Creative Writing - Your Writing Style

Your writing style is simply the way you put sentences together and the way you construct a sentence. Style is very subjective. Different readers have different opinions of what they feel is good writing and what is bad writing. Some readers and editors prefer a passive voice (which is usually accepted in scientific articles and articles that are in the science field), while others prefer an active voice (which is usually accepted in articles focusing on the humanities field). You should develop your own style, but avoid some of the pitfalls that can bury a good writer.

Make sure that your sentences are strong, clear and effective. You don't want to ramble on, saying little and repeating yourself over and over. Do not assume that your reader knows what you mean or that they understand what you are writing about if your sentences fall short of being clear. Sometimes you have to be detailed and explain what you mean. This is often "fleshing it out" and we will cover it in a later lesson. But, I will say here that you do not want to only skim the surface. You reader will not feel connected to you or what you write.

Avoid grammatical and spelling errors. They can butcher a good article or paper. If you are trying to write with a certain lingo or accent, make certain that you are really, really good. These intentional misspellings can be difficult to read and understand, particularly if the reader is not familiar with it. You may be able to get away with it, but, as I said, make absolutely sure you are good at it.

Avoid wordiness and awkward sentences. A sentence that is wordy or awkward can pass the grammatical rules, but it can still be difficult to read or understand. Choose your words carefully and brevity is usually the way to go. You want to express your ideas with elegance, while being persuasive and direct.

Get Your Point Across