Thaddeus, as usual I really enjoyed reading this article on Style. There is so much to be said for the life of a writer; how full it is, how varied, how rich and how educational. And there is so much to be said for legitimate 'voice.' Stephen King is not a great stylist, but he has legitimate voice and it has made him one of the top selling writers of all time. J.K. Rowling is also not a stylist, but she hs legitimate voice, plus an almost uncanny ability to create characters. I love Melville, most of Faulkner, Steinbeck, Bradbudy, Carroll, not much McCarty (esp. after reading "Blood Meridian," - something off with that man. They've all taught me things, but they haven't changed my voice.