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rickydrolltoday at 7:14 AM1 replyview on HN

I suggest finding an author whose style you like; in my case, it was Isabel Allende. Read their work deeply, effectively taking a bath in their words. Don't stop short of full immersion. Then, write using their style. Reflect on your feeling of discomfort when you experience how their writing style differs from yours.

Then do the same deep dive for a different author. I may have made a mistake with my current choice, Jill Lepore. I can't tell whether it's her writing style or what she writes about, but it is definitely chewy.

Writing, programming, or drawing is fundamentally training on somebody else's work. Accept it, get better at it, and then move on.


Replies

awhiskintoday at 7:28 AM

Read their work deeply, effectively taking a bath in their words. Don't stop short of full immersion.

Just wanted to compliment your writing. Though only a short comment, it painted a vivid picture in my mind.