My writing style has changed drastically over the years. This is evident when you read my works in the order in which they were written. My first book, Living in His World of Lies (1), was written in high school. Though it was revised numerous times, the style with which I wrote early in my writing career is still very different from the style with which I currently write. Still, no matter the changes, my voice and style are still uniquely my own, something that I pride myself upon.
There were several factors that influenced the change in my writing style over the years. Some factors were as simple as the point of view from which the story was told. Living in His World of Lies was written in third person omniscient, while my next book, Slim Thick, was written in first person. These are two different points of view which call for two different writing styles. When you're telling a story in first person, the style is that of the character themself, not of you as the writer. You essentially take on the voice of the character as your own. They tell you their story. You're not telling it for them.
One of the biggest influences in my writing style, though, is the fact that I read. A lot. A whole lot. In fact, there is rarely ever a moment that the Kindle app is not sitting open on my phone, waiting for me to jump back into whatever book I'm reading. I read different authors, and not all of them are in the genres in which I write. I don't write YA or psychological thrillers, but I've found I love to read them. I also read a lot of Urban Fiction as well, mostly Urban Romance. I pay attention to the flow of other authors' stories and make note of what works well for them and what could possibly work well for me as well. In tough spots in my works, when I just can't seem to make something flow the way I want, I try to implement some of those methods I've seen and learned to see if they help my story flow better.
My writing style evolved through a combination of information obtained from writing courses and a desire for my writing to be as relatable, realistic, and beautiful as possible. My writing often has a poetic flow, which is evidence of the fact that I was once a devoted poet. I believe the flow of the words within a story is just as important as, if not more important than the story itself. You can have a horrible story with a terrible plot, but if that story flows beautifully, it will read much better than a great story with a choppy flow. I'm a strong believer in sentence structure variation. Using only short, choppy sentences becomes boring and redundant, and readers will begin to feel like they're being talked to like they're slow. At the same time, use of only long, complex sentences becomes taxing on the reader and tedious to read. It starts to make the reader "think" too much as they're reading, and when they're reading for leisure, that's not something they're interested in.
I've poured years into honing my skills, learning different methods and elements of writing. The way I write now is a compilation of everything I've learned coming together to become my voice. My voice is distinct, and I tell all writers who ask to always maintain your own unique voice. Don't try to copy, imitate, or emulate another writer's voice. Not only is it disrespectful to the writer you're copying, but it's also disrespectful to you as an individual with your own voice you're suppressing. Individuality is something our industry lacks. Authors have moved toward being so cookie cutter and fitting into a mold in order to have their work found in more searches, get more clicks, and sell more books. I frown upon this methodology and encourage all writers to find their voice and protect it at all costs. Readers much more quickly appreciate a unique voice than the same voice that has told them the last dozen stories.
Develop your style and make your stories your own. I guarantee your readers will appreciate and love you for it!