Read the selected texts slowly and carefully. This is known is as close reading, and it enables students to observe important details about a text, such as how it is structured and the ways in which it uses imagery, metaphor and language to create atmosphere or evoke an emotional response in the reader. Students who read texts in this way can make subtle distinctions between writing styles and better understand what makes a writer's style unique. Close reading also allows you to appreciate how a writer's style is influenced by the genre in which she is writing. A gothic novel, for example, may contain dramatic images, such as thunderstorms and mists, while the hero of a romantic novel may be dark and brooding. Emily Bronte's Heathcliff is a classic example of a complicated romantic persona. Remember to underline important words or passages and make notes about anything that strikes you as unusual or distinctive.
Cite examples. Quoting key words or passages backs up the main arguments of your essay. Be selective with your quotations and ensure that they illustrate the points you are trying to get across. If for example, you are arguing that a writer's style is descriptive, quote passages that contain descriptive adjectives. If you want to demonstrate that a writer's sparse and economical use of words creates a more powerful effect, cite relevant passages and explain what aspects of the writing make it particularly potent.
Compare and contrast. This shows that you understand different writing styles and techniques. If, for example, you are writing an essay about the writing styles of tabloid and broadsheet newspapers, use examples from both to explain what makes them different. Does a tabloid newspaper's review of a book or play use fewer words or more clichés than a review of the same play in a more serious newspaper? Does the latter use more cultural references or literary allusions than the tabloid newspaper?