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Writers and Their Voices
How do you feel about your writing voice?
I never thought much about my writing voice until I started freelancing as a marketer in the tech industry. I spent years slipping in and out of distinct brand personas and ghost-writing for executives. This work taught me how to shape-shift my voice. Unexpectedly, I discovered it was fun.
Your writing voice is the way your words summon the impression of a human being. Readers sense someone behind nearly everything they encounter.
When we read fiction, we sense characters. We listen in our heads to a poetic voice when reading poems. We hear the sender of text messages. Even when reading marketing copy or interactive with chat bots, we cannot help creating a personality in our heads.
All writing implies a voice behind it.
How do you feel about your voice?
When I ask people about their writing voice, responses fall into three camps:
- Authentic, steady writers
- Intentional shifters
- Instinctive adapters
The difference lies in their approach.
