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Have you ever read a few words, or heard a description of a plot twist, and thought, "that sounds like something thus-and-so would have come up with"? We all have, and that's because the writers we...
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#3: Attribution notice added
by
System
·
2019-12-08T04:00:08Z (about 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/16021 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
Have you ever read a few words, or heard a description of a plot twist, and thought, "that sounds like something thus-and-so would have come up with"? We all have, and that's because the writers we love have visible hallmarks of their style. Themes recur in their work, and they favor certain kinds of language. [Wearing your influences on your sleeve](http://clichesite.com/content.asp?which=tip+2351), both with phrasing and plot points, is a common problem with new writers. The only solution is time and experience. As you continue to write, you'll develop your own styles of plotting and phrasing. Similarities with stories you've already consumed will, in time, melt away. They'll be replaced by your own voice. When you have several manuscripts under your belt, you'll have the confidence to phrase things in a way that pleases you, not a way you've read before. You'll have the courage to try plot twists that are not established tropes, or at least not as common. What if it turns out that you're not a new writer, that you've been writing for years? Then I'll suggest that you need to develop confidence in your own abilities.
#1: Imported from external source
by
System
·
2015-01-27T03:32:45Z (almost 10 years ago)
Original score: 3