Finding Your Voice: Let Your Writing Sing

For many writers, voice is difficult to identify because it is often confused with tone or style, but it is more than either of these. Tone refers to the mood of the specific piece of writing and style refers to the way in which you use words to create structure and balance. Your voice is the elusive quality to makes your writing come to life on the page.

Think of your favorite singer. He or she probably has a preferred style of music— from soulful Blues to good old rock-n-roll. He may also prefer a certain tone from uplifting songs of praise to the dark and foreboding.  Others may share the style and tone of his music—yet he possesses the power to create a unique experience for the listener. That power is his voice.

A writing voice is a lot like that.  It embodies more than style and tone. Your writing voice makes connections with your readers and inspires action or elicits emotion. Your voice is the director, while style and tone are merely actors. They can be recast at any time, but your voice cannot.

Finding your voice requires courage and faith. The courage to put a bit of who you are into everything you write and the faith that there are readers who seek what you have to offer. It isn’t always easy, and it is always comfortable—but until you are ready and willing to go beyond the basics of style and tone and add your personal voice to your work, you will never really know what you are capable of as a writer.

Tips for Finding Your Writing Voice

Write from the heart. Whether you are writing fiction or a simple instructional article, when you write from the heart, your natural voice is unveiled. Use your passion to develop a clear voice.

Picture your audience. Write as though your readers are a friend that you want to share your information with. Use language appropriate for the reader and your voice will come shining through.

Read. Read. Read. Think about the ways the author uses her voice to enhance the style and tone of the piece.

Explore. Write on a variety of topics geared to different audiences. Observe how your writing voice affects the outcome.

So.. Now I Have a Plan

I've been thinking about my writing goals for the new year for the past few days. I told myself they really didn't need to be written until the "work week" began--which of course gave me a couple of extra days to mull things over. 


This morning I came up with a plan--or rather I should say, "my plan came to me". Yes. Just like that it came and I listened, after all I was getting a bit desperate for ideas. Somehow writing down, "I will update my blogs" didn't quite cut it as writing goals. Sure I have some personal goals such as the amount of money I want to make this year from my writing and the schedule I intend to keep, but I'm not quite ready to share those yet.


What I am about to share with you might not knock your socks off, but it rocked my world this morning.


It all started with a Kiss. That's right. A simple little kiss that reminded me that Kiss stands for something. I know, you are ahead of me already, but that's okay --I'm not letting those kinds of things rattle me any more.


You see, I've decided to Keep...It...Simple...Stupid. 

• When I have the choice between an easy task and a difficult task that will reap the same rewards, I will chose the easy task. Not because I am lazy and not because I am afraid of hard work, but because it makes sense. It's practical and it's the best use of my time.
• When I am tired, I will rest because a rested mind accomplishes more in less time.
• When I am frustrated, I will walk away and take a break from writing, if only for a few minutes.
• When work is done, I will write about those things I am passionate about whether they are paying jobs or not.
• When I am under pressure of deadlines, I will relax and remind myself that all things are easier when the mind is still.
• When doubts come, I will remember that the world unfolds just as it is intended to be.
• When the day is done, I will smile and know I have accomplished exactly what I need to accomplish today.

What Qualifies Me to Offer Advice?

You may be wondering who I am and what qualifies me to give you advice about writing online. If you were expecting to hear that I am a super writer who rakes in thousands of dollars in residual income from my writing each month--or that I have millions of page views and thousands of followers battling to be the first to read my writing--you will disappointed.

I'm not any of those things. I'm just a writer who writes for a living and has learned a few things along the way. Sure, I've received an award or two, and I've written a few articles that bring a steady stream of readers throughout the year, but that isn't what makes me qualified to offer you advice.

What qualifies me is that I am just like you. I know the path you travel, I know the questions you have and I know that the "successful ones" aren't always eager to share their real secrets with you. Their philosophy is that they had to work hard to learn the ropes and that you should too--or so they say. In truth, I think they are afraid that by sharing what they know, YOU just might become more successful than they are.

I'm not worried about you succeeding--in fact, I sincerely hope you do. I believe there are more than enough readers for all of us to succeed and enjoy a productive and fulfilling life as a writer.

That is exactly why I'm here--to share what I have learned, so you can concentrate on the important task of writing, instead of navigating the maze of online writing alone.

Looking Forward as a Writer

I know its a bit early to begin the talk of the New Years and setting writing goals. But, as I review my success and failures from the past year, my mind is focused on where I will go and what I will do in the coming year. I hope I have learned from my mistakes and grown as a writer over the course of the past year--but even more, I hope that I will grow and learn infinitely more in the upcoming year.

I've learned that writing isn't about stringing together words or finding those elusive high paying keywords. It isn't about my Google ranking. It isn't even about getting paid to do what I do best. Its more than that.

Writing is about finding the courage to announce to the world "I am here." Its about not worrying if the grammar Nazi locates my missing commas, or if the perennial expert who lurks in the shadows of cyberland would have said it differently or written a better introduction. Writing isn't about them. It's about me and its about you. It's about finding the courage to say, "Yes, this is who I am." and not worrying about who is better or worse at the craft.

With that in mind, I have set my first New Year's Resolution as a writer. I'll be honest. This is new for me. Typically, I follow where ever the wind may blow--seeking opportunities as they arise. But this year is different. I know where I want to go.

This year, I will seek out opportunities to write the things that are important to me. I will let go of the notion that to find success I must provide what others seek. I will embrace the knowledge that what I have to say is important--that is is valuable--and that there are others out there eager to hear what I have to say.

Won't you join me in my journey?