Young Writers Society

There are LOTS of different opinions on what style is for writing. Even when you look at writing books describing style, you often find differing opinions. But still...

For me, style in poetry is a very musical thing. For instance, think back to any song you really like and then look at the lyrics. The lyrics may not seem to fit or be in poem form, but it still sounds really pretty nonetheless. Why? It may be because of a bunch of different factors. The background music may be lovely, the beat might be interesting, the way the singer sings the lyrics might make it beautiful. See? There are a lot of factors.

Unfortunately, when we write poetry, we do not have the luxury of having background musicians or the like. Still, we have something even more powerful: words.

We're all writers, so we have long since learned how to respect the power of words. Individually, the words mean nothing, but together they can have a very strong effect. Therefore, the way you phrase a particular sentence or line can have a huge effect on the overall poem. Another thing (which is sadly overlooked) is layout. Does it look pretty? This may seem irrelevent at first, but the way we shape our poetry can determine the impact of the reader. We cannot voice our lyrics vocally, but by using lines to break our poems up, we can voice our poems to the readers anyway.

That's for poetry. What about fiction?

Now, think of any movie you particularly like. One of my favorites is LOTR. Much like poetry, there is music swelling in the background that will affect our moods... but there's another thing. We are given a solid image of what is going on. When Frodo is in the grassy field of the Shire, the music is happy and light. The music gives us a feeling of lightness and gaiety while the image gives us a solid picture which we can associate the music.

Once more, we don't have the luxury of images or music to write our story, so once more we have to rely on words. Much like poetry's lines, the way we phrase our sentences and paragraphs determines the mood. Are they short and jerky? Long and flowy? What kind of words do we use? Do we use clear language or obtuse language? This will set the mood of the scene. Then, with our sentences, we must describe the image we have.

The way we do this is style.

No style is bad, persay, but depending on what kind of genre you're writing for, one particular style may be preferred over another. Still, the final decision rests on the writer.

So there you go!

*raises hand* I have a question!

Does the writer always have to focus on the style, or does it come naturally to some people?

*looks at own work* I really need to work on style, lol. I never really thought about it before...

It usually comes naturally.

You see, a style doesn't really come from the person, but it comes from the story/poem/whatever. So yes, you will have a certain way you write, but if I write an action scene from a novel, the style will be short and jerky and if I write poem, it'll be a lot more flowy (depending on the poem).

So therefore, I can have different styles of writing, yet I'm still one person!

If you're writing something unfamiliar, you may have to concentrate on style. For instance, poetry has always been an unfamiliar territory, so I usually write what comes off the top of my head and then look at it, making sure it fits right. But if you've always loved reading romance novels and start writing a romance novel, you won't have to pay attention as much. It'll come naturally.

Still, if you want to be slightly evil, you can change the style from the norm to create a wicked effect. It all depends on what you're writing at the moment.

I've been told I write in a 'simple' style and not use too many big words. I do usually listen to all kinds of music when I write and I find it helps me, and when I fon't listen to music I can't seem to write and get bored with my story.

"Style" is a naughty word. "Style" is for historians to decide once they get ahold of your work. Just write. Your first and most important goal is just to write.

Galatea wrote:"Style" is a naughty word. "Style" is for historians to decide once they get ahold of your work. Just write. Your first and most important goal is just to write.

True... the first thing you do is write. Otherwise, you'll never get it down.

Still, especially when you're in the editing process, style is something you'll be looking at. After all, it ought to flow right, and if it doesn't, it's probably a stylistic error. ^_^

I don't look at "style". Ever.

I look at flow and mood and word choice and the style developes itself.

I apply a great deal of what I've learned as an actress to my writing. Here is what the reknowned Uta Hagen has to say about style:

"Style is the dirtiest word in the actor's [substitute 'writer's'] vocabulary. It belongs to critics, essayists and historians, and fits nowhere into a creative process. It is servicable for catalogues and reference books. But in the act of creation, whether it be a baby or a role in a play [or a written work], you cannot predetermine style (shape, sound or form).

"Remember that all of the labels you are familiar with (realistic, surrealistic, romantic, satirical, farcical, tragi-comic, naturalistic, classical, neo-classical, avant-garde, theatre of the absurd, [Da Da], Grande Guignol etc.) were stuck onto a piece of work after it came into existence and not before." Respect for Acting, Uta Hagen p 216-17.

For what Snoink is saying, I think tone or voice would be more precise. Style (especially as Gal is defining it) is self-conscious, pointed - perhaps apt in satire - in which it is likely to be lampooned by its very existence there. But in a piece of prose, voice is what comes out - the voice of the story and of the characters.

This is sort of a personal experience question for you all just to satisfy my curiosity, but have any of you read a story/poem/etc. in which you got the hint (from the plot or something else) that the mood was supposed to be a certain way, but the writer's natural style and diction made it almost completely opposite from what should fit? You know, like the tone and theme and such were out of sync within and among themselves. Do you think that's possible, or do you think that it takes care of itself? Meaning do you think that most people's natural flow/diction/style takes care of that possible problem on it's own, or should we, as writers, try to pay attention to prevent such an error just in case our natural writing tendencies are prone to causing such a thing?

Angie wrote:This is sort of a personal experience question for you all just to satisfy my curiosity, but have any of you read a story/poem/etc. in which you got the hint (from the plot or something else) that the mood was supposed to be a certain way, but the writer's natural style and diction made it almost completely opposite from what should fit? You know, like the tone and theme and such were out of sync within and among themselves. Do you think that's possible, or do you think that it takes care of itself? Meaning do you think that most people's natural flow/diction/style takes care of that possible problem on it's own, or should we, as writers, try to pay attention to prevent such an error just in case our natural writing tendencies are prone to causing such a thing?

Pay attention...it doesn't always make itself readily apparent. Sometimes tone takes a long to fit - and sometimes one can start out writing in the perfect voice.

Angie wrote:This is sort of a personal experience question for you all just to satisfy my curiosity, but have any of you read a story/poem/etc. in which you got the hint (from the plot or something else) that the mood was supposed to be a certain way, but the writer's natural style and diction made it almost completely opposite from what should fit? You know, like the tone and theme and such were out of sync within and among themselves. Do you think that's possible, or do you think that it takes care of itself? Meaning do you think that most people's natural flow/diction/style takes care of that possible problem on it's own, or should we, as writers, try to pay attention to prevent such an error just in case our natural writing tendencies are prone to causing such a thing?

I haven't seen it in writing, but I've seen it in songs.

I think even if you have that problem in the first place, it will correct itself when you edit it looking for flow and such.

Lol! We're a society of word-snobs!

I can't say I've ever had a problem with the word "style". But I haven't really thought about it much. I don't know. Stuff just comes. If it doesn't sound right, then I niggle at it until it does. So I'm not the greatest expert on the matter.

Yay! Debating!

Acting is extremely close to writing. For instance, when I'm doing dialogue or character sketches (which include a lot of dialogue) I'll be acting out the story. I look like a complete and utter moron while doing it, but it gets it into my head what I want to describe, as far as my characters go.

But, and especially if you're writing a third-person viewpoint novel, you're not just dealing with the characters but the narrative. Why? Because you have to glue all the characters together in a single plot (with a lot of subplots). This is when style becomes important. You have to choose a way of writing that blends all the different character traits together seamlessly. So instead of being an actor, you become more of a director, trying to figure out who goes where for the intended effect. As you pointed out, this shouldn't be thought of while you're writing, but once the first real draft is completed and the editing process begins, it should probably be in consideration, especially if you intend to publish the story.

Angie: oh gosh, don't even get me started...

When the mood is totally wrong, the story becomes really really bad. What makes it bad? Lack of research.

I mean, like there was this one story on this writing club that was supposed to be a serious sci fi that had a good message. It talked about war and how war was often needless and destroyed too much of the beauties in life. The protagonist went to this beautiful place, walked around and noticed how beautiful it was compared to the destruction that he lived in. I mean, that sounds like it ought to be a good story, right?

Nope. Because of a total lack of research, it was bad. Really bad. Lemme just put it this way: according to this story, people could live for 900 years. Oh, and a nuclear war made everyone leave from Earth to the surrounding planets. All the women went to Mercury and all the men went to Mars.

Quite simply? It tried to be a serious sci fi, but because the writer didn't care about researching the science involved, it became the worst story I have ever read.

Another example: stories dealing with rape.

Now you ask yourself, "What's wrong with this?" After all, rape is an incredibly provocative subject that needs to be explored. Why? Because if we ignore it, it tends to happen widespread without us caring. But still. A lot of stories that involve rape, especially on young writing sites, are very immature. Instead of being a story that makes you think about the effects of rape (Speak comes to mind) it becomes this horrible, "Look what I can write!" piece.

Don't misunderstand me... a lot of young writers are awesome and can handle topics such as these in a mature way. But the only way you can do that is to actually research it and put yourself into the characters' shoes.

*sighs*

That's not really style though. Style is mood, but mood isn't style. O_o

Poor_Imp wrote:

Angie wrote:This is sort of a personal experience question for you all just to satisfy my curiosity, but have any of you read a story/poem/etc. in which you got the hint (from the plot or something else) that the mood was supposed to be a certain way, but the writer's natural style and diction made it almost completely opposite from what should fit? You know, like the tone and theme and such were out of sync within and among themselves. Do you think that's possible, or do you think that it takes care of itself? Meaning do you think that most people's natural flow/diction/style takes care of that possible problem on it's own, or should we, as writers, try to pay attention to prevent such an error just in case our natural writing tendencies are prone to causing such a thing?

Pay attention...it doesn't always make itself readily apparent. Sometimes tone takes a long to fit - and sometimes one can start out writing in the perfect voice.

Yikes, sorry, I had just skimmed the thread, I guess. . .

Snoink wrote:Yay! Debating!

Acting is extremely close to writing. For instance, when I'm doing dialogue or character sketches (which include a lot of dialogue) I'll be acting out the story. I look like a complete and utter moron while doing it, but it gets it into my head what I want to describe, as far as my characters go.

But, and especially if you're writing a third-person viewpoint novel, you're not just dealing with the characters but the narrative. Why? Because you have to glue all the characters together in a single plot (with a lot of subplots). This is when style becomes important. You have to choose a way of writing that blends all the different character traits together seamlessly. So instead of being an actor, you become more of a director, trying to figure out who goes where for the intended effect. As you pointed out, this shouldn't be thought of while you're writing, but once the first real draft is completed and the editing process begins, it should probably be in consideration, especially if you intend to publish the story.

Angie: oh gosh, don't even get me started...

When the mood is totally wrong, the story becomes really really bad. What makes it bad? Lack of research.

I mean, like there was this one story on this writing club that was supposed to be a serious sci fi that had a good message. It talked about war and how war was often needless and destroyed too much of the beauties in life. The protagonist went to this beautiful place, walked around and noticed how beautiful it was compared to the destruction that he lived in. I mean, that sounds like it ought to be a good story, right?

Nope. Because of a total lack of research, it was bad. Really bad. Lemme just put it this way: according to this story, people could live for 900 years. Oh, and a nuclear war made everyone leave from Earth to the surrounding planets. All the women went to Mercury and all the men went to Mars.

Quite simply? It tried to be a serious sci fi, but because the writer didn't care about researching the science involved, it became the worst story I have ever read.

Another example: stories dealing with rape.

Now you ask yourself, "What's wrong with this?" After all, rape is an incredibly provocative subject that needs to be explored. Why? Because if we ignore it, it tends to happen widespread without us caring. But still. A lot of stories that involve rape, especially on young writing sites, are very immature. Instead of being a story that makes you think about the effects of rape (Speak comes to mind) it becomes this horrible, "Look what I can write!" piece.

Don't misunderstand me... a lot of young writers are awesome and can handle topics such as these in a mature way. But the only way you can do that is to actually research it and put yourself into the characters' shoes.

*sighs*

That's not really style though. Style is mood, but mood isn't style. O_o

Oy, that sounds like the stereotypical reason of why I don't read sci fi often. . .

Isn't it funny how the many different aspects of writing come together? The hard part is having good skills in all the areas and being able to combine them just right to create a masterpiece. That's why I always love to see potential and talent in young writers because that means they may be one of the great authors of our time later on.