On style (part deux)

A sense of style.  We all like to think we have it.  It's something we all crave in one way or another.  And because we are all individuals, style is different across the board.  

Personal style is something we develop over the course of our entire lives, something the changes from one period of our lives to the next, and something that we consciously or even unconsciously pick up from the people around us.  

But sometimes we find ourselves stuck.  Sometimes we find ourselves searching. 

It's not always easy to stick to something and it's even harder to stick to something when you're not sure if it fits the person you are.  Certain things come to us naturally, others not as much.  But how does one navigate when finding the perfect fit, the perfect niche, doesn't come so easy?

I'm not sure I could accurately describe my writing style if asked.  Sometimes I wander through the land of philosophical, other times I attempt to play the comedian.  There are moments when I strive to create poetry with my words, and yet I don't feel like I completely belong within a single one of these descriptions.  As a would-be writer I am by nature a constant reader.  I read the words that other bloggers and authors write and find my response to the writing differs depending upon the style.  So maybe it's not a question of defining my style, but defining the response I hope to elicit from the reader. 

But still I feel the need for definition.  My inner OCD persona feels aimless without some kind of label.

What is my writing style?  Do I already have a style and just not realize it?  Maybe it's harder to recognize the stylistic trends in our own work as opposed to when we are reading others. 

If you asked me what I want my writing style to be, again I'm not sure I would know how to respond.  I want it to be easy to relate to, honest, and thought provoking.  I want the message (if there is one) to shine through, and I want it to shine through in my own voice. 

Which brings me to wonder.....is that voice, that style, something that will come about on its own over time, or is it something I decide, a conscious choice that I can control? 

Much like fashion, my writing is influenced by my environment and the people around me, or better yet, the people I'm reading.  And in theory, one can "try on" different writing styles much like trying on a different outfit.  

But while one is aided with the help of a mirror when trying on clothes, how is one to tell when the writing style fit rights, or even looks good?

You know, after I graduated and was all hopped up on positivity because I had managed to graduate with two degrees, I thought that this whole writing thing would magically take off on its own and I wouldn't have to work the typical go to work everyday job for very long.  I saw myself writing during all my spare moments, sending out stories, and eventually turning this into a career.  My dream career.  What I decided a long time ago I really wanted to do. 

Fast forward five years and I'm not quite there yet.  I'm discovering that wanting something to happen and making it happen are a long way off on the reality spectrum, and that writing, even when you love to do it, is one of the hardest things in the world to actually do successfully.  Style or no style, it takes a lot of time and a lot more patience.  

So I'll continue to wander through this middle land and hope that my style makes itself visible, or perhaps I'll eventually become more comfortable jumping around from one to the next.  I'm a firm believer in keeping a wide variety of clothing choices at hand, so maybe my clothing style philosophy and my writing style will be in that way connected.