Hemingway, Jane Austen, and all the greats have such strong voices that can be recognized by anyone who loves them. So what is voice? Voice is our unique way of writing that characterizes our writing style. But how do we find and use our own voice?
Everyone is born with their own innate and distinct voice, but it is continually developed throughout their writing life as it’s honed and perfected. Let’s look at a few ways to develop our voice.
- Read. A lot. You’ll discover what doesn’t work for you while learning what you can adapt to your own style. Learn from the greats and your favorites.
- Write. A lot. The more you write, the more you improve and refine your writing style. Freewrite for 15 to 20 minutes every day if you don’t want to work on one particular story. Prompts are a great way to practice and experiment with things and are very easy to find. Don’t edit or judge yourself as you write. This is a time to try new things and see what works and what sticks. Just write and see your voice come out on the page.
- Fake it till you make it. Write with confidence, even if it’s false confidence at first. You want your writing to stand out so you can’t hem yourself in. Improve on both your strengths and weaknesses and let them shine. We all face doubts, but confidence let’s your voice come to life.
Your voice is unique to you and your writing. Start honing it today for more effective and impactful writing. Whose voice do you admire? Whose do you hate? Share below and happy writing.
Julia