The essence of an author's individuality lies in the voice on the page. The narrator's voice must represent someone the reader wishes to spend time with. The voice might be funny, vulnerable, authoritative, unflinchingly honest, and /or any range of characteristics as wide as all the people you have ever met. Who are you on the page? The voice might shift a bit for different projects, but there is a you that can inhabit your work so that you cultivate a relationship with your readers. The writer's voice is a character on the page. While an actor's conduct, countenance, and posture define their performance, a writer's voice carries the message to the reader and develops a relationship.

Writers develop the voice of the characters and the narrator. The voice is the persona, the sum total of the diction, detail, imagery, syntax, and tone.   For each writing project, the author develops a voice for the characters and narrator, yet the writer maintains elements of their writing voice that carry through to each project.

An author’s voice determines the kind of audience a writer attracts. For instance, readers may find a scientist's voice tedious, clinical, and uniform, but that might be the right voice for a medical article. Who wants a research scientist to be yukking it up or giving personal details when they should be presenting the results of a research study?  In contrast, if a writer possesses a witty, first-personal voice, readers are more likely to find the content engaging. This writer may find a wider audience of people who read to be entertained and enlightened. Perhaps your voice is suited to the literary crowd or the beach vacationer. Who is your ideal reader? Write for you and them.

If a writer can establish a distinctive voice, their readers are more likely to remain dedicated to their work. Consider popular singers. When your favorite singers begin a note or two, you can recognize their voices. If David Sedaris or JK Rawlings didn't put their name on their books, you'd probably still recognize their work.

Here are a few compelling reasons to cultivate an authentic voice:

1.  Your Writing Voice is Identity on the Page and Finding it Helps you Find the Author in You

As soon as you discover your voice, you will notice a change in the way you express yourself. You will be able to share your perspective, anecdotes, and personal reflections in a way that is distinctively your own.

The greater your voice distinguishes itself from others, the more willing you are to share personal experiences, thoughts, and perceptions. You can write about things you are conflicted about. You don’t have to have all the answers.  Small insights, good writing, and honesty are more pleasing than getting a sermon from a know-it-all. Finding and creating your voice is the act of creating an author.

2. As You Consider the Voice of a Writer, you will learn from those you Admire

As you cultivate self-awareness, your observations will sharpen. Consider readers you enjoy and unpack what you like about their voice on the page.  As you discover your genuine voice, you'll be compelled to observe those around you, attentively listening to their words. For example, Phillip Lopate's voice in his essays tend to be erudite, and self-deprecating, with the occasional dropping of common vernacular into highfaluting essays. He is a master of this kind of contrast. In his essay collection Against Joie de Vivre, you can see this tendency in the title. Using the French for the good life seems urbane. So when he writes an essay about his discomfort at dinner parties, he calls himself a party pooper, and it's easy to enjoy his discomfort with himself. Because we understand. And we like people who have all the uncomfortable thoughts that we do.

Observe pauses, disruptions, and signals from the writer.  Understanding how they contextualize their words is valuable. For example, when a talkative character can't think of a comeback, but turns away silently, the words describing that silence may build gravitas.  This is another kind of contrast that builds meaning.

3. Your Writing Voice Moves Your Readers

Your writing authenticity comes from connecting to your audience and the life you lived and the insight you gained.  The writer doesn't tell the reader what to think. The reader experiences the lessons with the writer. In personal writings, such as memoirs and personal essays, the author must be honest about their foibles and conflicts. The reader probably won't like an author who presents themselves as having all the answers. Go to the places where you are not sure of the answers, explore those darker rooms. Make peace with some gray areas rather than thinking you must find the one omnipotent answer to every problem. Be human.

4. Your Writing Voice is an Identity that Builds a Relationship with your Readers

Avoiding clichés is essential. These are phrases or expressions that have been overused, leading to a monotonous read. Infusing your writing with original language,  enhances its appeal.  Readers crave novelty. Bore them and you lose them. Be a concentrated form of yourself. Use your original voice. Be an authentic character.

Developing an authentic voice in your writing is your author identity.

 

5. Your Writing Voice Develops on the Page  and Your Writing Practice Invents Your Author Persona

As you form a regular (almost daily)  writing routine, you'll eventually discover your unique writing style and will find immense joy in the process. Consistently setting aside time to write will become a priority, resulting in content that resonates with your readers. The best part is, writing may feel less arduous.

It's fascinating how writing can become second nature to you, just like breathing for others. You can only discover your distinct writing style through consistent writing. Excuses won't suffice; it's time to start writing.

6. A bonus reason

Your Writing Voice Has the Power to Shift the Reader and the World

If you write with authenticity, your words will possess intimacy. When you manage to articulate something that connects with your reader at a fundamental level, they feel as though they've been seen and understood in a way that they never thought possible. I've often felt a writer articulate an idea that I'd only chewed at the edges of but was never able to fully explain to myself.

The potency of a genuine voice lies in the ability to emotionally impact readers. To empathize with your audience, you'll choose universally pertinent themes.  Even if you never drove a race car, lost a loved one, or owned a beloved dog, the theme of working toward finding the life you believe you were meant to live could captivate you as you read 'The Art of Racing in The Rain.' 

Once you cultivate a genuine tone in your writing, you'll begin to witness the changes. You'll have a greater inclination to divulge your experiences and individual insights, while concurrently becoming more mindful of your observations. In addition, your writing can become increasingly captivating, as you establish a regular writing routine. A musician practices and a writer does too. Practice becoming real, and you become real.

Crafting a genuine voice in your writing isn't like a walk on the groomed trail. It takes dedication to hone your language and tone and necessitates fluency in the English language. Forge your trail.  While every writer studies their craft, it takes a peculiar kind of confidence to become an entertaining version of yourself on the page.  That confidence comes from practice.