What is style?

Style, from what I can gather, is a set of guidelines and principles that help writers write properly. There are different styles for different functions of writing. Style applied to literature is much different than the Associated Press style of journalism. In any case, style leads to effective writing. Style must be mastered in order to connect properly with the reader. Rules of style are not always absolute. Experienced writers can develop their own personal style and know when it is appropriate to break the rules. Style implies a sense of correctness and deals directly with the prescriptive rules of grammar. Writing-style, like other uses of the word, involves expressing oneself, while at the same time pleasing the audience. According to introductions in our texts, style is concerned with usage, composition, form, cleanliness and accuracy of writing. Style guides writing so that it becomes concise, focused and organized, as explained on the back cover of Style Toward Clarity and Grace. In my opinion, one of the most important rules of style is to omit needless words and only include language that has meaning and impact. Style teaches us to trim the fat from our ideas, which allows us to get to the point and present information clearly.