As a fiction writer, I seek to entertain.

Of course, I always hope to build strong characters, a memorable voice, and vivid worlds. I hope to write something heartfelt and, at times, funny. But my motivating driver is entertainment.

For other writers, it might be style. It could be gracing the world with a unique play-on-words or imaginative metaphor. It could be realism and convincing dialogue.

The beauty of the work we do lies in our own unique tastes. Our own strengths, if you will.

Reading the Queen’s Rising, I was struck by Rebecca Ross’s ability to draw detailed settings. Her use of language is fascinating. I would never think to use the verbs she employs or the metaphors she effortlessly wields.

Consider this passage from early in the book, “Every timber beam dripped with ivy, every passageway was crowned with boughs of blushing peonies, creamy hydrangeas, and wreaths of lavender. Silver lanterns bobbed on strings, hovering as fireflies, their candles filling the night with scents of honeysuckle and rosemary.”

I mean, c’mon. Don’t you just feel like you’re there? Her writing is smooth like fine silk running through my fingers.

On the other hand, a writer like Marie Lu excels at voice, dialogue, and building suspense. Writing in the present tense adds to the urgency. Her first line from Legend: “My mom thinks I’m dead.” Tell me you don’t want to read the rest of that story. She is a fabulous writer and so very different from Rebecca Ross even though they occupy the same genre. More on Marie Lu in an upcoming post. I think she is one of the GOATs in the YA fantasy game.

Her strengths are different from mine which are different from yours. And that’s beautiful. That makes reading and writing interesting. That’s why there are so many genres out there. That’s why the publishing industry is so vast.

I know I excel at voice and plot but struggle with metaphor. I take time to work on world-building because in fantasy it’s important. I’ll be the first to admit, I’m still learning. So are you, young grasshopper. You’ll read and write and learn your style which is why every writer you’ve ever met suggests you do those two things as much as possible. The more you see the styles of other writers, the more you write, the more you’ll perfect your own.

For me, my true north, the standard I hold my stories to is this: would I want to read it? Would this entertain me at age sixteen? How about now? Because the truth is I write for myself first and foremost. I write for the child who loved The Giver and the teenager who loved Harry Potter. Maybe that’s selfish? But that’s the only way I know to make my work sound honest. To make it true to me.

Write the story you want to read using the strengths you bring to the table. That’s genuine. That’s real. And readers will recognize you for it.

What are your strengths as a writer?