A bit of advice I received four or five years ago has stuck with me since, though it has not always been easy to follow. The advice was that before embarking on writing, you should read 1,000 books. The point of the advice was that in order to be good at writing, you have to see good writing. You have to pick out those elements that speak to you, and try to incorporate them into your own writing.
As part of that pursuit, I finished reading David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens today. I should say I finished listening to the audio book today, thanks to my Father's Day gift of an iPod, and its infinitely handy 2X speed button. At any rate, the elements I gleaned from this classic work are surrounding Dickens' mastery of the English language, and how the dialog pertaining to each character is somewhat unique to that person.
I actually read the book as part of my participation in a Classics Book Group. Since I needed to send out a reminder, I took the opportunity to mimc the writing style of the character Micawber from that work:
29 July
My dearest friends and acquaintances,
I am certain that you have all been made cognizant of my current state, having been dismissed from my situation by that Heep of infamy, one whom it were superfluous to call Demon, he having also laid ignominy at my feet to stain the upstanding name of Wilkins Micawber, further setting the constabulary on my heels with false charges and forged proofs of unwarranted debts.
To all of which I say: Welcome poverty! Welcome misery, welcome houselessness, welcome hunger, rags, tempest, and beggary! Mutual confidence will sustain us to the end!
I feel overwhelmed with gratitude at that unflagging confidence, to which I have just referred, shown by the friend of my youth, the companion of earlier days, that worthy minister at the sacred alter of friendship – in short, Master David Copperfield, who is known to you all. It was at his insistence that each of you should be invited to attend a gathering, to commence promptly at half past seven, the evening of XX, at the home of his remarkable aunt, located at XX, for the singular purpose of sharing with me your collective wisdom, guidance, and insights. I have, according to the expressed wishes of my darling Emma, who never shall desert me, thrown down the gauntlet before the world; we shall hereafter see whether or not the world shall pick it up.
With such remarkable assistance offered, I have no doubt I shall, please Heaven, begin to be more beforehand with the world, and to live in a perfectly new manner, if, in short, anything turns up.
Remaining always, your devoted servant, &c, &c,
Wilkins Micawber
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