As individuals, we are unique in our personalities, thoughts, and behaviors. As a writer, you are no different. Every writer has a distinctive voice. The key to showcasing your voice in a way others can take it in comes from mastering different writing styles. Understanding the various writing styles and how to use them can elevate your manuscript and make your stories come to life. In this article, we'll explore the top writing styles you should consider incorporating into your manuscript and tips on when and how to use them effectively!
Narrative Writing Style
If you've ever sat around a fire listening to friends talk about a personal experience or a fun-filled trip and felt pulled into their story, or like you are experiencing it with them, you've experienced the essence of narrative writing. This writing style makes you feel like you're in the middle of the scene, living the story alongside the characters. Unlike academic styles, narrative writing is all about storytelling. It tactfully weaves together events with emotion, description, and depth.
You will typically find this style to be powerfully laid out in works of fiction, memoirs, and personal essays because it creates an immersive experience. Readers aren't just absorbing information; they're feeling everything. Think about books you've read where you can feel the tension of a conflict, the joy of a victory, or the heartbreak of a loss. Strong narrative writing brings life to characters, making them feel real and relatable. It thrives on vivid descriptions to help evoke memories that you may be able to recall, like the smell of the salty ocean air or hearing the crunch of autumn leaves under your feet.
At its core, narrative writing is about showing you things and engaging the senses. This style of writing, when done correctly, will draw readers into the world of your story. Whether you're crafting a novel, a short story, or a personal reflection, a strong narrative style transforms words on a page into a journey that readers experience.
Descriptive Writing Style
Descriptive writing brings words to life! It's the kind of writing that makes you feel like you're smack in the middle of a busy city, feeling the people brush by you as they race off to their destination, hearing the honking of taxi horns as steam from the food trucks waft in your face.
It's the type of writing that makes characters feel real like you can see the glimmer of hope in their eyes or feel the tension in their jaw from outrage.
This style of writing truly engages all of your senses. Readers feel what is happening to the characters; they can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch every bit of what's taking place in the story. This fully immersive experience is what fantasy, horror, and literary fiction are made of!
Like anything, balance is the key to using this writing style accordingly. Too much description can slow the story down, while too little can leave readers detached. The best descriptive writing weaves vivid imagery seamlessly into the narrative, pulling readers in without overwhelming them creates an engagement that readers will cherish.
Expository Writing Style
If you've ever read out of a textbook, a journal article, or a how-to-manual for something you've bought, you have experienced expository writing. This style of writing is all about providing information clearly and straightforwardly. Since the focus is to explain or inform you, no personal opinions or emotional language is incorporated into the text. Technical writing, thought processes, and procedures, where precision and clarity are key, follow this same format. The same goes for some non-fiction works as well.
Expository writing is simple and uncomplicated. It doesn't include unnecessary details or flowery language. The goal of this type of writing is to get right to the point to help readers understand the topic at hand. Think of a DIY guide showing step-by-step instructions. Expository writing makes sure the reader grasps the essential facts without confusion.
Unlike the other writing styles, expository writing is to help readers better understand or learn something new in the most direct way possible. So, whenever you come across an article aiming to explain how something works or provides information, you're likely reading expository writing.
Persuasive Writing Style
Persuasive writing aims to influence and convince readers to see something from a particular perspective. This type of writing uses carefully chosen phrases and words and positions arguments in a specific way to compel you to feel a certain way about a topic. You'll find this writing in speeches, opinion pieces, and argumentative essays, where the goal is to influence readers. Think about speeches from politicians or written articles that try to sway you to shop at a particular store; that's persuasive writing at work.
Emotional appeal is one significant aspect of this writing style, as well as how it balances emotion and reason. Good persuasive writing always includes Facts and logical reasoning to support the writer's position. But it's equally important to tap into the reader's emotions, sparking empathy, outrage, or inspiration to make the argument feel more personal and compelling. It's a delicate dance between engaging the mind and the heart, with the ultimate goal of encouraging
the reader to adopt the writer's viewpoint.
Reflective Writing Style
Reflective writing is a deeply personal style that invites writers to explore their inner thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It's all about looking inward, making sense of moments from the past, and considering how they shape who you are today. This style works beautifully for memoirs, personal essays, and journals, offering a raw and honest perspective that can resonate with readers emotionally.
At its core, reflective writing encourages introspection, it’s about asking yourself questions, digging into memories, and peeling back layers to uncover what lies beneath. It's a space where vulnerability and self-awareness collide, creating a rich landscape for personal growth.
What sets reflective writing apart is the often present narrative arc. You might notice a pattern as you write: moments of challenge, realization, and growth. This journey of transformation is a key part of the reflection process, showing where you've been and how those experiences have shaped your worldview.
It's a style that thrives on honesty and introspection. It offers writers a chance to connect with themselves while giving readers an intimate look into the writer's evolution.
Dialogue-Driven Writing Style
When you think about dialogue-driven writing, think about plays, from high school to Broadway, scripts, and some dialogue-heavy novels. In these instances, the writing is about letting the characters' conversations be the main focus. The flow of words between characters is the pulse of the story. Through this writing style, what characters say and how they say it can reveal so much about their motives, fears, desires, and hidden agendas.
A well-written, dialogue-driven piece can build up tension, keeping readers on edge and eager to know what will happen next—like a good thriller movie! As the story goes on, the characters become more real to readers and become invested in the relationships crafted in the book. Quick wit and cleverly crafted exchanges can escalate the emotional stakes without needing long descriptions or drawn-out explanations. It's the kind of writing that relies on sharp, authentic conversations to drive the plot and pull readers into a story that feels alive.
Stream of Consciousness Writing Style
If you've ever read books that focus on what the characters are thinking vs. what they are doing, they are written in the stream-of-consciousness writing style. This type of writing technique in a narrative format captures a character's thoughts as they occur, most times in a continuous flow. You will find this writing in literary fiction, and as a reader, it is a challenging writing style to follow. This is because the plot doesn't flow through a solid sequence of events. The story will bounce from one idea (or character's thought) to the next, exposing you to sensory and emotional experiences.
It's the equivalent of living in someone's head and experiencing every moment of the event, wading through all the various thoughts and feelings that pop up. You get to experience all the characters' emotions, perceptions, and memories as they are happening in the story. When this style is well written, you find that it is a very immersive experience that absorbs you into the life of the characters.
Expand your reach. . .
Understanding the different writing styles will help you find your writing niche. As you write and read your work, look and see what style you are naturally geared to. If you want to write in a specific style, use the table below to help you figure out where that style is best suited and what types of written works can be produced.
At Breadth of Hope, we understand that every author has a unique voice and story. By incorporating different writing styles into your manuscript, you can expand your reach, connect with diverse audiences, and create a lasting impact with your words. Whether refining your storytelling techniques or polishing a non-fiction piece, we're here to guide you through the self-publishing journey with expert support and tailored resources. Ready to refine your writing style and captivate your readers? Explore more tips and resources for improving your manuscript on our blog, and let Breadth of Hope help bring your vision to life!
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