How to Embrace the Weirdness in Your Writing Style

Reframing Weird

The moment you were told to "tone it down"

It was probably a workshop, right? Someone said, "Hm, I'm not sure this voice is working." Or, maybe it was, "She sounds too immature, why would she say / do that?"

It's a tale as old as time. Here's a quick translation of what those comments (and similar variations) mean:

1. You're over-saturating a story element or characterization.

2. The people critiquing your work are not your target audience.

The second one is especially important to consider because people often forget that not all feedback is good feedback. Some feedback is meant to be left behind in the workshop because it does not serve your story.

Why “weird” is often shorthand for original, unmarketable, or unfamiliar

People hesitate and linger on elements of a story that don't fit with the current mold. Whether it be the premise of the story or a mannerism of one of your characters, something is irking your reader or critiquer. It's an alarm going off that tells them something isn't...the norm.

If the market is selling fantasy stories about dark and grouchy shadow wielders like hot cakes and you waltz in with a kickass tale about a one-handed juggler who uses self-depreciating jokes as pickup lines, you might get a "huh?"

TOTALLY fair. And honestly, if you're writing that story, please DM me. I really need to read it.

The cost of sanding yourself smooth

See, the market shifts. It ebbs and flows. One day people may get tired of grouchy shadow slingers and crave a juggling adventure with a unique protagonist. If you listen to your fellow workshop partner who tells you that Marzy the Juggler is just too...weird or uncouth or odd, you may miss out on the opportunity to connect with readers who would totally get Marzy's struggles.

If you decide that you're kind of obsessed with Marzy (because same), then the next step is deciding when to make an adjustment to Marzy's story based on "weird" feedback and when to ignore it and stay the course.

Why Your Weirdness is the Point

Voice is the only thing that can’t be replicated

Your voice as a writer is your golden token.

Some may even call it your...golden ticket (see what I did there, Wonka fans?).

When people forget this key detail, they go rummaging for shortcuts and end up empty-handed.

See, voice in a story is your mark. Your branding. If you have a quirky, weird side? That's amazing! Readers who are fellow weirdos will love you. It's the entire point of becoming an author—to find your distinct niche in the world of written art.

Readers fall in love with what's unique, not what's copy and paste.

Longevity vs. trend-chasing

Let me start by declaring that trend-chasing will be your downfall, my friend. Seriously. As someone who has to constantly defy the temptation to lean into what's trending in Young Adult fiction, I confirm that it isn't worth it.

What I'm slowly learning is that turning your focus toward creating something long-lasting and well-written is much more important. Quick money grabs are exactly that—quickly forgettable. It leads writers to dabble in AI-driven work or pump out underdeveloped plots built on oversaturated tropes.

Recently, I went to the bookstore and found a book that spelled the protagonists's name two different ways on the back cover...a major oopsie. The best part? This clearly AI-written novel was leaning into the height of the fairy fantasy trend. The plot was a crisp regurgitation of bestselling fantasy novels of late.

I quickly put it back on the shelf. And you know what? I have no idea what that book was even called.

Quickly forgettable.

Refine Weirdness without Diluting It

Clarity vs. conformity

When you get feedback that something in your story is "weird," it's important to unpack the origin of that statement.

Let's use Marzy's story again. If Marzy has a pet hippopautamus, it may seem weird to the reader. However, if in Marzy's world, hippos are a household pet and dogs are exotic creatures that actually founded the world of juggling, it makes a bit more sense contextually.

If the feedback is that the pet hippo was weird because it wasn't conveyed that they were common household pets, then that is an issue of clarity. This can be easily fixed in revisions to better reveal the rules of Marzy's world.

If, however, the feedback is that the pet hippo was weird because the whole story is weird...that's a conformity issue. If you are excited about your story and the fantastical elements of what Marzy will endure as a one-handed juggler trying to make it through life with their pet hippo and fall in love, then by all means, stay your course.

When to keep the strange thing and cut everything around it

If the issue is that Marzy says, "Holy bozanga, I don't wazanga do that" every time they're faced with a challenge or obstacle, there might be something worth investigating. It could be that Marzy's catch phrase slows the pacing. If so, readers may become frustrated and shelve your story when they can't get to the next plot point because they're too busy reading through "bozanga" and "wazanga" for the twelfth time.

This may be a moment where you choose to cut or trim the "weird" catch phrase and find other ways to portray Marzy's persona. It all depends on the page real estate your weird choice is taking up and what you are trying to reveal about your characters or the plot by keeping them.

As a general rule, make sure to follow up with any critiques that blanket the term "weird" in them and dig deeper at what really isn't working in your current draft.

Letting the Right Readers Find You

Trusting that “not for everyone” is a feature

In the end, your work is your work. It is not Jeremiah's story, or Lee Ann's story, or Tiffany's story. This means that your work will be different from theirs and everyone else's. Your weird choices are a reflection of you and your goals for the story.

Recognizing that you have an awesome target audience out there ready to consume your work will propel you to keep going and stay true to yourself. Not everyone will be in that target group, so do not try to appease everyone. Take the feedback that works for your story and leave anything that does not serve you at the door.

xx LC