To find your own writing voice is like finding your personal rhythm. It develops over time. With so much content available at all times, having a distinct voice helps you to stand out, resonate with your readers, and make your work true to you. But how can you work on discovering your voice? It requires you to self-reflect, practice, and experiment.

What Is Voice vs. Tone?

When beginning to develop your voice, you must understand the difference between voice and tone. Grammarly.com says that voice consists of words and phrases that you choose or don’t choose and the way you structure your sentences and arguments. Your voice is the core of your writing personality. While you may think tone is similar to your voice, it’s actually referring to the inflection and sound of the words used. Tone shifts depending on your audience or your subject. Think of voice as the your perspective and personality and tone is how you express that perspective.

Identifying Your Influences

One way to start finding your voice is to find influences that you enjoy. Pay attention to the writers that you admire. Author William Zinsser says, “Never hesitate to imitate another writer. Imitation is part of the creative process for anyone learning an art or a craft”. You don’t begin writing, or another art form, and are perfect at it. You learn through the other authors and artists that influences you to begin the craft. This doesn’t mean copy them, but rather identifying the elements that you resonate with. Over time, you can incorporate these influences in a way that feels natural to you.

Experimentation While Staying Authentic

Experimenting with your writing can also help your refine your voice, but staying authentic to your core values is essential. Try exploring different ways of writing – adjust sentence structures, play with word choice, or vary your tone. These small changes can unlock new points in your style. It’s important to remember that staying authentic should always be your guiding principle. Readers connect with writing that feels genuine and can easily detect when it’s not. If it doesn’t feel genuine to you, it won’t feel genuine to your audience. Take creative risks, but make sure that your writing at its core reflects who you are.

Your Voice is a Journey

Finding your voice is a process that takes patience and persistence. It’s not something that will appear overnight and will take time to develop. Once you find and develop it, your voice will set you apart and help you connect with your audience. The more you explore, the more you will learn about your unique voice. Remember that your writing voice is a reflection of you and your values.