How to Develop Your Writing Style And Voice

BY JENNIFER LOCKMAN

We all have a particular personality that makes us who we are.  Some of us are more opinionated than others or have a harsher voice to say things. Others moderate everything they say.  So, we all have different ways of expressing ourselves.  Developing this character in the way you write is no less important and you might struggle sometimes.

Do you write like you talk?  Can you have many voices but still keep your personality, attitude, and tone?  Contrary to what you have probably heard, developing your penmanship is more learning than a discovery.

Most of the work you will find yourself doing are essays of all types.  When it comes to essay writing, you can get plenty of help online. You will find all kinds of resources online, such as sample essays, online services like EssayHub, and templates. You should not be afraid of getting extra help with this.

The Basics

Ok, so let’s get deeper into what your voice is.  When you read a piece from any author and you compare it to another, there is something, probably deep in, that makes you tell them apart. For example, you would be able to distinguish Hemingway from Meyer, right?.  Even though these writers create different characters with different personalities, the authors themselves have a particular tone.  This is determined by their attitude, tone, and personal style.

Attitude

This is about how you feel about things and how you react to them.  People can read your attitude through the way you talk, the way you act, and your body language.

Tone of voice

This is no longer about what you say but how you say it.  Consequently, your tone of voice is influenced by your attitude.  For instance, you can say:

-“Get me my coat, woman!” or,

-“May I have my coat, please, ma’am?” or,

-“Would you please be a doll and pass me my coat?”

There is definitively a difference in the tone of voice.  Which one is yours?

Personal Style

Here is where we get more technical.  What is your sentence structure, for instance?  Short sentences or long sentences?  Do you like to say things in very few words or do you prefer to elaborate?  Would you say:

-“I want coffee”. or,

-“I could use a hot cup of coffee right now.”?

There are other aspects to consider.  Do you like minute detail or cut to the chase?  Is your language blunt or flowery?  How about slangs?  Do you swear?  Your personality influences every aspect of your writing, many times without you even knowing it.

Tips to develop your voice

One great thing about developing your own voice is that your writing will be more energetic and fluid. The opposite happens when you are trying to imitate somebody else’s style (otherwise known as copy/paste).  So here are some killer tips on how to develop your own voice in everything you write.

• Read a lot.  The more authors you read the better.  Read everything you can get your hands on.  The newspaper, blogs, fiction, nonfiction, magazines, scientific journals and others.  In fact, read about things you do not write about.  Like, if you write fiction, read nonfiction works.
• Write a lot.Stephen King said it, “The best way to develop your writer’s voice is to read a lot. And write a lot. There’s really no other way to do it.”  The more you write, the more your style will emerge.  Stay true to your nature.  Do you usually use slang?  Write it.  Do you swear? Do it in your writing. Or don’t.  It is truly up to you.
• Drop the fear.You got this.  Don’t let the fear of being read by others keep you from writing your best.  Write like nobody is going to read it.  Just let your fingers flow like the water of the stream.  Write your mind out with no restraints.  After you finish, go back to edit.  This is the part in which you probably would do good in thinking of a particular demographic of readers.
• Check for consistency and grammar issues.Make sure your voice is consistent throughout.  Check for unnecessary repetitions of terms.  If you need a thesaurus, use it.  It is not cheating. Also, consider trustworthy resources like transtutors for tutoring.
• Read out loud.  While you are in the editing process of your essay or work, read it out loud.  This is a practical way of realizing if what you have written is consistent with your personality and the attitude you want to showcase.

Go ahead, and let the words slip from your mind onto the paper.  Think deep about your topic and the type of work you are requested.  Write from the depth of your mind and in the tone that is yours.  Then, keep writing.

About the Author: Jennifer Lockman is student majoring in Journalism and contributor to the educational resource. As blogger, she specializes in linguistics, psychology and e-learning.