Differences in People and Writing Styles

Differences in People and Writing Styles by Debra H. Goldstein

Recently, I flew to Denver for a very special reason: to meet my newest grandson. Because of my March back surgeries, I couldn’t be there within twenty-four hours of his birth. Instead, I had to settle for a few days shy of him being two months old. It was a treat for several reasons. He’s a very easy and seemingly happy child. He eats, sleeps, cuddles, smiles, and loves bathtime. What more could his parents ask?

Well, they wouldn’t mind getting a little more sleep themselves – not because of him but because of his twenty-month-old sister who has decided that rather than sleeping to seven or seven-thirty, wake up time is somewhere between four-thirty and five. She also isn’t too thrilled with naptime which makes for a grumpy over-tired child by dinner time. Did I mention that she is, and has always been, a finicky eater? Or, that she has always had a mind of her own. For example, she refused to roll over well beyond when she should have been doing that; however, she proved at the same time she could sit up perfectly (which proved she had core control and was simply refusing to roll). If she wasn’t so cute, she’d be a frustrating child.

What’s my point? These two are siblings. They were born from the same parents into an identical environment and yet, they are so different. Writers are much the same. They all start out wanting to write, but their works are like night and day. Even if they write in the same genre, whether mystery or literary, their books and stories are unique. Some writers may try to copy the style of other authors they admire, but the reality is that the end product always differs.

Aren’t you glad? What would it be like if people and authors were all cut from the same cookie-cutter?