What type of writer are YOU?

So you're a writer, but what type of writer are you? You may think this is a silly question to ask but just think about all the different types of writing there are. It was a topic of conversation that cropped up during our annual writers' meal. Some felt that writing a novel would be impossible despite their obvious talents and others felt that poetry or script writing was a step too far.

It's a bit like genres, it's a personal thing. Some people can be very concise which is something useful when writing short stories or flash fiction, whilst others have a flair for embellished description which can turn a piece of work such as poetry from bland to beautiful.

But do we sometimes constrain ourselves by what we personally enjoy as a reader/writer or by our own talents? Different types of writing require different skill sets and by experimenting with these we can improve our writing, skills, and knowledge.

I personally struggle to write short stories, finding it difficult to include everything required into a small number of words. Once I come up with a storyline it tends to develop into a long-winded and complex beast that requires far more than 2000 words to get from the beginning to the end. Because of this, I find it easier to develop a storyline into a novel format. I have, however, found I can be concise when writing poetry.

So if you're daunted by writing a novel, why not try flash fiction? It may sound quick and easy to write a story consisting of 150 words but for many of us, it would be a challenge.

If you struggle to think of something to write why not start writing a diary or memoir? A popular book that our group recently reviewed was basically a diary of a year in the life of an old man living in a care home and the antics that he and the 'inmates', as he called them, got up to. If you're looking for inspiration why not read it for yourself - "The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen" by Hendrik Groen. Doing something like this will at least get you into a regular writing habit if nothing else.

If you need practice writing dialogue then why not try scriptwriting? Apart from including screen set notes and directions for actors, there is only dialogue to tell the story. It's amazing how some script-writers bring so much to their story by the words they choose. They use different dialects, slang and specific phrases to bring each character to life and thus the story itself. This is a particular skill in itself and one that if done well adds to any style of writing. If you would like to try something like this but are not sure on the format required or where to start, why not read "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" written by J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany. The book is written in the format of a play so is useful to use as a guide, even if the story itself is not to your taste.

So, if you're feeling stuck why not try something different? You could surprise yourself with what you can achieve and hone a new skill in the process.

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