Copying the Style of Other Writers
How do you reach the level of success other writers have? Do you just copy what they do? That might work in the logistical sense, such as using great tools they’ve found or managing a book campaign in a certain way. But what about your voice? Should you just copy the style of others?
If you’re to trust a lot of what you see online, the answer would be yes. But every time I see someone promote a copy-and-paste attitude, it makes me want to hurl into a bucket.
Let me put it this way. If you make a song like Taylor Swift, you’ll sound like Taylor Swift. If you dunk like Michael Jordan or Lebron James, you’ll get compared to them. And if the new soldier copies how their commanding officer marches, they’ll march like the commander.
In none of those scenarios are you delivering your real self. In none of them are you delivering a style that’s all your own. Irreplaceable. Precious. Unique. All you’re doing is making yourself look exactly like someone else, just so you hopefully can match, through your copying, the success they’ve had.
Is that kind of self-sacrifice worth it? Is making money worth killing your ability to be distinct?
Writers have a lot they can learn from each other. But in this video, I push back against the idea that success for writers will come through direct mimicry of style. If you want to make a name for yourself, you can’t covertly steal someone else’s.
[Transcript summary]
What do you think is the best way to be successful as a writer? If you listen to a lot of the gurus, it is to basically copy the people who have been successful. So, I’m talking about this because I had seen a post — and this is not the first time that I have seen this kind of post, which is why I’m talking about it.
But this post was a breakdown of exactly the steps to take of how to mimic the success of other writers. And part of what she was saying was — she came right out and said, “Copy their style.”
Drove me batty.
Why?
Because if you copy somebody else’s style, where’s your own voice? You don’t have one. All you’re doing is mimicking somebody else. And if you mimic somebody else, you’re never really going to be set apart as unique and authentic. What reason do people have to come to you rather than the person you copied? None.
So, this copy and paste attitude, but that’s the way to do it, it’s all just driven by money. It is not long-term-vision kind of thinking in terms of, “What kind of legacy am I leaving as a writer? What impact am I having?” It’s all just about, “Can I make a buck? Can I copy the financial success?”, which I think is an issue. So, just think about that, and ask yourself which side you’re on for that. Take care, everybody. Bye.