A writer?s voice is his style ? a combination of how he uses words, punctuation, dialogue, syntax, diction, and a bunch of other jargon no one cares about. People refer to voice in one succinct work, or across a number of works. Either way, it means the same thing.
I could tell you finding your writing voice is like tuning an instrument, but that?s trite. And my voice is anything but trite. So let?s say voice is your personality. It?s what you bring to your words that makes them sound like you ? and thereby different from anyone else.
Quick and light. Dark and slow. Suspenseful. Dry. Sarcastic. Or boring as shite. You pick. Just make damn sure it is you. Voice is not something you can fake, at least not well.
Most people have a particular author they love so much, they will read anything penned by him. Most people also have a short list of authors they can?t stand. Readers draw those conclusions based on how they react to the author?s style ? the voice. They either love it or hate it.
In Roy Peter Clark?s ?Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer,? he says the most useful definition of voice came from friend and colleague, Don Fry:
?Voice is the sum of all the strategies used by the author to create the illusion that the writer is speaking directly to the reader from the page.? ?
Yeah. That.
Write as though you?re chatting with your best friend. When you do that, your words become more intimate, more friendly, more revealing. You lose the stuffy bullshit and big words. You become?more genuine ? more you. You?re also more helpful. Writing to one person, especially a friend, makes it about that person, not about you as the author. The result is the reader is better able to follow your plot, understand your meaning and, oh, give a shit about what you?re saying.
A strong voice makes every word count, grabs your reader and establishes your relationship. No author is all things to all people. Find your niche ? your voice ? and run with it.
Read different styles. Grab some Kurt Vonnegut, Jane Austen, J.K. Rowling, Leo Tolstoy or even Dr. Seuss. Then look at some brochures, newsletters, and your local daily paper. Do any those writers appeal to you? Does their personality shine through? Do you feel as though they are speaking to you?
Figure out how you want readers to describe you. Funny, sarcastic and direct? Straightforward, business-like and dry? Pretty prose wrapped in a bow?
Decide how you don?t want to be described. Arrogant. Boring. Repetitive. Nonsensical.
Look at your works ? short stories, novels, blog posts, whatever. Ask yourself:
?? Are my words more concrete or abstract? Do I use slang, or am I more philosophical and logical?
?? Do I write in first person (?I? or ?we?)? Or third person (?they? or ?you?)? Or both?
?? Do I use frequent metaphors, similes, etc.? Do I sound like a poet? Or is my voice more like a business writer who only uses those for a particular effect?
?? Do I typically have long, complex sentences, as though I am slowing the pace? Or are my sentences short and crisp? Perhaps both?
?? Are your words full of fiery passion or do you remain neutral? How do you play with language?
? ? ?
Part Two is here ?> Translating the answers to these questions into words on the page.
Source: http://rebeccatdickson.com/2013/02/07/developing-your-writing-voice-part-one/
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