You Don’t Have to Write Like Them — Why Your Style Is Enough

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Dear Joyvity™ Friends,

Some of the most unforgettable characters in literature don’t just chase love, power, or justice — they lie. Not always maliciously. Sometimes to others, often to themselves. And it’s in those lies that their humanity cracks open.

Every writer has faced it: that sinking feeling when you read a book and think, I’ll never write like this. Why should I even bother?

But the facts are simple: your style isn’t meant to be like anyone’s. It’s meant to be yours.

This blog is for those days you’re drowning in comparison and need to see the proof that your words, your rhythm, and your way of seeing the world are enough.

The Trap of Comparison

It’s easy to compare yourself to authors at opposite ends of the spectrum:

• Donna Tartt, with her lush, layered prose.

• Colleen Hoover, with her emotional immediacy and mass appeal.

• And then you, staring at the blank page, wondering where you fit and why even continue.

Here’s the thing: style is not a ladder where some are “better” and others are “worse.” It’s a spectrum. And on that spectrum, there’s a reader waiting for a voice just like yours.

Style Is a Fingerprint

Think about fingerprints: no two are alike. Writing style works exactly the same way.
It’s not about who has the longest sentences, the flashiest metaphors, or the tightest hooks. It’s about the marks only you can leave on the page.

Your lived experience, your turns of phrase, your emotional truth — those are unique to you and they come through on the page. Style is like your own prism through which you see and understand the world.

What Readers Connect To

Readers aren’t scanning your pages with a grading pen. They’re not asking: Does this sound like a National Book Award winner?

What they’re looking for is connection.

• A line that feels like their own thought, finally put into words.

• A character that mirrors their vulnerabilities.

• A voice that feels human — flawed, but real.

Authenticity matters more than perfection. That’s what lingers with readers long after the final page.

Writing Exercise: Emulate → Adapt → Evolve

This three-part practice is common in writing courses and workshops. It helps you learn from authors you admire while gradually shaping your own style.

1. Emulate
   Study a short passage from a writer you admire. Notice their rhythm, sentence length, word choice, and imagery. Then, write your own paragraph on a completely different subject — but in that same style. The goal is to practice their technique, not to copy their words.

2. Adapt
   Take what you wrote and shift it back toward your natural voice. Keep the element you liked — maybe their pacing, vivid description, or emotional punch — but pare it until it feels like something you would write.

3. Evolve
   Now, write something brand new without looking back at the original. What stays with you is the influence you absorbed — transformed through your own perspective and phrasing.

This exercise shows that influence is natural, but your voice will always surface the more you write.

Come Back to Your Process

When doubt takes over, it helps to ground yourself in ritual. As I have said before, having a writing ritual helps me build the mental space I need for writing. A simple object on your desk — a notebook, a candle, a mug — can remind you:

👉 The process is yours. The voice is yours. The story is yours.

Here are a few writing ritual essentials that I use and that can anchor you back into your own rhythm:

Journal – PU Leather, elegant and practical, available in 10 colors

👉 See price + more photos on Amazon

Its thread-bound lay-flat feature makes it easy for all hand users to write on every page. It has 216 ruled pages that don’t ghost or bleed-through. Just lovely!

Pen – Bic Velocity 1.0 in black

I have used these for years due to their comfortable grip and easy glide system. I won't write with anything else!

👉 See price + more photos on Amazon

A Candle That Grounds You

Choose a scent that signals focus — sandalwood, lavender, or something personal that reminds you of warmth and stillness. This here is the one I prefer.

👉 See price + more photos on Amazon

A Ceramic Mug That Feels Like Yours (Unisex)

There’s something grounding about holding the same mug every day — it becomes part of your creative identity. I love this one: the image on the outside, the writing on the inside, the feel & the shape.

👉 See price + more photos on Amazon

An Hourglass That Binds Your Time

Flipping an hourglass at the start of your writing block turns time into something tangible — a visual ritual that signals focus, presence, and the gentle pressure of now. This is mine - 60min.

👉 See price + more photos on Amazon

👉 You can also explore more in my gift guide for writers: Gift Ideas to Support a Writer’s Daily Rituals

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to write like Donna Tartt. You don’t have to write like Colleen Hoover. You just have to write. Your own style emerges naturally the more you write – like the subtle wear on your shoes that shows your own gait.

Warm wishes as you trust your own words, always,
Ana