Deconstructing Writing to Develop Your Own

Writing Exercises for Beginners:

1. Write what you know. Keep a journal about your day and narrate the events that occur as if they are happening to someone else.

2. Write for five minutes straight. Let your stream of consciousness flow out onto paper, and revise it after to connect the dots.

3. Write outside the box. Write from the perspective of something you could never understand and experiment with imagery.

   
   

It feels like it’s not working, right? Structured writing exercises might seem valuable on the surface, but they don’t exactly help you write anything you would actually enjoy reading or writing about. It doesn’t feel organic. You’re writing like it’s an assignment and not what it should be—a form of self-expression. 

That begs the question: how do you want to write? How do you identify what it is about your writing that captures readers’ attention, or sets it apart? What is it that you hope to convey through your writing? One thing you may have heard is that you’re your worst critic, but you’re also your most important reader.

You can start with something simple: reading things you’ve previously written. Whether it’s an essay, a short story, a poem, or a sentence you wrote that stuck with you, what tone is most consistent throughout your works? Is it dark and moody, calming and serene, or filled with tension? What genres do you prefer to write in, and why do you connect with those genres?

What speaks to you? When you read, when you write, when you watch movies, when you observe your surroundings—all of those things can contribute to what you prefer in general, and so they can play a hand in what you write about and how you write it. Through whichever style feels natural to you, how you communicate through your words is how you will reach your audience. 

Another way to develop your personal writing style is by identifying your preferred style by analyzing other people's work. Taking pieces of what you like out of it and working with the changes can improve your comprehension and the flow of your writing. Not only that, but admiring others’ work and expanding upon what resonates with you can bring even more clarity. Understanding how writing breaks down into the elements you like of a writing style will help you communicate tone, improve the flow of your writing, and much more.

Passion and Power Go Hand in Hand

How do you make your writing sharp and passionate?

An example of a writer with this type of style at LYF would be Corey Alexander Rehm. In her first blog, Change Conflict Into Chance, she makes her writing style abundantly clear to the reader, despite the work being reflective and not necessarily personal. It’s an introduction to what truly draws people into his writing—the analytical nature is altogether enthusiastic while still maintaining emotional relevance and expression. Write A Letter to Your Future Self is a deeply personal piece that further shows just how passionate Corey is with her writing techniques, utilizing short sentences and conveying emotions so strong they feel almost palpable to the reader by using such powerful statements that grasp onto things our conscious selves have yet to process, sometimes. 

“I’ve come to terms with the fact that art is agony. A muse is a tragedy. That tragedy is worth it… You’re afraid of change. Hold that fear closely.” 

Another piece he’s written is House of Ambition. It explores how exactly Corey’s perception of ambition has changed—how he sees himself, and what that has transitioned into with time. The same audience-capturing quality is always notable in her work and inseparable from how she writes. It’s gorgeous to witness someone’s writing pattern change or progress over time, and watching it can only inspire you more.

“I miss when I was the sun… For him, ambition wasn’t wanting. It wasn’t knowing what I wanted. It was chasing… I may not ever be the sun again. Maybe I will be, but only in moments.”

She is reflective and spontaneous, constructive and capable, or spiritual and romantic in the cadence of her words, all at once. Next time you're trying to communicate depth and passion like this, try imitating Corey's short sentences and vivid imagery or vague metaphors. Think of your prose as if it were poetry.

Trusting the Breeze

Do you desire to write charismatically? Or to feel like the flow of your writing is just as easy as speaking?

An example of this style at LYF would be Safiyya Bintali. Their work feels like a breath of fresh air, a brisk gust of wind that surrounds you in the desert heat of Vegas. Currently, she only has a couple of pieces uploaded to LYF’s blog page, but hopefully, we will see more of her work soon.

Their piece This Tuesday, We Talk About Trust feels exactly like finally getting closure after years of searching for an answer. It’s uplifting in a decided way, but so charming in how it flows and uses relatable anecdotes to appeal to readers. Not only is it introspective, but the entire piece showcases just how clever Safiyya is. Through their experiences, they’re able to approach the topic of the blog in such a manner that feels so incredibly natural and insightful. The reader truly feels as if they’re on the journey with her and the lessons she’s learned about trust—how she’s capable of being decisive and trusting of herself.

“So, just be a people pleaser and you’re set, kid.”

“It was then that I realized this was something I needed to work on, big time. I needed to have faith in my past experiences, my knowledge, and my values. I needed, more than anything, to have faith in myself.”

It creates an incredibly distinct feeling to that blog, and one that makes the reader feel like they’ve just had a conversation with a friend. If you want your writing to come across similarly, try to include your own sense of humor in your writing, and experiment with slang to break out of an overly formal or serious genre.

Staking Out a Path

Maybe you want your style to be impactful in a way that allows self-reflection for the readers and feels as if it’s paving the way for something bigger?

An example of that would be one of LYF’s guest writers, Ashley Lee. She’s written a couple of pieces recently that express just how important her own reflection has been, and how she’s managed to move forward under tough conditions. Her style showcases exactly that and strives to show not only all she’s worked for, but how she’s changing to make a more authentic life for herself.

Her piece Finding Strength Through the Storm details a lot of what she’s experienced with loss, but without making the reader feel isolated, as grief often does. The vulnerability within it shows how dynamic a person she is. Finding the resolve she has to persevere, while still eventually allowing herself to grieve, leaves the reader feeling both empathetic and mindful of their own methods of grieving. 

“I try not to feel overwhelmed with all of the things I need to complete; I took life one day at a time and that helped me.”

Her most recent blog, A Desire to Live Harmoniously and Leisurely, continues on the path of resilience in a way that encourages both herself and the reader to progress and strive however they see fit, however suits their needs, just as she’s decided on her own.

“It made me look at my past, how I tried to become like everybody else (and briefly succeeded), and how I later left that mindset for a peaceful future.”

“In order for me to live a serene and unhurried lifestyle without any disruptions, it’s imperative that I focus on my mental health first and do things that could benefit me.”

She approaches writing in a way that feels forthright and compelling, impactful with each choice of words, while still maintaining an undeniable calmness, ease, and sense of sincerity. The reader is able to feel what she feels, without it being too much to handle, or without feeling withdrawn from the overall message.

If you value the same writing style and want to apply a similar pattern to your work, try using occasional short sentences to break up the text, and giving more thought to the words you use in order to display a focused, more conceptualized tone.

Planning and Paving

Perhaps the ideal style for you is something more methodical and planned? Heartfelt, but still analytical and able to reach a broad spectrum of people? Useful and insightful, while still relating to the audience?

One of LYF’s previous writers, Alan Perez, was capable of capturing just that with the blogs that he’s written for our page. 

Throughout his pieces, he’s made it clear that his style not only serves to reach and help as many people as possible, but also to keep readers interested and relatability intact.

He is capable of relating any of our monthly themes to bettering yourself, through his own experiences or through the research he’s done to provide the reader with more insight and information.

Shifting Outlooks invites the readers to consider whether they’re a “glass half-full” or “glass half-empty” type of person, and what factors in their life contribute to that outlook. His style of writing is both nonjudgmental of readers and open in such a way that shows the readers they’re not alone in any aspect of their lives. He reminds the reader that it’s never too late to figure out what opportunities are available, and to continue drinking—no matter how full the glass is.

“Coming from someone who hasn’t had the best experiences, I’m here to admit that I also fear the concept of leaving things up to chance. With my experiences, I turned that fear into curiosity and receptiveness.” 

His most recent blog, Baby Steps: A Guide on Building Consistency, takes a look at what purpose consistency holds, and how it has served him, and how it can serve you. Trial and error, small steps that lead to bigger conclusions. The writing is definitely more on the informational side, but it still feels as if he’s holding the reader’s hand throughout the process—making it a pleasant experience while still relaying the importance of what growth looks like from person to person.

“The future might be unpredictable, but if I continue to focus on small, positive steps, I know I’ll keep evolving. My story is one of many, but I hope it serves as a reminder that growth comes through struggle, patience, and consistency.”

Alan’s style of writing is casual while informative, and consistent throughout his work. If you're hoping to write similarly nonjudgmental and helpfully innovative works, try imitating his long-form structure by breaking your writing up into bite-sized sections and softening your language.

Finding Your Own Way

Many people struggle with finding what style(s) suit them or what they want to pursue in writing, but another major step in figuring out what that is and developing your own style is by figuring out what it is you don’t like about certain writing styles. Maybe you find certain angles too bold, overly reliant on the reader’s knowledge, or not challenging enough.

Whatever style you’re writing in, growing, changing, and experimenting with it is vital. It’s not as simple as “thinking outside the box”—it’s about deconstructing your box and utilizing the tools available to you while building something you love.

Writing is supposed to be about creativity, inspiration, sharing knowledge, and fusing a bond between reader and writer. It’s supposed to make you feel something—whether that be motivation, compassion, comfort, or fear. Anything you feel from reading a piece of work is cultivated by the creator with care. What feelings do you have when you're writing? What feelings do you want to invoke in a reader? While you're developing your own writing style, what do you need to get those feelings on the same page? What do you need to develop your relationship with your own writing? Start here. 

About the Author

Nemo is an LYF administrative coordinator as well as a member of the blog and newsletter team. They’ve been an editor for our monthly theme blogs and are writing for the first time as we reintroduce the Writer’s Corner, newly rebranded as the Creative’s Corner, which is open for guest writers! If you’re interested in writing about your art or creative process, email LYF’s Editor-in-Chief at charlize.fernandez@thelyfoundation.org!