One of the things that sets the favorite author apart from the crowd is consistency. If the product (book, article, poetry, etc.) put on the shelf holds the same quality and charm of the last one, it’s considered another winner. For this reason alone, the writer’s guard cannot lower for a second.

Continuous vigilance toward maintaining style, constancy of character within series, etc. must be the daily watchword. Readers remember. That fact never changes.

How does any new writer manage to create consistency in style and quality? There are steps which can help create and safeguard that avenue of reader popularity.

Step 1. Deciding what style is the most consistent one allows the writer to use it as a template for subsequent work. This doesn’t have to be a rigid code, but a guideline that can keep the writer on track.

Most times a writer’s style is as much a part of their identity as a birth certificate. It’s impossible to lose it. It can be influenced by authors whom the writer enjoys, as well. Style comes through from the enjoyment experienced in writing certain types of work. While the writer may read high fantasy, the best, most natural work produced might lie with interviews, reviews or biographies. One sure fire way to discern a writer’s style is to look at previous work, regardless of publishing credits.

A. If the new writer belongs to a working critique group, the group’s members can assist in the search for the new writer’s style. Those members do read work submitted and look for such things as consistency in style. It’s part of the critique process. This also helps as a check against shifting style habits.

B. If the writer has a blog which allows comments and which keeps track of how many hits occur after each new post, studying this can reveal a pattern that emerges to show which postings have entertained the readers. This is especially true if readership gravitates toward that posting for several days after its appearance.

The writer needs to study the posting as if it belonged to another writer to find obvious elements of style. It may be content--consisting of commentary, a book review, or a small piece of fiction. A major point could center on the tone and voice given to the piece. A point also could be literary devices used that draw a reader’s attention, such as use of alliteration, metaphor, parable, etc.

Once the new writer takes note of those points, other such postings can provide verification of reader preference. Did other interviews result in such reader numbers? Did more comments occur after reviews? What about commentaries? Did more readers go for short postings than longer ones? How many hits did that piece of fiction elicit?

Taking the time to make a small study of reader preference in personal blog/website postings can tell the writer many things about already consistent style use. Once that knowledge comes to hand, it becomes a matter of awareness.

Step 2. When the style has been identified, the new writer needs to relax and enjoy the writing process.

This can be tricky but not necessarily difficult. For example:

A. If the new writer’s best regarded pieces are ones based on humor (whether satire or not), chances are the writer was being natural. The writer hasn’t given much thought to how his/her writing happened and the readers picked up on that and felt they’d learned something about the writer. If this is the case, the writer might be wise to pay attention and allow that humor to flavor most or all future writing. Natural humor is best. Forced humor in style can always be detected by discerning readers.

After all, humorists (especially those who do social commentary) are always popular. Whether Mark Twain, Irma Bombeck, or Andy Rooney, people follow the writer across genres and venues. The same reasoning holds true for other styles--literary, investigative journalism, travel, etc.

B. That’s not to say that the writer can’t be successful in other genres. Many writers work in multiple arenas and do so successfully. Their styles, however, tend toward consistency throughout. It’s the naturalness of that consistency that readers follow as much as what the writer has to say.

Examples here are: James Patterson adding children’s literature to his crime thriller credits. Jane Yolen writes wonderful science fiction at the same time she releases the newest children’s selection. Asimov and Clark wrote acclaimed non- fiction science books as well as science fiction. Nevertheless, the styles remain constant.

Step 3. Consistency becomes the working focus at this point. The newer writer recognizes the natural style, which writing devices work best within that style, and which genres carry the best readership for the writer.

A. Regardless of style or consistency, the main argument for any writing is the writer’s enjoyment of it. Without that, the rest means nothing. In truth, the primary consistency that should always be kept in mind is--does the writer still enjoy putting thoughts into words that flow onto a page (electronic or paper). Every writer has slumps, blocks of varying kinds, and assignments that drive them to distraction and dissatisfaction. That goes with the territory.

B. Assuming that joy of writing continues, the writer needs to allow that enjoyment and excitement to shine forth to color whatever goes onto the page. That addition to whatever is there will bring its own consistency to the foreground.

Three simple steps toward consistency in writing can save tons of revision, frustration, and dissatisfaction. Three simple steps can make a writer’s working reputation. Three simple steps can get that writer assignments that add to clippings, credits, and readership.