An author's style...

One of the most important things to develop as a writer is style. So, what is style? Simply put, style is the unique flavor by which you write. 

That's all well and good, but what does that mean? 

Right, that's about as simple as I can put it. However, it can be explained in more detail. To encapsulate it in more complex language, style is the strokes with which you paint the picture, it is the instruments you choose to play the music, it is the medium you make the sculpture out of and it is the mode in which you convey your thoughts. Some would say there are four styles by which you can write (expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative), and they would be correct, at least academically. I am not speaking to that, I am speaking to the way by which an author brings his or her work to life. 

There is no wrong, or right way to do it. Your style as a writer is developed as you go, it's in how you choose to build a story or work. And just like with painting, it will help people to recognize you. An author's style has a great deal to do with the words you choose, the sentence structure you use, the voice you speak from, the tone, the atmosphere and so much more. Style is what makes certain authors memorable, remarkable, and identifiable. 

Style needs to be practiced. Like so many things it can be refined by use and exercise. As we build it, we become confident in it, and in turn, we get better at being our authentic selves when we write. Being authentic is all-important to the audience. People want authenticity, they want something true and straight from the heart. If we as writers don't have our own unique style, we have no way to convey our truths, our identities, and our message.

Building a style should be on every writer's checklist, it should be practiced and improved upon constantly. 

In the future, I will be diving into this subject more and more. I like to take bites out of these subjects because they are easier to digest one at a time, so keep an eye out for more.

Cheers!