Shaping Fiction Writing: Style Matters

Prose fiction is an artistic portrayal of life experiences, depicting an accumulation of thoughts, feelings, and attitudes in narrating an imaginary story (Al-Alami, 2023). The main elements which constitute a prose fiction text are plot, theme, setting, characterisation, point of view, and language style (Chambers, 2024). This article aims to demonstrate how narrative and language styles impact story writing.

What is meant by language style and what does narrative style portray? Language style embodies the articulation of ideas via the use of language elements in stretches of discourse. Language style can be simple or advanced, formal or informal, colloquial or standard, and modern or archaic amongst other characteristics (Al-Alami, 2024). Narrative style, on the other hand, encompasses the main narrative elements of setting, plot, theme, point of view, characterisation, and language, reflecting the extent to which the writer has skilfully manipulated these elements within a unique narrative framework. A good narrative style ensures a smooth narrative flow. A narrative flow can be defined as the seamless progression of a story in terms of how a story’s characters, events, setting, theme, and narrator are cohesively and coherently connected to arouse readers’ interest and maintain their engagement.

According to Al-Alami (2025), the suggestions below will strengthen story-writing skills and create a fulfilling experience.

1. Planning the structure of the story in advance helps maintain logical plots, authentic settings, and engaging characters.
2. Clearly establishing the setting at the start allows for a strong introduction and gives the writer an opportunity to present the narrative voice in a distinctive way.
3. A well-developed storyline is necessary, ideally with unexpected developments to keep the reader interested.
4. Key scenes placed at important moments in the plot can create dramatic shifts or resolutions, increasing the story’s sense of excitement.
5. Characterisation is the essence of story narration. Rather than delineating the characters at length, painting a portrait of each character through dialogue construction, visual representation, and diction selection would assist readers in smelling, hearing, and seeing characters.
6. Keeping a sense of suspense throughout the story greatly enhances the reader’s engagement.
7. Highlighting human values via means of story writing is an essential point to consider. What is a prose fiction text if not for instilling in the reader a set of values for lifelong tranquillity, both spiritual and intellectual?
8. Language style, when effectively manipulated, is eternal in influence. Skilful manipulation of figurative language and sound effect, for instance, would produce language which is eloquent in expression and impressive in modulation.
9. Insightful dialogue helps to move the story forward while enriching its world. If crafted with lively tone and expressive phraseology, it remains memorable and impactful.

In conclusion, prose fiction texts represent humanity’s enduring legacy of thought, emotion, and sophistication, serving as a symbol of intellectuality and creativity through the ages. To become an effective writer of prose fiction, we should bear in mind several points to consider and steps to take, such as enriching the repertoire of vocabulary, practising reading as a lifelong habit, acquiring the conventions of writing, assessing the reception of each and every word, and writing with spirit both uniquely and genuinely. Undoubtedly, writing a prose fiction text of impact is an invaluable gift to offer and a priceless experience to enjoy.

References:

1. Al-Alami, S. (2025). Factors Affecting Language and Narrative Styles in Prose Fiction: A Stylistic Perspective. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(2), 399-408.
2. Al-Alami, S. (2024). Using Colloquial Language in Prose Fiction Texts: An Exploratory Study. Research Journal in Advanced Humanities, 5(1), 1-15.
3. Al-Alami, S. (2023). Translation of Prose Fiction Texts: An Exploratory Study. International Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 12(2), 147-158.
4. Chambers, M. (2024). The Elements of Fiction and Drama. Montreal, Canada: Pressbooks.