WriteArt! Exercises: Style



Okay, I admit, this page is a bit misleading. I don't actually have any style-specific exercises. Style comes from writing. And writing and writing. And reading. And more writing. If you write, care about your writing, and strive to get better, you will develop your own particular style. And don't worry, styles change. They develop as you do. Also, don't be afraid to experiement with other styles or ways of telling a story. If nothing else, it's fun. Don't let yourself stagnate in a particular style, either. There are people who, though they may have great, original plots, write stories that all sound alike. After a while, such stories become boring to read. The style's predictable. It's like knowing on page 98 of a romance novel that the couple will have sex. There's no point in reading very far. If you feel yourself falling into this, pick up some literature that you don't normally read. Something new and fresh for you. Read it, and even try to emulate it. You'll fail, of course, and that's good! The world couldn't support five hundred Stephen Kings and a million F. Scott Fitzgeralds. One is enough. But learning what they do and how they do it is worth the time and tedious effort.
Another way to work on developing your style is to become part of a writer's community, either online or in real life. Reading and critiquing other people's works will help you learn how to critically examine your own. You'll also get feedback on how to improve your writing.
Beyond that, take a look at the other pages of exercises on this site and others and do a few, even if they do seem a bit odd. If nothing else, you'll learn what style you don't have!
 
 

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