Writing Style is Important

Writing Style is Important

Contrary to popular conceptions of the term ‘style’, I have found that in the context of this class, as well as in the context of the books “Style Toward Clarity and Grace” by Joseph M. Williams and “The Elements of Style” by Strunk and White, that ‘style’ is not style in the sense that it is the way I write (in such as way as ‘everyone has their own unique style’). Style encompasses many elements to writing a cohesive, clear paper. However, I feel that in order to write a clear cohesive essay or paper, I must write in my own way, a way that I am familiar with. This may seem like it goes against something that would be in “The Elements of Style,” but it is not. Strunk and White clearly say in their book, “Write in a way that comes naturally.” (Strunk and White, 70).

Even though Strunk and White say to write naturally, they contradict themselves later in the book. “Prefer the standard to the offbeat.” (Strunk and White, 81) is rather contradictory because I feel that if someone is going to write in a way that comes naturally, it can be offbeat, it can be different, and it can still be understood. Also, imaginative writing or experimental writing can help and create a better writer. Ravi’s Blog also addresses this issue, “It is much easier for me to be given a topic and write a formal essay on it than to push my writing outside conventional forms and really try something new. In order to succeed in the professional world, a writer needs to have a proficient command of standard English, but in order to explore ourselves and our relationships to one another, writers must find ways to break the mold.” (ravieng328.blogspot.com, October 7th entry). I think Ravi, as ment...

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...at a lot of those rules are relative. That is to say my idea of wordy and breezy would be completely different then that of someone who will be reading this. I used to refer to my ‘style’ as the way I would write and the way my writing would be read personally. Now, after reading these books, I can see that there is more to style than just my own personality coming out in the writing. I can still have style, but I also need a different kind of style. I need the kind of style that is standard and recognized so that I will be more cohesive, more clear and write a better academically constructed paper.

Works Cited

http://ravieng328.blogspot.com

Williams, Joseph M. Style Toward Clarity and Grace Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, 1990.

Strunk, William and White, E.B. The Elements of Style: Fourth Edition Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2000, 1979.