Developing Your Writing Voice: A Practical Guide

Your personality on paper is your writing voice. It is what makes your writing sound like you and not anybody.

However, there is a catch, which is that you cannot find your voice overnight. It evolves as you write more and care about what feels natural.

Start by writing how you talk. Read your work out loud. Would you say something like that to your friend? If not, loosen up. Use contractions. Use and or to start the sentences when it seems appropriate. Violate the grammar rules that your English teacher was not fond of.

Notice what you’re drawn to. Do you love humor? Would you rather be straight and to the point? Enjoy using metaphors? Your voice will be determined by your natural preferences. Don’t fight them.

An example is as follows: Compare “one must consider the implications” to “you need to think about what this means.” Voices are completely different, but the same message.

Read widely but copy nobody. Learn from Copywriters whom you admire, but do not follow them. When you like that short, brash style of Seth Godin, know why it succeeds, then make your own beat.

Be consistent but flexible. It is expected that your voice will be familiar in a variety of compositions, but you are allowed to change your tone. Writing for a law firm? More professional. Making articles about a skateboard company? Looser and edgier.

The secret? Write a lot. Your voice is born out of practising and not thinking. It is not necessary to sound “professional” or “smart” as long as you just sound like yourself.