If there's one thing publishers complain loudly about (rest assured there isn't just one) it's wannabe authors writing in a style that simply doesn't suit them and expecting to get published. The writing style you choose says an awful lot about you. Don't be shy and don't be false, just act naturally: like your sense of dress, your writing style should be personal and unique to you.
You can't ignore the fact that literary texts are made up of words, and the choice of which words to use and why - style - is a fundamental issue facing any writer. You can say the same thing in countless different ways, so the way you decide to do it is a vitally important clue to the reader. It's like deciding what to wear when you step outside - you want your clothes to say something about you to whoever you're meeting. You don't wear a revolving bow tie when you visit your bank manager do you? (OK, I do actually, it's worth trying when you've nothing left to lose.)
Your writing style should reflect your personality. How else can it be authentic? You might embark on a piece of writing using the language of your neighbourhood, or your childhood, a style of speaking that's extremely familiar to you and highly colloquial on the page. You might be aiming for something more sophisticated, mixing a higher register of speech in with your familiar vocal patterns. Or you may be trying a completely different style, one as far removed from everyday speech as possible using language you've picked up from books or research.
It's up to you what style you want to use, but try to stay true to yourself. If you try to write in a style that you're not comfortable with simply because you want to create a more literary effect you risk sounding false. That doesn't mean you shouldn't play around with new registers - try every style imaginable: humble, simple, rude, posh, learned, scientific, nonsense, arcane - but if you start including words that really don't fit in with your style, or feel you're straining to keep up a certain tone of voice, pause and evaluate what message or mood you're trying to convey.
One good way to find your natural style is to read your work aloud. You don't have to read it to anybody, just walk around reading to yourself. Listen for any discomfort in the language, any words that don't sound right, any cliches you didn't spot when writing. And listen to the shape of it, how well it rolls off the tongue, how well each line works and whether they combine to make a well rounded whole. You may feel a little silly talking to yourself, but it's worth it. If it sounds right it's probably your authentic voice.
Quite a few writers try to elevate the style to impress a lover/professor/parent. But more often than not it comes across as artificial: this isn't the writer speaking honestly, it's literary window dressing. Drop the act, and just be yourself. Believe me. It's tough enough to get published even with an authentic voice!
The trick to succeeding is quite simply to stop trying so hard. Don't try to be different, don't try to be clever. If you're reaching for your thesaurus every five minutes and trying to fit in words like prelapsarian you'll lose your reader very quickly. As Flaubert said, 'Style is life! It is the very lifeblood of thought!'
No comments:
Post a Comment