Who Am I? 6 Steps to Finding Your True Writing Voice
Sometimes finding your writing voice can seem like an elusive task.
You have great ideas for content, but how do you make it sound like you?
Voice is vital. It’s a combination of style, tone, and attitude.
So what is it?
In its simplest form, your voice is the unique way you view the world. That’s it. Your voice is your perspective.
Why does it matter?
Developing your voice is vital to creating individual content — it creates a bond with readers, brands your content, gives you focus, and makes your writing stand out. It’s how you get people to read what you’re writing in the first place, and it makes them hungry for more.
They come back because they like how you present ideas.
It’s also the only sustainable way to write. If you always try to sound like someone else, you’ll burn out. Set yourself apart and create something new by amplifying who you are.
How can I strengthen it?
Try these seven steps to finding and honing your unique voice.
1. Be persistent.
Voice develops over time. Continue to challenge yourself. Complacent writing is boring. Read widely to continue learning. Also, let go of perfection — you don’t publish your first draft for a reason. Let the ideas flow, then go back with your red pen.
2. Be concise.
You want to communicate clearly. Delete redundancies and present information in a straightforward fashion. Cut the fluff and get to the point.
3. Be interesting.
This sounds obvious, but don’t delete interesting moments to achieve conciseness. Develop your pathos, use vibrant language, and connect with audience on a sensory and emotional level.
4. Be rhythmic.
Think back to your early English classes, and pull out the basics. Play with parallel structure and sentence length. Play around with formatting.
5. Be idealistic.
Imagine your ideal reader. Now write for them. Who are you catering to, and how do you want them to react to your writing?
6. Be talkative.
Think about the way you talk. Granted, you will never write just like you talk — that could be convoluted and confusing. But, voice is your way of talking with readers, so consider how you want to speak with them. Let your personality shine.
Next time you sit down to write, use it as a way to express your attitude and style.
