Finding Style

For a long time I bitterly puzzled over the large variation in grades assigned to me by different English teachers and professors I had over the years. Given the same effort on my part I could earn anywhere from a low B to a high A. One day I asked my wife and talented writer how she managed to consistently earn the highest grades in all her writing classes. She responded that early each semester she figured out the style of writing her professor preferred and modified her own style accordingly. This confirmed my belief that much of writing style is simply a matter of preference, and at the same time brought me to the sad realization that were I to seek the same grades as she, I would have to learn to do the same.

I have since decided to worry less about my writing grades, focusing instead on reacting to some criticisms to improve my writing, and ignoring others I feel are stylistic preferences of reader. While I run the risk of improperly categorizing important nuggets of truth about my writing flaws as mere opinions, overall my anxiety about writing has decreased and I believe my writing continues to improve. My advice then, to struggling college students everywhere, is to find the style of writing that best suites yourself and master it, even if not every reader appreciates it. If done with a humble attitude, such a course will not only improve your writing, but also make the task of writing much more enjoyable.