Writing your novel: How to find your unique style

Every novelist has a unique fingerprint, a way of telling stories that sets them apart. This is your writing style, your voice. 

It's what connects you to your readers and makes your novels memorable. But how do you find it? These tips that look at finding your voice and consistency are key to getting there.

Discover Your Voice

Finding your voice is a journey of exploration. Think about the authors you love to read. What is it about their writing that resonates with you? Is it their use of language, the rhythm of their sentences, or the way they build atmosphere? Reflecting on your reading habits can offer clues to your stylistic leanings.

More importantly, start writing! Experiment with different approaches. Try writing in short, punchy sentences and crafting longer, more descriptive passages. Play with varying points of view. Don't be afraid to try something completely new. The key is to explore and see what feels most natural and authentic to you. What flows effortlessly from your pen? That's likely a strong indication of your emerging voice.

Consistency is Key

Once you've discovered a style that feels right, stick with it. Consistency is crucial for reader immersion. Imagine reading a novel where the writing style changes drastically from chapter to chapter. It would be jarring, pulling you out of the story. Whether you gravitate towards a lyrical, detailed style or a more minimalist, direct approach, maintain that style throughout your novel. This creates a smooth and engaging reading experience.

Example

Let's look at the difference between two distinct styles:

• Detailed: ;'The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue over the rolling hills, as the cool breeze whispered through the tall grass.

• Minimalist: 'The sun set, bringing cool air to the hills.'

Both examples describe the same scene, but they create vastly different effects. The detailed example

paints a vivid picture, appealing to the senses. The minimalist example is more concise, focusing on the essential facts. Neither is inherently better; the best choice depends on the story you're telling and the mood you want to create. The important thing is to choose a style and remain consistent.

Dickens and Hemingway: how they did it

Detailed (Charles Dickens, Bleak House): "Fog everywhere. Fog up the river, where it comes rolling between the tree trunks and barges; fog down the river, where it drifts heavily upon the ships, and lies thick and dense upon the decks. 

Fog in the Essex marshes, fog in Kentish heights, fog creeping into the house, fog dripping from the leaves, fog clotting the black trees."

Minimalist (Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea): "He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking 1 a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. 

But after forty days without a fish the boy’s parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally 2 unlucky and the boy had gone at their orders in another boat which caught three good fish the first week."   

Dickens' passage is characterised by its repetition, its lush descriptions, and its use of evocative language ("rolling," "drifts heavily," "clotting"). He paints a vivid picture of the oppressive fog, immersing the reader in the scene. Hemingway's passage, in contrast, is concise and direct. He uses simple sentences and avoids elaborate descriptions. 

The focus is on the facts, presented in a straightforward manner. The emotional weight of the old man's plight is conveyed through the starkness of the prose rather than through flowery language.

These two examples perfectly illustrate the difference between a detailed and a minimalist style. Just as these authors maintained their respective styles throughout their works, any writer must find their voice and maintain consistency throughout their novel. This allows readers to fully engage with the story and connect with the author's unique perspective.