Dr. Seuss was really a man ahead of his time. Although his story telling is seemingly 'out there' with regards to terminology and storyline, the man certainly was able to speak to people of all ages and inspire them.
For instance, Oh, The Places You'll Go! is about life....creating our own lives. Having the ability to choose any direction we wish to.
And then there's Horton Hears a Who! :“A person's a person, no matter how small.”
Or, The Lorax: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
And, of course, How the Grinch Stole Christmas: “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
Dr. Seuss knew how to get across emotion, understanding and how to set the tone for the story...and all of the characters are distinctive in their own whack-a-doodle way.
So, dear writers, have you found your voice? Or, are you a carbon copy of someone else? It's okay to appreciate another writer's style, but make sure you stay true to your voice. There are many writers in this world that seem to write so fluently... their words seem to come so easily. I think to myself, 'I would love to write like that.'
We are our own worst critic.
My suggestion: Keep reading, learning, and appreciating the style of other writers, and then consistently hone your own skills. By doing so, you will be able to find your own distinct voice.
“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who reads.”- Dr. Seuss
