Voice. It’s a writing element that is essential
to creative expression of any kind, especially
writing. Yet voice can be hard to pin down. How
do we define voice in our writing or art? How
does a new writer find her voice?
In Finding Your Writer’s Voice Thaisa
Frank and Dorothy Wall define voice this way.
“Voice is nothing fancy. It’s simply the way
you, the writer, project yourself artistically.
It’s the way you draw on yourself as you write –
your sense of humor, irony, the way you see
people and events, use language and entertain.”
This is a great definition. It demystifies
voice, takes it from some vague or confusing
concept and turns it to us. So how do you
discover and use your writing voice? Look at
these elements that I consider essential to your
voice.
Subject
Voice is strongly linked to who we are, our
experiences, and what drives us to write. Your
subject matter will drive your voice.
Audience
Your audience has an influence on your voice. If
you are writing for a business audience, you’re
certainly not using off-color jokes or telling
family stories.
Distance
How close are you to the reader? Are you
revealing intimate things about yourself? Or is
your voice distant, using data and facts to
express your point? How close you are to the
reader has an impact on your voice.
Emotional Resonance
Take a peek behind your words and see what
emotions lurk under the surface. What feelings
drive your writing? Are you writing to make a
point, to convince, to inspire?
Tone
What’s the tone of your voice? Is it tentative,
assertive, questioning, or authoritative?
Vocabulary
Your vocabulary has a great impact on your
voice. The three-dollar words that sound fancy
have an impact and give the reader a certain
impression of you and your voice.
Worldview
How you see the world. Your worldview, your
values, and your opinions are sneaking into your
voice, whether you are aware of it or not.
Your voice, like you, may change according to
the setting or intention. You’re not saying the
same things at a family dinner that you say when
hanging out with friends at happy hour. And your
writing voice will shift according to what you
are writing. But no matter what you are writing,
there will be that undeniable thread of you and
your voice in your writing. It’s not so much a
matter of finding your voice, but of revealing
it to yourself.
September