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Posted By: Berry Oct 20, 2004 - 02:06 pm

I am very new to writing at the moment I am writing a short story that has a fantasy element as it involves characters that travel the universe with thier minds. The story is humerous even dropping into actual comedy on occasion but I can't seem to make the explaination of the mind travel element match the style of the rest of the story. My writing style is also heavily influenced by each book I read while writing it and i am afraid that it will end up being a mish mash of other peoples styles, How can I keep to my style and still allow myself to be influenced by good work?

Posted By: Some Idiot Oct 20, 2004 - 02:14 pm

no easy way around this one, berry. Style is something writers develop over years of practicing the craft... some have natural talent. I was lucky enough to know a couple - who just had raw, innate talent. This is not true for most of us.

Style is a question of draft, however, in my opinion. My first draft has very little elements of style, because I am too busy trying to get the story on the pages. When I go back and redraft a chapter or segment, I can review it and come up with the best 'way' I want to say it. So I guess I might suggest you try to hammer it out however it comes to you, and then mix it up a little to make it fit with the flow of the story. That may not work for you, though.

Posted By: Magus Oct 20, 2004 - 03:09 pm

Just try to find your own style. Everyone has their own nattural and innate style all to themselves. Nobody can steal this, nobody else can claim it. You cannot find it on your own, it will find you.

It will find you through what you read. With each and every story, novel or novella or evn simple short stories, your style will develope. As you grow and mature so does your writing. With everything you watch, from plays to movies to TV, it has an effect on your style. Even music you listen to has an impact.

Your writing style is the sum of all of the parts of your life. It is as unique and irreplaceable as you are.

Sure, some people have it easier. Some people have a natural knack for writing while others have more to slave over.

But if you write it it will come. If you call for it it will answer. Just keeping working at it and it will be yours, far sooner then you think.

"If you can hear it then it is speaking to you... if you can hear it then it is yours to have."

Posted By: Berry Oct 21, 2004 - 09:52 am

Thanks guys!
I think I have been thinking too much. I was a little afraid of losing the pace of the story if I edited too much but I have been redraughting and it is becoming much more mine each time I do it.
Very nice to get a bit of advice, thanks again.
berry

Posted By: Magus Oct 21, 2004 - 11:53 am

No problem. Anytime you have a question or want advice the people here are always more then happy to help you out the best that they can.

Posted By: Queen Ehlana Oct 21, 2004 - 08:20 pm

It's even worse when you cease to be able to be at all "influenced by good work." I used to always be influenced by writing styles... Now I focus completely on the information I'm receiving and just don't notice the style unless it's bad, and I think I need a change of writing style. **sigh** I used to be really flexible with my writing... Now I feel so stiff.

I'm not innocent anymore... That's the problem. Oh, Aphraël, how could you let this happen to me?! I used to just read and enjoy books, but now that I've read so much evil stuff online, I've become a stupid cynic. AAAHH!!

Anyway, I don't think it's that bad to be influenced by others. Eventually, you'll more than likely develop your own style that sticks with you forever... Just don't let it happen as soon as I did.

Posted By: Caegaraneva Dec 06, 2004 - 01:18 pm

The only people who's writing styles aren't influenced by other writers, or by people's speaking styles, must be illiterate hermits living in the woods with their ears stopped up! Everybody has a changing style, unless they have written for a long time (or are particularly good) and have already figured out what works for them and what doesn't. The more your wirting style shifts the more experience you will have in different ideas; from there your writing will naturally hammer itself into a style that is implicitly yours.