Discovering Your Writing Voice

Discovering Your Writing Voice

This seems like a no brainer. You sit down and you write. Simple as that, right? Not so fast…

thorinside / Foter / CC BY-NC

I have been struggling with my writing voice for some time now. What is your writing voice and why does it matter? Your writing voice is how you communicate with others when you write. I read many blogs and I can tell you that I know which blogger wrote which post. Everyone has their own unique style. So why does it matter? People read your blog to hear what you have to say in your own unique way. There is only one of you and that’s who your readers want to hear.

The lines can get a bit blurry when you try to write in someone else’s voice. That’s what Ghost Writers do. They attempt to write in the voice of the person who hired them. This may come more easily for some than for others.

I have been doing a lot of writing lately, not all on this blog. What I have discovered in this process is my own writing voice. It has always been there, I just never recognized it until now. Sometimes it requires us to take a step back and look at it from another perspective.

My good friend Jeri Walker-Bickett is the expert on all matters writing. She has presented many exercises that help with a number of writing issues. One can learn a lot by reading her blog, myself included. Some of these exercises can help you identify your own writing voice.

My good friend Susan Cooper over at Finding Our Way Now and I co-authored a book, ‘D.R.E.A.M. Catchers’. For anyone who has already read this book you will most probably be able to tell which of us wrote which sections. Why? Because we each have our own voice. Now we did try to make all of the sections sound like the same voice, but I know that those who are familiar with each of our blogs will be able to tell the difference.

It was important for me to go through the process of discovering my writing voice. I needed to recognize it for myself and understand that I can use it to make a difference. When I write using my ‘writing voice’ what I write becomes impactful. Isn’t that what everyone wants? To make a difference.

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