Predictability

One of the major things we learn when we start writing is technique and style. These are fairly ambiguous terms, but for the sake of simplicity lets say that style is a particular way of writing and techniques are the specific things you do that make up your style. For example, if you have a style that is urgent and fast-paced, you would use the techniques of short sentences and descriptive action words.

As we learn about various styles and techniques, we will find certain ones that we prefer over others. Some things just feel right. They speak to us. So we assimilate them and they become our techniques that we use in our style. This is great. We have a style! We're recognizable. People know who we are and they know that if they liked one thing we've done, they'll like the rest of it.

Well, this can be a good thing. It can also be a bad thing. First of all, if somebody doesn't like one thing you've done, it means they'll never like anything you do, which is a little sad. More importantly, though, you're going to get boring. John Grisham is a great writer and has been a best-seller often. However, he also has the stigma of writing the same book over and over again. Even if you like his work, there is going to reach a point where you've seen the same premise enough times and you can't go through another iteration of the same thing.

Alan Moore said that as soon as you can recognize a personal style or technique, it is stale. If you keep using it, you will get stale, too. If you love to transition in a particular way, do something completely different. If you're a sci-fi writer, write a romance novel or a mystery story. Always do something new. It keeps you fresh and new. It keeps people guessing, which keeps them excited (which is a good thing). If you always try something new, you will always grow and become a better writer.