Style and Opinion

I read a lot of blogs. Some of them are linked on the sidebar of my blog and others I just keep bookmarked in my browser at home. Some are religious, some are friends, some are related to Actionscript or CSS, and some are just great literature. One of the most fascinating things about all of these blogs is the great variety in the writing styles. Some are wonderfully upbeat and leave me feeling better about the day than I had. Some read like news feeds with their careful language and citations. Some get technical and nerdy while others spiral off in tangents or memories.

After I write my own posts, I click the publish button right away. Only then do I go back and proof them, fixing spelling errors (if I manage to catch them) or rewording a sentence here and there. It should surprise no one that while I’m reading my own writing I can’t help but compare my own style and tone to those other blogs I read. Most of the time I’m self-conscious, wondering why I can’t be funnier or more positive. I always seem to be dragging readers through my struggles and pains and failures. I worry about that at times.

It’s not all self-criticism, of course. I think I have my own strengths in writing. I feel pretty happy with my sense of description and ability to set a scene, for instance.

But I’m curious what the rest of you think. Do you notice a big difference between your writing and mine, or between different things you read? Do you relate to one better than the other? Do you see a problem with one more than the other? Do you have anything to say about any of this?

I’m not really sure where I’m going with these comparisons. I’m certainly not going to try to turn my blog into something its not. I suppose it’s just curiosity. That and I haven’t seen any comments in a while. (I’m looking at you on this one!) So this is my not-so-subtle way of trying to get some dialogue started.

What are your opinions?