A writing style is the way in which a particular writer chooses to assemble words and sentences together to create an overall piece of writing. There are a number of different components that typically make up this style, including word choice, sentence length and structure, use of figurative language, and point of view. The style of a particular author can also vary depending on the audience and purpose of a piece of writing. A writing style can be difficult to precisely describe because it is a qualitative and subjective concept, but it is also one of the most important principles people use to judge the quality of a writer.
There are many different ways in which a writer creates his or her writing style, and these can be chosen consciously or may simply develop over time with practice. Word choice is one of the largest contributing factors regarding the style of a writer. Writers such as Edgar Allen Poe are noted for their rich prose that often contains vivid phrases with numerous adjectives to carefully create and describe a scene. The writing style of someone such as Ernest Hemingway, however, is noted for sparse sentences with precise word choice and few descriptions beyond the bare essentials needed to create a scene.
Other aspects of writing style include the use of figurative language and the perspective a writer chooses to use. These are often tied to the audience and purpose of a particular piece of writing. Someone writing an essay for school, for example, is likely to choose a professional or academic writing style with few metaphors and language that is more literal and direct than figurative and flowery. The same writer working on an original short story or fictional narrative might use a style that is more figurative and rich with evocative imagery and language.
Many writers also adjust their writing style by changing the point of view or perspective used in their writing. A school assignment is likely to be written in third person perspective, which means that pronouns in the essay are usually limited to ones like “he,” “she,” and “they.” When creating a fictional work, however, the same writer might use first or second person perspective. This type of writing includes pronouns such as “I,” “me,” and “you” to create a more informal writing style that is often more interesting as a narrative work but would be seen as inappropriate in a piece of academic writing.
The appropriate writing style to use for what context can be difficult to nail down. If you are looking for an extra helping hand, consider hiring an online writing tutor.