The 6 Writing Styles
Are you a cocktail writer or a perfectionist? Or do you know one? Send them this page for a laugh. Heck, I'm a Cocktail Kate.
Perfectionist Paul
Paul has been working on something for several years now. He once let you take a look at it, and you were amazed. Perhaps he could change a few words around, but wow! Amazing job! But when you tell him that he should submit it for publication, he avers. Why?
The problem? Over-editing. We all love our writing, joking sometimes that it's our baby. But like with children, the secret is knowing when to let go.
Inspired Irene
Irene knows she's gonna make it big someday. And she has some great ideas. The problem is Irene only likes to write when she is inspired.
Sometimes this means pulling all nighters. More often, however, it means extremely intense writing for short periods of time, then nothing. Nothing ever gets finished, because the inspiration has somehow moved on to a different project.
The problem? No one is inspired daily. No one wakes up everyday and is actually inspired to go to work. They do anyway, and by the end of the day, even if it wasn't the best of days, have gotten something done.
Cocktail Kate
Cocktail Kate is always talking about her novel. Of the writing styles, hers is perhaps the most energetic and seems the most promising. She seems to always be doing something really exciting.
The problem? Kate talks a lot more than she writes. Like Inspired Irene, the project isn't really going anywhere.
Cocky Casey
Casey is an amazingly hard worker, and it seems that she's always sending something out for publication. At the same time, she always seems to be getting bad news. Rejection after rejection. She asks you for advice, and you spend a few hours pouring over her latest. Not bad, but it could use a little editing here and there.
You tell her your plot advice over coffee, but she way overreacts. Though she stays another five minutes, she leaves in a huff. And then you get it.
The problem with Casey is that she is too cocky. We all feel attached to our writing, but if we don't accept criticism and if we don't rigerously edit, we're not going to go anywhere.
Sensitive Sam
Sam is almost the opposite of Casey. He is always looking for people's advice. Being as knowledgeable as you, you gladly tell him what he's doing wrong. And unlike Casey, he doesn't overreact or anything.
But after getting your criticism, Sam often starts over, deleting things that he shouldn't have. Like Casey, you gave him some plot advice. Unlike Casey, Sam dropped an entire character, changing the entire book!
The problem? Being too sensitive. While other people have a lot to teach us, in the end we must have confidence in ourselves. We know our own writing process better than anyone else.
JK Rowling, Stephen King, and hopefully you!
These writers love inspiration. Some of their best ideas come randomly, and can take their writing to amazing places. But for them, the writing process is one of daily and hard work.
They may or may not brag about their efforts at cocktail parties, but they make sure not to drink too enough. They have to edit some more that night!
They work hard and on a schedule. They take criticism seriously enough to think about it for a day or two before responding.
Do what they do. Work hard. You love writing, after all. Right?
Right?