When creating, should you stick to your own style? While working at a café in Miaoli known for its “strong-willed” owner, Utsudo witnessed a heated argument between the owner and a customer, and later learned he had set many rules, such as assigning seats. She felt the rules made sense and saw a parallel with creative work: an author’s distinctive way of writing and running things shows a unique side. Not everyone will buy in, but people will remember you. Once you have your own style, don’t compromise easily.

Translated from Utsudo’s original Chinese column.

An argument at the café

This happened at a café in Miaoli.

That day, I was working at the café as usual. I’d finished a section of the story and hit my planned length, so I slacked off and opened a work stream to chat with viewers.

Then I heard arguing downstairs.

At first I didn’t think much of it, but it escalated until I heard someone pounding the table with a fist. It was so loud that viewers on the other end of the screen could hear it clearly and even typed out a play-by-play of the argument, which made me very embarrassed.

I thought about going downstairs to break it up. From what I remembered, the people arguing were the owner, a man in his fifties or sixties, and a woman who looked to be in her twenties or thirties. She spoke to him very bluntly—things like “You’re crazy,” “You’re always so self-righteous,” “Shut up.” I guessed they were father and daughter or close relatives; otherwise, no matter how angry, people don’t usually talk like that to outsiders.

It sounded like old and new grudges all flaring up at once (?

Since situations like this can backfire on you if handled badly, I decided to wait and see.

The argument lasted about half an hour. Just as I made up my mind to go down and stop it, the woman shouted, “Shut up! I don’t want to fight with you anymore!” and it finally calmed down.

An owner known for being “strong-willed”

That night, I told my friends about it, and to my surprise they didn’t look surprised at all.

It turns out the owner of this café is famous for being “strong-willed.” He’s set many rules in the café—for example, customers must order at the counter before sitting, and must sit in the seat he assigns. If you don’t comply, he gets upset.

Honestly, I’d rarely come across a café with assigned seating, and I was surprised when I first learned about the rule. But later I thought: the owner knows best how the whole place works. Some seats have outlets, some have better light. Customers with laptops who’ll stay long are naturally seated at tables of the right height with the right facilities; those just having coffee only need a comfy sofa.

So I think I can understand the rules he’s set.

Since the seats have different setups, if early customers chose freely, they might take the popular spots even if they don’t need to stay long or read. Later customers who do need those spots would have nowhere suitable and have to make do.

Your work can have its own rules too

This may sound abrupt, but I think this owner’s “fussiness,” applied to creative work, shares some of the same spirit.

An author’s insistence on a certain way of writing or running things—whether from personal taste or other reasons—shows a unique side. Sometimes it’s fun to see how they differ. Your persistence and style shape what kind of person you become and what kind of works you write.

Some people may not like it or may criticize your rules. But I think creating doesn’t require considering as much as running a business. If someone just doesn’t like your “style,” think it over for a moment. If you feel “this is who I am,” then keep being yourself!

Once you have your own style, don’t compromise easily

A café with its own rules has the advantage of satisfying most customers. A work with its own rules may not win everyone over, but it gives readers a chance to remember you as an author.

Whether you change or not is up to you, but once you have your own style, don’t give in or compromise easily.

Win readers’ hearts with your own unique style!

FAQ

Further reading

• Previous: Hey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island #174: What Matters Most Is Human Connection
• Start from the beginning: Hey! I Heard You’re a Writer on Ghost Island #01: Utsudo’s Debut — A Road to the Dream Covered in Frost
• Utsudo’s books

About the author

Utsudo is a Taiwanese light novelist and novelist VTuber with more than ten years in the industry and 40 commercially published print books. Her novel 《遺失的情書》 received a 2022 Ministry of Culture youth creative award. The 《嘿！聽說妳在鬼島當作家》 series records her experiences as a novelist in Taiwan.