Reading a paragraph and knowing instantly who wrote it - yup, that's thanks to the writing voice. That one thing that makes your writing recognizable and different, like putting a signature under a painting.
Voice is something you can uncover and nourish, so if you feel like you don't have such a thing yet, don't worry.
Writing voice is like your personality on page. Some writers are sharp, some lyrical and full of metaphors, some lean into sarcasm. What is yours?
Try to take a paragraph from your favorite book and rewrite it the way you would have written it. Notice any differences? What changed? That's your writing voice showing up.
As we learn to write, we tend to mimic other writers we admire. And that's okay - most of us started this way. Just be careful not to mimic them too closely - it can muffle your own unique voice.
Another problem is overediting. Sometimes, as we delve in the feeling that our work isn't good enough, we can fall into overediting to the point where we get rid of all of our quirks. But you shouldn't silence them - they make your writing unique and YOURS.
Writing voice doesn't come from perfection, so give up trying to reach it.
Now, let's talk about HOW you can develop your writing voice.
1. Write just for the fun of writing, write the way you feel it, naturally, without editing. Get into the flow and forget about the rules.
2. Read and notice what draws you in. Is it something you can learn from the writer? Would you be able to write it this way?
3. Transcribe what you say and shape it into narrative. Record yourself talking.
4. Experiment with the form. Try writing something you've never written before. Don't be afraid, it's all about fun and a little challenge.
5. Notice your own writing patterns. Do you tend to go for longer sentences? Or sharp, fast ones?
6. Embrace your quirks!
Try this short challenge to experiment with writing voice:
Day 1: Freewrite for 15 minutes - no edits.
Day 2: Rewrite a famous passage in your own words.
Day 3: Journal as if you’re narrating a novel.
Day 4: Describe your morning coffee like it’s a romance scene.
Day 5: List 10 words you overuse - and write a paragraph using all of them.
Day 6: Go on a walking writing. Choose an object you find interesting and write a scene centered around it.
Day 7: Combine all your experiments into a short scene or story.
Your writing voice deserves to be heard!
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