Anytime style is the subject of discussion in writing groups, inevitably the question arises: whose style do you emulate? The answer can be tricky, since most writers read hundreds of books, by hundreds of authors, and somewhere in the mix, their individual style starts emerging.

My own style usually hovers somewhere between Stephen King and Ernest Hemingway. My descriptions come from reading and studying of King’s various novels. The structure of my style most often recalls Hemingway, in that my sentences and paragraphs are short and terse. “Bare bones,” as it’s sometimes called.

Neither style (King vs. Hemingway) restricts or limits the other. In fact, they are compatible. Hemingway was a master of bare bones writing, despite the fact that his descriptions were always revealing his characters in not so obvious ways.

King’s writing—while not bare bones—is a fleshed-out version of Hemingway’s style, and never fails to engage the reader with imaginative wording in every, what I call, “goose bump,” scenes.

No matter whom you choose to model your writing after, always let your scenes and characters “build themselves.” Your style will come by letting your Muse create without any conscious restrictions.

Simply, open a vein and write.