The way something is written is as distinctive as a fingerprint. Style encompasses word choice, sentence rhythm, figurative language, and the overall texture of the prose or verse. A writer’s style may be spare or ornate, formal or colloquial, ironic or earnest. Readers often recognize a favorite author from a single paragraph.

Style is not decoration added after the fact; it is inseparable from meaning. The same events narrated in different styles produce different effects and even different implications. Developing a personal style takes time and involves both conscious craft and unconscious habit. Imitation of admired models is a common early stage; gradual differentiation follows.

Critics analyze style to understand how a work achieves its particular power. Teachers encourage students to experiment with stylistic choices so that they become aware of the options available. In the end, style is the audible or visible presence of a mind moving through language in its own characteristic way.