BETTER WRITING: How to find your "Writing Voice"
 |
| Photo by Art Lasovsky on Unsplash |
"You write just the way you talk."
In my opinion, that's the greatest compliment any writer can get because it means the reader can hear your voice when they read your words.
A writing voice is as unique as a singing voice; once you’ve heard it a few times you can recognize it.
Some singers have generic voices; they blend in and their voice could belong to any number of people.
Other singers have voices so distinct they couldn’t possibly belong to anyone else.
EXAMPLE: I can identify without hesitation the voices of Ozzy Osborne (Black Sabbath), Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) and Brian Johnson (AC/DC) just to name a few.
The most distinctive writing voice I can think of is Mark Manson's. I’ve been reading his stuff for years and can recognize what’s his because no one else writes the way he does.
And that's why finding your writing voice is important.
Having a distinct writing voice is the difference between a... well, I don't want to use the terms good writer versus bad writer because writing is an art, and art is subjective.
Let's just say it's what differentiates the writers whose work really stands out, versus the ones whose work falls flat.
The writers who have found their writing voice - who write the way they talk - are generally storytellers.
I don't think any writer starts out that way though; I certainly didn't.
I was 24-years-old when I wrote my first book (unpublished as of yet), and looking back now (at age 43), I'm embarrassed by the writing. (I literally cringe when I read it.)
It was a detailed, chronological, factual recounting of events: "This happened, then that happened, and then finally we ended up here."
There's no narrative thread running through the piece; no reflections or feelings on the events. (Just the facts m'am, just the facts.)
That's not storytelling, it's just writing.
And it makes for such a B-O-R-I-N-G read that it might motivate you to individually pull out your eyelashes just to stay awake.
 |
| Are you kidding me with this sh*t? Photo by Michelle Phillips on Unsplash |
Think of some of the best books you've read, or movies and TV shows you've seen - the ones that capture you right from the opening lines.
Often they begin at the end, and the end is so strange / wondrous / implausible that you think to yourself "Well I'm invested now because I need to find out how this character came to be here."
The ability to capture your audience right away as you weave a tale around the unfolding events - with poignant moments and reflections along the way - now that is storytelling.
Storytelling is ethereal flow; it's the weaving of gossamer threads through the anchors that are the events. (Think: Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter.)
Writing is cement blocks; a detailed, chronological, factual recounting of the events. (Think: the evening news.)
Now, with all that said, how does one go from being a writer to a storyteller? How can you find your writing voice?
1 - Read
First, you must read. A lot.
You cannot hope to be a storyteller if you don't read.
Reading is about listening to the writing voice of others.
And you should read everything; read the garbage and read the good stuff.
Why?
Because you need to know what BAD is so you can properly define what GOOD is.
When you look at the bad, dissect it, ask yourself why you find it flat / boring / uninspiring.
Do the same with the good; ask yourself why you think it's uplifting / compelling / inspiring.
My best recommendation for learning the art of storytelling and finding your writing voice is to read auto-biographies. There's nothing quite like reading the way someone narrates their own life to show you the contrast between writing versus storytelling.
Some people succeed so beautifully (Portia de Rossi) while others fail so miserably (Sorry Shania Twain).
 |
| Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash |
2 - Imitate
Begin writing the way your favourite writers write.
Copy their style, their writing voice, do what they do.
Of course, this won't produce good writing, because good writing is authentic, and copying someone else will never be authentic.
But do it anyhow because you need a place to begin, something that will help you move away from simply writing, to storytelling. It will help you identify what a writing voice is as you ask yourself "would this person say it this way or that?"
It will help you get used to narrating as opposed to telling.
3 - Practice
The only way to get better at anything is to do it again and again and again and again.
So write, every day, even if it's just journal entries, stream of consciousness, or whatever.
Just write.
I've made writing a practice for close to 20 years; I'm only now beginning to feel that I've found my writing voice. (I think? But my evaluation of my own writing is obviously highly subjective.)
I'm not saying that it will take you this long; I'm saying that from my own hyper-critical view of my own work, it's only now that I'm starting to see the narration that was missing from my early writings.
 |
| Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash |
4 - Work
If you're a writer - and you know in your heart if you are - you know that the work will never end.
I know this for myself; words are my calling, my purpose with a capital "P." The reason I am here on earth is to communicate, specifically about the experience of being human.
I've accepted the fact that I'm a wordsmith (words are my toys!) and that I'll be chiseling my thoughts into tangible texts until the day I die.
And somehow, that makes sitting down to write easier. Since the work will never end, I might as well sit my a** down and just do it.
And I do.
YOU can too.
There's no magical formula, no quick-fix, no "hack."
It's just about sitting down and doing the work.
Find your voice and use your words to truly speak.
"Most of my writing life consists of nothing more than unglamorous disciplined labor. I sit at my desk and I work like a farmer, and that’s how it gets done. Most of it is not fairy dust in the least."
- Elizabeth Gilbert: Big Magic
 | |
| Photo by hannah grace on Unsplash You might be asking yourself "How does this topic relate to recovery from binge-eating?" What I found is that - for me - finding new ways of thinking about life and its challenges helped me to stop stress-eating, and has been a very big part of my ability to stop binge-eating. Hey Friend! Thanks for reading. If you loved 💙 this post, why not subscribe? I promise to keep showing up for you with high-quality, thought-provoking content. Because every day is a good day to feel your best.   |
Comments
Post a Comment
Hey there! Thanks for taking the time to provide your feedback.
Your comment will be published after review.