How would you describe your writing style?

BgDaddy33

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Some time ago, a reader described a fanfic I had written as "simplistic but effective" while trying to be complimentary.

I understood what he/she meant immediately, in that I tend to be succinct in my descriptions, saying in a few sentences what others might take several paragraphs to convey.

While reading, I adore running into that perfectly written sentence that encapsulates whatever the author wanted to say just so... perhaps I do the same even while envying those authors here who can crank out 10-20K stories effortlessly.

Have you ever thought of how you would describe your writing style? Are you content with this or would you want to change how your efforts into this craft are perceived?
 

How would you describe your writing style?​

Don’t tell, show…

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Em
 
I would describe my own style as very visual, with lurid, vibrant imagery. There's varying levels of surreality there, as well, but I haven't posted all of that... Flashbacks and nightmare sequences and the like. I think I use a sufficient amount of verisimilitude so that, despite what others may think, these are stories taking place plausibly in the real world, or at least following characters who do things real people would plausibly do in those situations. I don't think I've ever crossed the bounds into ridiculous fantasy self-gratification or to an utterly grim, pessimistic reality. It's sort of in-between, where it would really be.

There's a certain dance between juxtapositions that I do in my writing, as well. A unity of opposites kind of interplay. American Gnosticism? Maybe someday it'll get there.

I like David Lynch movies and late 20th century French philosophy.
 
I would characterize my "style" as conversational, as if the narrator is speaking directly to the reader rather than just relating of character descriptions and events. I also try hard to write my characters as real people rather than cardboard cutouts that happen to be in the scene. My intention with those descriptions as well as the actions those characters take is to make them complete enough a reader can paint his or her own pictures, but not so detailed I'm forcing the reader into seeing something they might not enjoy. I tend to rely on dialogue to define my characters and the happenings, either that of the 1st person main character or each character in 3rd person rather than just do the description in text. Doing so can set up some interesting juxtapositions about the characters that I can resolve later on in the story.
 
Several commenters have used words like: poetic, cinematic, intimate, slow and precise, like a story told in front of crackling log fire, sipping whiskey, slow burn. That kind of thing.
 
Some of my commenters here have mentioned that they enjoyed the way I build up tension. That's definitely a goal of mine. I enjoy the moments just before relationships switch from emotionally intimate to sexually intimate (or newly/differently sexually intimate) and I build them up and draw them out often.

I've been told elsewhere that I have a conversational and informal style, which I think is valid. I fight to avoid being overly professorial and pedantic, and it'd be fucking easy to just append footnotes to everything I write like some deranged scholar of depravity(1). I tend to the analytical and usually want to explore the mental and emotional states of my characters more than I want to explore what the writhing fucking bodies are doing, exactly(2). My works here are mostly about transgressions on some level; doing things that are frowned upon or forbidden. I think there's excitement to be found not just in those actions, but also in what leads to those actions, which ties back into the whole tension angle(3).

(1) Huh, I really ought to write a story about that sometime, but it's too abstract at this point. Go fucking figure.
(2) But the writhing fucking bodies matter, obviously. It's just a matter of priorities.
(3) Not to be confused with tension caused by stress, or the tension of restraints, though now that I think about it there's a story there, too(4).
(4) Too many stories, too little time.
 
A number of people have commented that they like that my stories are straight to the point and the amount of details is about right. Not too much, not too little. Enough to let people imagine the smaller details themselves.
 
Several commenters have used words like: poetic, cinematic, intimate, slow and precise, like a story told in front of crackling log fire, sipping whiskey, slow burn. That kind of thing.
That's quite a compliment! I would print and frame a comment like that and keep it by my desk to motivate me. :D
 
Some of my commenters here have mentioned that they enjoyed the way I build up tension. That's definitely a goal of mine. I enjoy the moments just before relationships switch from emotionally intimate to sexually intimate (or newly/differently sexually intimate) and I build them up and draw them out often.

I've been told elsewhere that I have a conversational and informal style, which I think is valid. I fight to avoid being overly professorial and pedantic, and it'd be fucking easy to just append footnotes to everything I write like some deranged scholar of depravity(1). I tend to the analytical and usually want to explore the mental and emotional states of my characters more than I want to explore what the writhing fucking bodies are doing, exactly(2). My works here are mostly about transgressions on some level; doing things that are frowned upon or forbidden. I think there's excitement to be found not just in those actions, but also in what leads to those actions, which ties back into the whole tension angle(3).

(1) Huh, I really ought to write a story about that sometime, but it's too abstract at this point. Go fucking figure.
(2) But the writhing fucking bodies matter, obviously. It's just a matter of priorities.
(3) Not to be confused with tension caused by stress, or the tension of restraints, though now that I think about it there's a story there, too(4).
(4) Too many stories, too little time.

Well said (and explained!) haha.
 
A number of people have commented that they like that my stories are straight to the point and the amount of details is about right. Not too much, not too little. Enough to let people imagine the smaller details themselves.

I like that the readers have taken enough notice to make a comment like that. It goes beyond the "that was hot!" or "he/she should..." type of comment.
 
Em, that is the perfect depiction of the cute little temptress that we all picture you as.
The hair color is wrong, she’s too tall, and needs to go down at least two cup sizes… but yeah 😬.

Em
 
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