Writing Like…

In Slipping into a Writer's Style from Sioux's Page, Sioux asks,

“If you could write like anyone, who would it be, and why?” 

If I could write like anyone I think I would like to write like an early John Grisham (The Firm, A Time to Kill, The Client) mixed with a little of Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird).

I could read these books over and over again and it seems like the first time I’ve read them.

I really like books that have strong character development. When I find a character I like, I think I escape and feel like I’m that person. I get so engrossed in the character that I can feel what they are feeling as they go through different situations. My husband will sometimes laugh when he sees me crying over a book and tries to remind me that it is fiction and not real. I want to be able to write so readers can feel the same way.

When I read about these characters, the flow seems so effortless. It doesn’t feel fake or forced which usually has me wondering if these characters are based or real life people in the author’s life. I think that is why I’m not as thrilled with John Grisham’s later books because the characters seem more stiff and rigid.

I would love to teach my students to write this way but I’m not sure that I have the magic recipe to show them how. I think by reading examples and seeing how other writers write is the best way to influence a person’s writing. By seeing what I like and what I don’t like, I can practice my writing so I can use a lot of the same techniques. I think the more I practice, the easier it would be.

If you could write like someone, who would it be? Please share.