolizes you as a person, as a writer and as an identity (that escalated quickly)

Take your time, and discover yourself, create yourself, develop yourself. Creating your writing style means creating yourself, your thoughts, your mark on this world. Good Luck!

Have a great day!
Happy Scary Reading!