"Be specific Bob…" ~ Character from 'The Incredibles'.
Okay, so, this one is late in coming…but it is very important for your novel, and any writing you ever do in life. (…when else do you plan to write?)
- In what style do you write?
How you write your thoughts will impact who reads what you have to say. That is slightly odd, but it is true. If you have the grammar of a four year old, then you will most likely lose the audiences of those who read on a high school level. If you write with the vocabulary of the 1700s, then you will most likely lose the interest of those who no longer possess the comprehension of such verbiage. So whatever your style is, it will influence who reads your writings.
- What do you have to say?
What you say, will impact who listens. As I have been writing posts on NaNoWriMo, then I suspect a fair amount of my readers are either NaNos, writers, or those who enjoy literature. If I were to talk more about Bible commentary, then my audience may shift to readers who want to read things like that.
The topics you cover will dictate who is interested. If you write on historical fiction, then the reader * who likes fantasy may not be interested in your writing. A poet may not appreciate your work of blog-ish rantings.
It's important to remain yourself when you write, because writing is laying out your thoughts. So, I can't write in a fashion like you can. I'll always be me. I can mimic you, but it will still read as mine. That's a neat thing, because it allows authors to have their own flavor in their work. Those who like your tastes, can savor the time spent reading your writing. So don't 'force' a style upon yourself, be who God created you to be, and grow in that place. It's brilliant to branch out and grow, I think it's a lot of fun to stretch my writing ability, and take on new challenges. But don't let things that build your ability drag you down or discourage you, take it as it is, growth.
- Who do you want to be reading your writings?
Now, this is a very important part of this post. If I want to write for people who speak spanish. Then for one, I should probably be writing in Spanish. If I want to write for someone who enjoys poetry, then I ought to write poetry. Now, this point actually does not stand in opposition to my last point. Why? Because it's still MY style of writing. If I want you to read my posts, then I need to write in a way that keeps your attention, presents the information that you want to know, and communicates my thoughts effectively. I need to present my thoughts in a way that you want to know them. It's one thing for me to say ideas in a way that makes sense to me, but if you don't understand it, then my writing is for nothing. But if I present an idea to you, in a way that is comprehensive to you, then you'll read it, and (hopefully!!) run with the idea!
So write in creative ways, write in ways your readers will actually read, and don't be afraid to try new things!
Romans 1:16-17
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith.""
