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Writing style changes over the years

by Scott Bird | October 29, 2006
Filed in Blogging , Favourites , Writing

Liz StraussA recent post on Successful Blog directed me to an earlier scribbling, Love at First Write. In particular, point #2 really started me thinking :
Write simply, using the words that you think with.
Just how much has my writing style - and thinking style - changed over the years? Quite a lot it would seem - although the daily changes are far too small to notice. However, a glance at some of the my fairly recent writing (2001) shows just how big a change this is - at least to my eyes. For example, here's a piece from a 2001 journal entry :
We were all reasonably OK until the end of the sixth round, where I suddenly passed out at the table. I have vague memories of throwing up at the pub, and being dragged to a cab and taken back to my place.
Nice and casual, and I'm not sure about you, but I certainly want to read more. And a recent snippet from Straight to the Bar :
There are two major considerations here. The first is that the periods just prior to and just following sleep are always less productive. Think for a minute of all of the projects you’ve completed 2 minutes after waking up, or when you’re about to attain ‘qwertyface’ (passing out through tiredness at the computer). These periods vary from person to person and day to day, but around 15-20 minutes seems pretty typical.
Is it just me, or does that sound decidedly more formal? Yes, the subject matter probably led it in that direction to begin with, but it still sounds more like a lecture than a discussion to me. Whatever the case, I'd like to regain a little more of the earlier casual conversation nature. Despite the fact that the first example was drawn from a journal, it strikes me as being appropriate for the web. At least for most of the sites I produce. As for thinking style, well, that one's going to take a bit of pondering. It isn't exactly an easy one to gauge.

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Comments

1

Nicely done. That was my very first thought after reading what you wrote. I sailed right through it on your thoughts. It brought the same thoughts to my mind, reminding me that I'd been thinking them recently about something I wrote about a year ago. I think it's time to stretch the brain again. Thank you.

Posted by: Liz Strauss | October 30, 2006 1:05 AM

2

Thanks Liz. I'm now surrounded by 5-year-old drafts and assorted scribblings - it's like Christmas :)

Posted by: Scott | October 31, 2006 3:11 PM

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