Every author has a basic writing style. Style is not what an author writes, but the manner in which she writes it. It is an author’s unique way of communicating ideas. One might say that style is the verbal identity of a writer. An author defines her style in word choice and syntax (the order of words in a sentence).
What are some of the elements of style?
Style involves sentence length, be it simple noun/verb sentences or long sentences filled with modifiers. It relates to an author’s liberal or conservative use of sensory details that involve some or all five senses. Use or nonuse of figurative language, metaphors and similes speaks to style. Some authors focus on sound devices such as alliteration, onomatopoeia and rhythm.
While every author has a personal style of writing, that style is not static. The author refines it through reading a variety of writers and through his own writing experiences.
More writing tips:
What is Theme in Literature?
Developing Characters is No Mystery
Author’s Voice: How to find it?
Good one, Nancy!
By: Richard W Scott on July 29, 2010
at 8:31 pm
I agree with Rik, thanks Nancy.
By: theonlycin on July 29, 2010
at 9:41 pm
Succinct definition. Thanks.
By: Loreen Lee on July 30, 2010
at 12:41 am
After reading your post I realize I do have a style. My style is okay but improvement is always a good thing. Thank you for your helpful post. I will be looking at my style as I continue writing.
By: Carol Ann Hoel on July 30, 2010
at 3:47 am
How would you distinguish literary style from “author’s voice”?
It seems they must overlap or be synonymous.
By: nrhatch on July 30, 2010
at 5:48 am
I think you have a good point. There is some overlap in literary style and voice. However, style is related more to the mechanics of writing—punctuation and how the prose looks on the page in the sense of a flow, a rhythm, a cadence, vocabulary, lexicon, and slang. I equate voice more with feeling. When an author writes a sentence or phrase that feels perfect, that is the author’s voice. An author could write a phrase using perfect language mechanics and still not experience that wonderful “Ah Ha” feeling.
By: nancycurteman on July 30, 2010
at 11:02 am
May I suggest that the ‘author’s voice’ must combine in some way both theme and style.
By: Loreen Lee on July 30, 2010
at 7:54 am
That is a great observation. I agree completely. Theme and style are important elements of voice.
By: nancycurteman on July 30, 2010
at 10:47 am
Yeah! What you want to say, and how you say it. Can’t think of anything else though, unless you break down the style into it’s various components, like plot, diction, character, etc. which I believe are all ‘elements’ of style.
By: Loreen Lee on July 30, 2010
at 10:56 am
Good point. I would add the element of how the author feels about what she has written. This is voice It comes from the heart of the author, not from dictated writing standards. See comment above.
By: nancycurteman on July 30, 2010
at 11:07 am
Nancy,
Thanks for your post.
By: Mstrongair on July 30, 2010
at 12:52 pm
You are Welcome.
By: nancycurteman on July 30, 2010
at 5:25 pm
By George I think I’ve got it . . . Author’s Voice is the umbrella over the components of Literary Style and Theme.
Thanks for the clarification, L & N!
By: nrhatch on July 30, 2010
at 1:17 pm
Yeah! I go with that nrhatch. But Nancy Curteman raised a good point about the emotional element of ‘knowing’ when you’ve ‘got it right’ as far as your concerned. But this may be the recognition that you have indeed succeeded in making your voice heard, or at least believe you have as far as you’re concerned. So maybe that would fall within the ‘why’ rather than the ‘what’ and ‘how’: maybe like “I am so glad I have grown as a writer/person” A metaphysical success story, perhaps. (Almost good as having a best seller in the market place, or winning a novel prize for literature…. pretty good ‘why’s there!
By: Loreen Lee on July 30, 2010
at 1:50 pm
If I’m close on the ‘why of winning the “Nobel’ Prize’, then the why doesn’t involve the actual writing or planning or philosophy of what goes into the writing. Maybe then it’s extra-curricular, so to speak…..unless you write just to write…..This is getting too complicated….
By: Loreen Lee on July 30, 2010
at 1:53 pm
Just work up with idea: The voice is WHO I am. And yes, Nancy Cureteman, sometimes you get that emotional feeling that you ‘have discovered yourself’.
So Who I am is what and how I say why I do, grin grin. Where and When will have to wait awhile……
By: Loreen Lee on July 31, 2010
at 12:41 am
Error: Just woke up with this idea. Nrhatch- I’m ‘awake’ on this one. Will write blog maybe, when I feel I have found my ‘blogging’ voice. i.e. when I wake up. Then perhaps I will not ‘feel’ it is too ‘competitive’ for me. Thanks.
By: Loreen Lee on July 31, 2010
at 12:53 am
Loreen, I don’t see blogging as a competitive activity. I blog because I like it. All the posts I make serve an interest I have, a need to learn, a desire to express my views. It pleases me when others indicate an interest in what I have to say, but it isn’t essential. My initial reason for blogging was to establish a platform to market my three novels, but as I continued blogging, this goal became secondary to the satisfaction I feel from researching and expressing my views.
I really enjoy reading your thoughtful comments. I think you are a fine blogger. Try not to worry about competition. Just blog the way you want and about what you want. Most important, have fun.
By: nancycurteman on July 31, 2010
at 8:53 am
Thank you, very much for your encouragement. Both you and nrhatch. I had a feeling that the word ‘competition’ would draw some remarks. That’s why I put it in apostrophe. I did say that was the way I felt. It is a social activity. As I pointed out, I even keep my girl friends at a distance. I need my privacy and independence. I have had the good fortune in my life to not need employment for about forty years. So I studied. I’m a bit of a recluse.
So I see blogging as necessarily, involving for me, the expected assumptions, and guidelines of the social, cultural factor. For this I used the word competition, because being personally involved, means or entails the need to live up to certain expectations, whether cultural or social. But if I just ‘drop by’ I don’t feel the pressure to conform in any way, shape or form. Like I said, it’s my personal take on expectations of others. It keeps me more ‘stress free’ to feel like I can come and go; whether or not my comments are accepted or not does not have such an impact on me, because I am in ‘a different head space’. I don’t feel I have to live up to any standard, real or imaginary. That’s what I mean by ‘competition’. When I’m alone or think I am I am ‘out of it’. I have quite a bit on my platter rewriting the book. I have just decided to make that my focus, hopefully to at least finish that. Thank you again for your concern.
By: Loreen Lee on July 31, 2010
at 9:23 am
Thanks for the clarification. I have a better understanding now.
By: nancycurteman on July 31, 2010
at 11:37 am
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at 12:12 pm
is the speaker’s tone of voice part of the literary style?
By: nakavuma aisha on November 3, 2011
at 9:14 am
Good question. When you say speaker’s tone, do you mean the character in the novel? How the author depicts the way in which a character sounds when he speaks certainly is part of the author’s literary style and voice as well.
By: nancycurteman on November 3, 2011
at 8:44 pm
when you are talking about literary style, are you talking about like what type of book of this, like mystery, science fiction. etc
By: peter on February 7, 2012
at 9:12 pm
could you also give me some more example of literary styles
By: peter on February 7, 2012
at 10:04 pm
Peter, When I speak of literary style i’m talking about the way a author writes his book, not his genre. In other words, I’m referring to the author’s vocabulary, sentence structure, descriptive style etc. This style will appear in any genre.
Here are some examples of different literary styles:
Dickens uses long sentences.
Michener uses abundant description.
Evanovich uses lots of vernacular.
Twain uses figurative language.
I hope this helps clarify a bit.
By: Nancy Curteman on February 9, 2012
at 1:32 pm
Thank you Nancy
By: peter on February 9, 2012
at 9:17 pm
You are welcome. Good luck in your writing.
By: Nancy Curteman on February 13, 2012
at 4:39 pm
i would like to know , “what would be the Literary style of Ted Hughes?” i’m doing a reseach paper & i dont really know what to put in this part of my thesis
Please help me
By: yulee on February 16, 2012
at 3:34 pm
Yulee,
Check out this essay on Ted Hughes’ writing style. I think it may be helpful. Let me know how it works for you. Good Luck.
http://essaytree.com/english-literature/metaphors-in-ted-hughes-poetry-or-ted-hughes-writing-style/
By: nancycurteman on February 16, 2012
at 8:22 pm
it really helped me ! thanks Nancy <3
By: yulee on February 23, 2012
at 4:37 pm
I hope you get an A on your paper. I’m sending positive thoughts.
By: Nancy Curteman on February 23, 2012
at 10:15 pm
Hi Nancy,
My writing style has definitely changed since I first began to write.
Thanks for stopping by and liking one of my posts.
Unfortunately, that was my old blog. I hope you drop by and visit my newer one at http://www.tracycampbell.net/blog.
Have a lovely weekend
Tracy
By: Tracy Campbell on January 18, 2013
at 6:31 pm
I dropped by your new blog. It’s great.
By: nancycurteman on January 19, 2013
at 10:00 pm
Thanks, Nancy. I hope you’ll come back for a visit.
Have a lovely week!
By: Tracy Campbell on January 20, 2013
at 3:52 pm