Check out the I Write Like online writing analyzer. I don’t know how valid it is, but it’s interesting.
I entered a few paragraphs of chapter 1 of my novelette, “Katydid”, and it says that I write like James Fenimore Cooper. This could be seen as both complimentary and not so complimentary, depending on how you look at it. Most 19th century writers, even though they are critically acclaimed, etc., didn’t have the best “modern” writing styles, and much of their work is dry and difficult to read, at best. I’ve never actually read any of JFC’s work. I always mean to and meant to read the works of the “great authors”, but haven’t read as many and as much as I would have liked to or should have. There’s all the time in the world, right?
I then entered a few paragraphs of my FREE short story singlet, “Zombie Squad: A Taste of Future Death”, and it says I write like Cory Doctorow. This is better, in a sense. At least he’s a modern writer.
Hopefully it’s not picking writer’s names at random.
Try it.
btw — I did test the program by entering several paragraphs of “The Last of the Mohicans” and it did pick JFC.
However, Cory Doctorow’s “Shadow of the Mothaship” came up as Chuck Palahniuk.
So maybe Cory and I write like him. ;o)