Should you write in the same manner that you read?

Or is it best to write from a natural place of flow?

In my previous life as a car salesman (yup, I was THAT guy), my manager offered me a piece of advice:

Jeff, make sure you don’t sell the same way that you buy.

The point being: Just because I buy things by first doing an obnoxious amount of research before stepping foot in a store, doesn’t mean everyone else buys this way.

This brings me to writing.

Should you write in the same manner that you read?

Disclaimer: I will not be offering a “solution” to this question. I’m publishing this piece as a conversation starter because frankly, I’m still trying to figure out where I stand on the matter.

I read like a scatterbrained child.

As I’ve stated in previous pieces, I have ADHD — thus I have a difficult time maintaining focus for extended periods. I genuinely enjoy reading and learning from others, however, I often find myself:

1. Drawn towards stories with a 3 min or less read time.
2. Skimming longer stories for the key points before moving on.

Part of my process is glancing at the title, subtitle, and read time prior to clicking.

The longer the read time, the more clear, captivating, and in alignment with my interests the story needs to be for me to proceed.

I write from a place of feeling and flow.

I’ve always struggled with conciseness in my writing. I have too much feeling and flow and not enough less is, mo?

Regardless, this style serves me well when writing from a place of passion. I’m able to bring my emotions to the forefront and demonstrate my “expertise” in a thoughtful way.

My best writing often comes in the same form that I would have a difficult time clicking on. I likely wouldn’t take the time to read my own work!

See the problem?

Do you have this problem? Is this a problem?

This is where I’m stuck and require the help of those more experienced than I.

I see this as a problem for two reasons:

1. If I know I would struggle to read my own work, I also know others whom I want to read my work are going to have the same problem.
2. Does point #1 matter as long as I reach an audience that appreciates my work, regardless of length and format?

Your Turn

I’d love to know your thoughts on this dilemma of mine.

• Have you had the same issue/concern?
• Is it not worth fussing over? Just read how you read and write how you write?
• Is it best to stylistically mix up the way in which you write to broaden appeal and proficiency?

Leave your thoughts in the comments and clap away if you think this should be discussed more broadly. Appreciate you, Medium fam!