I don’t know my writing voice…yet.
Heck, I don’t even know how to define what writing voice means, let alone tell you what mine is.
Here’s what I found around the internet on how to find my voice, tone, or writing style to build a personal writing style.
Before I tell you, read this article to learn more about the different types of writing by OpenOregon and what are their use. You can inject your own writing voice into these styles of writing because they have different purposes.
1. Write More
The first thing that I found to find your personal writing style to find your voice was to write more. Easy and simple. Do more journaling, write for a company or school newsletter or post on social media. This gets you in the habit of writing to be more aware of how you write.
2. Be More Personal
Writing about your own experiences and injecting your own voice will capture the attention of your reader.
Do you remember a speaker who told you a story in their life and it didn’t bore you? That is what telling your story will do.
3. Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
When you write, you don’t have to stick to what your 6th-grade English teacher taught you.
Double-spaced, 12 Font Times New Roman with 5 sentences in each paragraph with 1000 words. Bla…bla…bla…
You are allowed to do anything when writing. Be aware of where and what you are writing. That’s why it’s important to know the different types of writing at the beginning of the article.
4. Read From Different Authors
Stephen King and JK Rowling have their own different styles. You probably won’t know their styles but the more you read, the more you will catch their drift.
Right now, I am reading 2 books on how to write (I’ll discuss these books soon.) They both have the same big topics covered, but they are told very differently. And I like both of them.
One is very descriptive and gives a lot of examples, the other is more practical and writes shorter paragraphs. But they both achieve the same thing.
5. Be With Your Reader
When you write like you are walking shoulder to shoulder with your reader, it is more personal. You can project your voice easier. You don’t have to use jargon that is complicated.
Use your normal, informal voice as if you have something important to tell your friend.
6. Practice More
It may sound like a broken record but it is the same as the first tip. You can’t go around it. Your writing will not get better if you are not going to practice your writing.
Conclusion
I’ve been learning about writing in the past few months.
One thing that’s consistent among these authors and writers is they are not natural when it comes to writing.
They found a style after trying so many things. Maybe after their 30th article, after the 5th book, after the 100th blog post, they finally found something that clicks.
So don’t be discouraged.
If you are starting to write and you don’t know if you are doing it right, you are doing more than someone who is not writing.
Keep writing.
