7 Ways to Find Your Writing Voice

Today, I want to talk about something that ties into last week’s post about staying original while writing. And that is: finding your writing voice. Voice is really important in the writing process, yet so many newbie writers struggle to find it. If you'd rather watch this in video format, feel free to click play below. Otherwise, read on!


Some of you may be wondering, “What is voice in writing? Is it style? Is it tone?” The answer is not exactly. Voice is an overarching concept that both writing style and tone fall under. But your writing voice is your unique way of looking at the world. A writer who sees the world the same as everyone else has either lost their voice or never found it in the first place. Voice is style, plus theme, plus personal observations, plus passion, plus belief, plus desire. Voice is bleeding onto the page which is a frightening and vulnerable experience. But finding your voice is something that is necessary to stand out amongst the many writers out there. You don’t talk exactly like anyone else, right? So why should you write like everyone else?
What would this post be without some examples of authors who have truly found their voice? Not a very good one ;) Think of J.K. Rowling. Readers lined up for the next Harry Potter book because J.K. Rowling has a unique way of looking at the world. She revealed a magical, hidden world filled with extraordinary people, secret wars, and enchanted creatures. And readers continue to buy her new books even though they aren’t Harry Potter-related. Why? Because of her VOICE .
Same with George R.R. Martin, author of the infamous Game of Thrones series. In his world, heroes are killed, the bad guys win a lot of the time (which can be infuriating) and what is right isn’t always what is smart. He has a unique way of looking at the world, and readers crave it, they want more of it, they can’t get enough of it.
So how do we, as writers, find our voices? Well, it all starts by developing sight. And by this I mean that you yourself have to understand how you see the world and that the way you see it is unique. So, without further ado, here are 7 ways to discover your writing voice:
1.       Ask yourself, “What do you value most?”a.       Morality is essential to every story, regardless of whether you’re writing nonfiction or fiction. Even business books have a moral viewpoint (i.e. making money = good, waste = bad). You need to understand your moral worldview. What is most important in life? Family, love, courage, sacrifice? b.      Do the good guys always win? If you only enjoy books where the hero wins, then this is an important part of how you see the world. c.       What is not okay to you? What makes you angry, sick to your stomach, or sad? Is it poverty, selfishness, abuse, infidelity, betrayal? Write about these things and stick to your views on them.
2.       People Watcha.       Next time you find yourself in a public place, look at the people around you. This is a great exercise to do while waiting for a flight at an airport. Really try to see the people around you. What are they hiding? What are their secrets? Everyone has something that if found out, fear they would be rejected or excluded. b.      Is the person you’re watching a good guy? A bad guy? Remember, even the villains thinkthey’re the good guy.c.       What does the person you’re watching want? What’s stopping them from getting it? A great story requires conflict, tension, compromise, and desire. d.      Who does that person rely on? Many protagonists have a sidekick, and antagonists do too. e.      What is their ideal place? What would be the most terrifying/uncomfortable/lonely/boring place for them? And why?
3.       Observe Your Surroundingsa.       Setting is important in every story. So take a look around. What are your eyes drawn to? Describe it! When you squint, what do you automatically look at? How does what you’re seeing make you feel?
4.       Read everythinga.       It’s hard to be a successful writer if you don’t read. The more you read, the more you will acquire a visceral instinct about what works for you and what you like, and an equally compelling instinct for what doesn’t and what you don’t like. You’ll discover how stories are put together, how subplots connect, how to pace and plot, and how bad stories fall apart. Reading can help you discover your voice and it can also help you fine tune it. So don’t neglect it!
5.       Play gamesa.       Make endless lists – one word lists of the things that excite you, scare you, the things you dream and fantasize about, the things you dread and fight to avoid. Some great topics for lists are childhood memories, dreams and nightmares, what you want most in the world, what you’d do anything to avoid. Once you have your list, play a game with it. One of my favorite writing exercises is to write by theme. So, what I’ll do is randomly choose one word from my list and write for ten minutes on just that word, exploring everything about it that matters to me, why the subject compels me, what memories it stirs in me, what hopes or fears it shakes loose in me, the places, sounds, tastes, and scents that appear as I write. I don’t censor myself, I don’t stop writing for any reason, and I don’t correct anything. The idea here is to dig beneath your surface and free up things you’ve kept hidden, even from yourself.
6.       Challenge your preconceptionsa.       Let me break down a harsh reality for you. We don’t know everything about ourselves. We only think we do. The more you trust yourself to write without trying to correct or fix anything, the more you’ll discover that you’re a lot deeper, more interesting, and more complex than you imagined. In order to challenge your preconceptions, I’m going to suggest an exercise. Now, this exercise won’t be easy. In fact, I would recommend to NOT DO THIS if you’re tired, cranky or have a headache. This exercise is to write about something that pushes your own buttons. If you’re a liberal Democrat, write an essay from inside the head of a staunch Republican who is in favor of the thing you most despise. If you’re religious, try writing from inside the head of a person who loathes all religion and has a good reason for doing so. The purpose of this is for you to become, although only temporarily, the thing that most frightens, angers, or bewilders you. To do it right, you have to allow your enemy to convince you of his rightness. This will be some of the toughest writing you will ever do, but take a leap and try it. It is the absolute best way to start developing characters that aren’t transparent versions of yourself.
7.       Don’t push fear away, let it ina.       If you’re writing something and your heart is beating fast, your mouth is dry, and your palms are sweaty, KEEP GOING because this means you’re writing from the part of yourself that has something to say and will be worth hearing. At the heart of everything you’ve ever read that’s moved you, brought you to tears, changed your life, touched you in some way . . . was a writer’s fear. And a writer’s determination to say what they had to say despite that fear. So be afraid. In fact, be terrified. And then thank you fear for telling you that what you’re doing, you’re doing right.
So there you have it, 7 ways to help you discover your writing voice. If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this post, it’s this: Finding your voice is a journey. It’s a process. And it will take time. You already have a voice and it is beautiful, unique, and unlike any other. All you have to do is have the guts to go searching for it and when you do find it, let it breathe. No matter how fearful or how scared you are, let it prevail. Do that, and you’ll have a bestseller under your belt in no time.
Now for some announcements. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I will be doing an author event at Katy Budget Books in the greater Houston Area and the date has been set for that. It will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2016 from 2:00-4:00 PM, so mark your calendars! I will also be attending Leviosa Con in Las Vegas from July 8th-9th so if you are in the area, I’d love to meet you.
The winner for subscribing to my channel in the month of May is: Lilly Camble. Congratulations! Please email me at authorkristenmartin@gmail.comwith your mailing address so I can ship you some bookish goodies!
I hope you enjoyed the content today. I'll see you guys in the next post!




Until next time,


Adapted from source 1/ source 2