In writing, style is the mode of communicating thought in written language characteristic of a particular person, time, country, or school. Style is a way of indicating how to express thoughts without being accused of plagiarism. A number of factors determine style and how it applies to writing.
Creative writing style involves many elements such as word choice, number of characters, setting, voice, and other aspects of the writing. It is important to remember that all these elements depend on the author’s perception of the meaning of a particular word or phrase. It is also influenced by the purpose of the piece. For instance, serious books may deal with deep topics like philosophy and science while fiction books deal with fun themes. Creative writers may combine several styles within one book to bring out the theme in a better manner.
There are many common styles in literature and one author may switch among several different styles. A writer can be called to develop one style and stick to it for the rest of his or her life. However, this does not mean that in the future the same style will be repeated consistently. One author may write in the formal, academic style but write novels in a informal style and this writer would then be called a convergent writer.
On the other hand, some authors write books in more than one style. For example, George Washington was known to write in the formal, academic style, but also wrote under the pen name Dr. Seuss in his various writings. John Milton was known to write in the formal, academic style but also wrote pastoral and topical literature in the various styles. William Shakespeare also wrote in several different styles but his most famous works, “Hamlet”, are written in the formal, academic style.
The main difference between styles is that disambiguation is impossible in formal styles and vice versa. However, when it comes to fashion there can be variations depending on the style of clothing worn and the way a writer chooses to express themselves. Disambiguation is a difficult concept to grasp especially for a new writer. As a style of writing is concerned it is really quite different from a literary style. For instance, in novels where the main character is male the main form of disambiguation would be whether or not the main character is wearing a hat or if the man is wearing a jacket. In the movies, disambiguation is often used to indicate certain character traits that could not be otherwise explained.
Style is an interesting subject for discussion. Different people have different definitions of style. For example, some people believe that style means the usage of different words and styles in writing while others believe that style is purely a matter of word choice. It seems that style has a wider meaning than just using different words and styles in your work. The definition of style depends upon who you ask as well as what you personally believe in. In the end, as a writer it is important to know your own style and apply it to your writing style.