Every writer has a unique style — a distinct way of using language. Marlowe has compared your linguistic patterns with those of thousands of popular authors. The network graph above highlights books with writing styles similar to yours, with mood, tone, character agency, and subject matter as secondary considerations. 

Your book is highlighted in purple. Follow the connecting lines out from your book to see which titles are most similar to yours. The shorter the distance, the more similar that author’s style is to your own.

You may see titles that overlap the list in the Subject comps section, but you’ll likely see some different titles as well.

The graph above displays books by authors whose writing style resembles yours. Understanding which published authors share your style can help you pitch to agents and publishers, position your book for marketing, and identify your likely readership. For tips on pitching to agents, see the Subject comps section.

Use this information alongside the detailed information in this report showing how your use of common adverbs, adjectives, verbs, clichés, phrases, and explicit language stack up against the trends seen in recent bestsellers. Use the SELECT COMPS button to get a sense of how your use of language compares to bestsellers in your genre or other genres.

One practical way to use this information is to read some of these bestsellers. They may not match perfectly, but they can help you develop your craft. As you read through these works, compare how each author’s approach aligns with or diverges from your own. Notice shared style elements like syntax, diction, and voice, as well as any unique narrative devices. Are there specific ways one author leans on descriptive passages, while another emphasizes pacing? Identify the successful techniques, and take note of any potential pitfalls.

Bestsellers aren’t flawless. Evaluate these comps as a discerning reader would and apply the insights to refine your own work. You might immediately see similarities, or it may take deeper reading to understand the commonalities in style. But remember, your voice is unique — it’s what makes your story stand out.

In the default view, comp titles may or may not belong to the same genre as your book, as Marlowe focuses on writing styles across bestsellers rather than specific genre conventions. To narrow by genre, use the SELECT GENRE button. Note that if the genre doesn’t align with your story, Marlowe may still suggest books with distant parallels.

Your writing style encompasses a wide range of things: how you craft sentences, what tone or mood your writing evokes, your overall message or theme, and so on. To understand how important style is, consider that many authors write horror fiction. But when Stephen King writes horror, you know you are in the hands of a master stylist.

In narrative writing, often used in fiction and memoir, language tends to be more descriptive, with varied sentence structures and emotion-driven language. However, style can vary wildly, depending on genre, audience, and purpose. For example, Stephen King and Helen Oyeyemi are both renowned for suspenseful storytelling, but their styles differ significantly.

Keep in mind that style and voice, though related, aren’t the same. Style is language-based, involving grammar, syntax, vocabulary, punctuation, and italics — all of which shape how your story is told. Voice is your “writing personality,” conveying tone and mood to engage readers.

Consider the following dialogue examples where style is similar but voice differs:

Yes, I was aware Thomas didn’t like me. However, I didn’t let that impede my decision.

Yeah, I knew that Thomas hated my guts. Still, I wasn’t going to change my mind.

Both examples use the same number of words and the sentences are structured identically. The vocabulary is comparable as well. However, where the first example uses a formal tone, the second is much more colloquial.

Your style should be authentically yours. While it’s fine to study favorite authors, aim to refine your own approach.

When crafting your own style, pay attention to the ways in which you put words together. This means thinking about your audience first to make sure you’re telling your story in an effective way. For example, action and thriller genres often benefit from short, direct sentences and vernacular language, while gothic horror or literary fiction may lean on longer, more intricate sentences.

Genre conventions can also shape style. For instance, YA and romance often use first-person POV for a more emotive tone, while historical fiction might use third-person omniscient for a formal structure. Experiment with “translating” parts of your writing into other styles by imagining a specific reader and adjusting adjectives, perspective, grammar, and syntax to match.

Finally, always keep this saying in mind: Don’t use a dollar word when a nickel word will do.