WHY YOU MUST OWN YOUR VOICE AS A WRITER.

You must have heard some writing coaches drum this phrase into your ears;

“You need to find your voice.”

But what does the term ‘Writing Voice’ mean to you? How do you own a voice you do not yet recognise?

Finding your voice isn’t something ambiguous. Your voice was never lost. It has been with you the entire time.

When you talk to someone, do you have to “find your voice”? Of course not. You just talk.

In writing, “voice” is exactly how you speak and think. It’s the same thing. It’s all about the words you use and the patterns in your writing - the rhetorical mixture of vocabulary, tone, point of view, and syntax.

Do you use a lot of rhetorical questions? Long or short sentences? Slang? Are you playful, conversational, or serious? That is the way your voice comes through in your writing.

Your voice is already part of who you are. You have a unique way of speaking, thinking, and talking. That’s your writer’s voice. And as you evolve and get shaped by life’s experiences, your writing voice evolves and develops with you.

Do you know that your writing voice differs from your writing style?

Your writing style is the method through which you tell your story, while our writing voice is how you communicate your story in a way that is authentic, genuine, and unique to you. And while several people may adopt a similar writing style, your writing voice will remain peculiar to you.

You can start with these steps to help you find and own your voice:

1. Describe yourself in three adjectives.

2. Ask other people to describe you.

3. Who are your favourite voices? Jot down at least five books, or blogs you like to read. Spend some time examining them. How are they alike? How are they different? What about them intrigues you? Often, what we admire is what we aspire to be.

4. Free-write. Write in a way that’s most comfortable to you, without editing. Then go back and read it, asking yourself if you’re cool publishing stuff that sounds like this. You can also record or do a video of yourself speaking to hear what you sound like when you talk.

5. Get comfortable sharing your writing with others. Listen to what people say about your writing. How people describe your work points to your unique voice. Pay more attention to those tics in your writing.

6. Write to yourself. Write books you would love to read. The quickest way to rob yourself of your voice is by writing things you don’t enjoy. Rather than writing what you think is “important” in some abstract way, write what speaks to you.

7. Determine to be yourself. Be honest. The more honest you are, the more endearing your writing will be to your readers. Readers can tell when you are not being honest. Steer clear of topics you’re not comfortable discussing, so your readers do not see you as evasive.

8. Decide why you want to write and stick to it.

Once you’ve found your voice, make sure you continue to develop it so you can have the impact you desire and the audience your words deserve. There is a lot of noise out there in the world. If you are going to get heard, set yourself apart. Show that you have something to say, and do it in your unique way. You can learn more about this in the Authors Write-It-Now course. The next session starts on May 7, 2022.