Unlocking your authentic writing voice isn’t a clear-cut path – it’s a journey of self-discovery, full of surprises and rewards, and here’s how you can do it.
If you’re a writer, you might have the impression that discovering your true writing voice is as simple as following a signposted route. Look online and you’ll find an inspirational quote or 10 telling you so. These are often delivered by the rich and famous to lesser mortals.
For example, lawyer-turned-author John Grisham says: ‘Each of you has a distinctive voice. When you find it, your story will be told. You will be heard.’
Why finding your voice feels so hard
It sounds so easy, put like that. It’s a treasure trail – turn left at authenticity, go straight ahead to your soul, and dig at the spot marked ‘X’. Unearth your true voice and slot it into place. Job done. Yet what these authors fail to acknowledge is that it’s not so easy for everyone. Grisham found huge success with only his second novel.
Perhaps he didn’t have to find his voice because it was already there. The same might be said for other bestselling authors. But what about the rest of us? Unearthing your authentic voice is much more difficult than it’s made out to be. In fact, for many writers – and creative people in different fields – it’s a decades-long process. If you’re one of those, then take heart, because finding your true voice is less a case of following a signposted trail than an exploration into the unknown. And like all adventures, it’s the surprises that reap the biggest rewards.
Firstly, why can it seem so hard to write in your true voice? The immediate answer is obvious – if you don’t know what your actual voice is, how can you write in it?
Writing voices & the roles we play
Many of us have different “voices” for different occasions – some people might call these masks, but it’s perhaps more complex than that. If you come from a background that’s different to the one you inhabit now, you may have become used to developing a new voice for a new world. Or maybe some loved ones find it hard to accept your authentic self, so you use a different voice for them.
Perhaps, over the years, you’ve developed different voices for particular situations. Over time, you’ll find
it hard to discard all of these and delve back into the true core of you.
When your writing voice doesn’t feel right
What happens if a writer can’t find their true voice? For some, it leads to creative block – an inability to write anything at all. Others might produce work that feels pretentious or fake. When younger, I wanted to write about emotions I’d yet to feel, about people and situations I didn’t truly understand. Studying Advanced English meant I aimed to emulate classic literature and spent way too much time labouring over imagery and metaphor.
The results weren’t terrible, but they were ersatz.
They didn’t come from somewhere real.
Writing in a world full of influence
We live in a world suffused with culture. And although pastiche is no bad thing, it can be an automatic habit to recreate what we think of as good writing. Grisham himself says he never reads fiction while he’s writing in case he ends up unconsciously imitating its style.
There are exercises (see opposite) that can help you to learn more about your authentic voice, discover how to rid yourself of the barriers, and write as the only self you have.
Everyone else, remember, is already taken.
How to write in your true voice
Exercise 1. What powers your voice?
You can try this using the prompts below or as a free-writing exercise. Take a piece of paper and scribble words on it that you feel describe your character. If you wish, look at the pairs of words below and choose which one of each pair fits you most accurately. Remember, it’s not how you communicate with others (because that might be a role you play), it’s how you feel within yourself.
In some cases, both words might fit – maybe you’re both frivolous and serious. But in some, perhaps one is more appropriate. If none seem right, then make up your own.
Detailed v big picture
Romantic v practical
Tender v no-nonsense
Frivolous v serious
Passionate v objective
Pessimistic v optimistic
Observer v participant
Spiritual v atheist
When you’ve finished, look at a piece of your writing and compare it with the words you chose to describe your authentic self. Is it trying to be too romantic when you’re quite practical? Remember neither is better than the other.
If you spot any mismatch, rewrite the piece so it feels more fitting. Then compare the two.
Exercise 2. Destroy negative self-talk
A big reason why writers find it hard to create in their own voice is because of something that often sounds like a voice of its own. It sits on your shoulder and natters away, telling you that your true voice is unwanted. It’s important to recognise and then destroy the negative self-talk – or inner critic, as it’s sometimes named – which prevents you from accepting and celebrating your true voice.
Complete the sentence “My true voice is…” with any negative belief that you may hold, however deep it goes.
You might not realise you’re holding it until you bring it up to the light. If this phrase doesn’t work for you, write other ones, such as:
- My true voice is too loud
- Nobody wants to hear my true voice
- I’m afraid to use my true voice
Now, write opposites for each one of those negative beliefs. The important task here is not to be subtle, however uncomfortable you might feel. Why?
Because unhelpful self-talk cuts deep. To counteract it you must go out of your comfort zone and completely over the top. It’s okay if you don’t believe the positive sentences you write – that’s the point.
Some examples might be:
- My true voice is so beautiful. (DON’T write “My true voice is okay” or “My true voice is not loud.” You MUST go over the top with your praise.)
- Everybody loves to hear my true voice.
- I love using my true voice.
Write at least as many positive sentences as you did negative ones. Then copy them out using brightly coloured letters. Decorate the page and stick the affirmations on a wall near where you write. They will remind you of a truth that will come one day, if not right now.
Exercise 3. Write in your true voice
Give yourself 20 minutes to write something as authentically as possible. This will not be for publication and is for no one’s eyes but your own. Write a poem, a paragraph, a stream of consciousness – whatever you want. There’s no pressure. Don’t go back and edit – let it come out. Don’t write for future posterity – just write. Then put it away for a week or longer. Come back to it when you’ve had some time away.
Does this piece feel true to you? If it does, well done. You’re further along that twisting path into the unknown – the journey of discovering your true writing voice.
