I want to write in my own style

Every so often I get a student who wants to learn (or says so anyway) but is very concerned about their ‘writing style’. They are anxious that being taught writing might influence their writing style which they view as being very distinct to them and in need of protection.

I then have to explain house style and how if they are going to write for a publication (we’re talking about magazine and newspaper writing here) then they need to adapt their style to said publication.

Now in fiction writing style is more of an issue. Compare two authors – say Marian Keyes and Zadie Smith. Yes they are both pretty different genres, but also the styles in which they write are both very different. With fiction writing you have more leeway with ‘your style’, but with magazine and newspaper writing, as with other nonfiction work, it is house style which matters.

Think about ghost writing. The ghost writer’s job is to write the book in the style of the named author. That same ghost writer may also have written a book under another person’s name with a very different style. One of the qualities of a good ghost writer is being able to adapt writing style.

  

Looking at two examples of article I have written, one in The Guardian, and one for Parentdish you will notice that the styles are very different, really because the subject matters and the publications are very different. When I am writing an article it is house style which is foremost in my mind. Yes I do have my own style of writing, but as a professional writer that has to be adaptable to the publication.

Anne Wollenberg demonstrates my point in these two articles, one in The Independent and one in The Guardian. Right they are both broadsheets, but the subject matters are very different and deserve different styles.

Editors aren’t interested in your style. They are interested in whether you can write in their style.