Good writing is all about adaption and change. Sure we all have a favorite genre or two to write in, but that will only take you so far.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not saying you need to start writing in other genres to be successful. That isn’t true at all. What I am saying is that if you continuously write in the same format, your writings will all begin to read the same.
Imagine how music sounds. Have you ever heard a band or album and every song sounded the same? Similar beats through all the songs, the same voice and pitch across the entire track list? Writing can end up the same way.
Each thing you write should be different than the one before. A new inflection, a different POV, a new tone. Something distinct that makes it stand apart from your previous works.
You see, we all have this internal voice or process. It is ours and ours alone. Each one is different, but you start to read and write your own words in this same internal voice. You hear your words or read them back in the same cadence and tone you wrote them with.
When you do it, it is fine. When your readers start to do it, though, you may be in trouble.
Today’s writing prompt will help fix that. Let’s take a look.
June 09
Take the past page or scene you wrote for your project and rewrite it. This time, write it as if your project is the complete opposite genre.
You don’t need to go overboard here. We are just using a small exercise to reset the internal monologue or voice in your head.
If you write romance, for example. This is great. But when you take your last scene and rewrite it as a horror, your entire internal being will change to accommodate.
This little disruption will make it difficult to do at first. But as you practice, it will get a lot easier.
The easier it gets, the more often you can do it. And when you reach the comfort level of switching, you will be able to write your entire novel with a new voice in your head each time.
This, in turn, will keep your projects fresh, and just different enough to not sound like the same old track before it.
