Discovering Your Authentic Style

Exercises for Self-Reflection and Free-Writing:

• Set aside 10-15 minutes for free-writing without restraint. Let your words flow on the page.
• Reflect on your personal experiences and feelings. Write about significant moments in your life and how they shaped you.
• Create a list of words or phrases that resonate with you and your experiences. Use this as a foundation for your writing.

Analysing Mentor Texts:

• Identify authors or texts that resonate with you. Consider their style, themes, and choices of words.
• Break down their work by analysing specific passages. What do you admire about their voice? How can you incorporate elements into your writing?

Crafting Your Narrative Identity

Techniques to Refine Language, Tone, and Perspective:

• Experiment with different writing styles (e.g., first-person vs. third-person) to see which resonates more with your narrative.
• Play with vocabulary and sentence structure to find a tone that feels authentic to you – formal, conversational, humorous, or sombre.

Balancing Influence with Originality:

• Create a list of your influences. Acknowledge them, but focus on what unique qualities you bring to your writing.
• Challenge yourself to rewrite the same idea in multiple ways. How can you convey the concept differently while injecting your personality?

Interactive Element

Writing Prompts and Style Exercises:

• Prompt 1: Write a short story beginning with the phrase, “It was a day like no other…” and let your voice shine through.
• Prompt 2: Describe a place you love using five sensory details to evoke emotion.
• Exercise: Choose a favourite line from a mentor’s work and write three variations in your style.

Use these exercises and prompts to uncover and refine your unique voice, shaping your writing into a true reflection of who you are.