It’s a good question and here’s the answer: no.

I was surprised one time at work when one of our corporate people was going over some stuff I considered pretty easy – and he said, “Not everyone can do the things you can do, Dan.”

It was very surprising to hear. I always believed with the proper training and motivation everyone could do the things I could do.

The fact is, they can’t.

For example, certain people are just more science oriented. So their books are going to lean that way when mine don’t.

Other people don’t want any hint of comedy in their stories. Mine tend to have at least one joker in the deck and occasionally a deck full of jokers.

Not every writer is willing to put in the time and effort to learn the techniques necessary, and not every writer is aware enough to see the weak spot in their stories. Or to accept the constructive criticism from others. Or would go in author forums and ask embarrassingly simple questions so that they could learn.

I did.

I do.

Then there is simply the “art” of storytelling. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not always a very good storyteller in person. I tend to think out loud when I try to tell a story, and I can drag on… But that same methodology works very well in writing because I can go back and edit, and because critique partners will tell me where they dozed off!

When it comes to style, I’m not worried about creating a bunch of Dan clones because if I was to look at their stories I would make suggestions. Maybe they follow the suggestion, maybe they don’t. I do this all the time for people when I edit. There’s a particular scene in a story I just read where everybody sits down before going to battle and they’re having sandwiches like they’re at a party. I suggested the author take out all the party-type references. The author found the contrast between the coming battle and the semi-party atmosphere of the lunch to be very ironic. She chose to leave it in. I wouldn’t have put it in in the first place.

And ultimately you could give 10 writers the exact same outline and they would all write different stories.

So my style is what’s best for me because people find my written voice and style entertaining. They find me on video to be engaging and energetic. But they would probably find me sitting around my living room on any given day being very boring! But aren’t we all?

What I try to do is steer people away from things I know are mistakes, and things are understood as mistakes across the board, by most writers; and to steer them towards things that are more acceptable and more engaging and more interesting across the board.

After that, the next level is: this would make me laugh, or this would make me cry, or this would make me whatever. That’s usually what they don’t bring to the table. They don’t open their soul and pour their heart on the page. When they do, that usually connects with the reader. Unfortunately, most writers are too timid to do that.

I’m not.

It was extremely difficult to write about the time we spent in the neonatal intensive care unit worrying that my daughter would die. It was a very personal moment and one I was not sure my wife would appreciate me sharing with strangers. But I knew to tell the story I had to tell that part or the rest didn’t make sense. Equally, writing about the death of a beloved pet was just impossibly hard to do. I cried every time I sat at the keyboard.

But because I opened myself up and exposed that kind of vulnerability to my audience, they knew they could trust me and from then on they were eating out of the palm of my hand. I could play them like a piano – but only because I invested in them first, openly and honestly and on a true level that connected.

So I think those things work overall, and I try to help others get there. If that stuff works for someone, it’s likely to take their writing to the next level. If they don’t work for a certain writer, maybe a different author is the one to take their guidance from. There’s not that many out there who are willing to share so many ideas.

Ultimately I like to think of this as a team effort, me trying to help others and them trying to help me and all of us improving along the way!

LikeLiked by 2 people