Finding Your AC Style

In my time here at AC, I've been amazed by the number of good writers who publish on this site. And yet, as good as most of these articles are, excellent writing demands more. It demands a distinctive voice - one that's entirely you. This voice is your style, and it should reflect both you and your audience. Your style, more than any other factor, connects you to your readers in a way that will keep them coming back for more. They may disagree with you. Your topic may not appeal to them. But they will respect you as a writer, and trust you to deliver. Developing your style takes practice. It takes self-reflection and self-awareness. But most of all it takes a command of craft.

What is Craft?

Many writers just write by the seat of their pants, letting instinct be their guide. But instinct is not craft. Instinct is pulling your hand off stove burner when it's hot. Craft is avoiding the burner in the first place.

Craft is the nuts and bolts of writing. It is not talent. It can be learned. Craft is simply a command of your writing. It is getting your words to do what you want. The tools and techniques that comprise craft tend to be pedantic and universal; however, what makes them unique is how you use them. This is style, and it comes through when you develop your writer's voice. I firmly believe it is called a writer's voice because when you find it, your readers will hear you speaking to them as they read your work.

Saying it With Style