How To Create Your Own Voice

We talk a lot about the importance of creating your own voice, how it amplifies your brand, makes you stand out, and is an absolute must. But, if you’re not used to writing or brand creation, finding your voice can seem a bit daunting. In this blog post, we will discuss what exactly voice is, and how to create your own voice.

So what is ‘voice’? The Oxford Dictionary defines voice in literature as “the specific group of characteristics displayed by the narrator or poetic ‘speaker’ (or, in some uses, the actual author behind them), assessed in terms of tone, style, or personality”. This is a great starting point for understanding what exactly voice is. Because it is a rather subjective term in the way that we are using it, the definition will differ slightly depending on who you ask. We like to define voice as the tonal language used to convey your or your company's personality to your readership. In other words, your voice is the way you utilize language to communicate with your target audience.

Finding Your Voice for Creative Writers

If you’re a creative writer, you will likely have some semblance of your own voice. Unfortunately, in an era where writing for tropes and profit has overridden writing for quality and with intention, our voices can falter and end up becoming replaced with a desire for marketability. You may think that writing in a voice that seems marketable will get your work published, or make you a quick buck, we’re here to tell you that isn’t the case. Sure, the odd writer may find success this way, but you’re far more likely to find success through quality writing, and the best writing you’re going to do is with your own voice.

A great way to go about finding this voice, if you’re not sure what it is, is to read back through your past works and look for a pattern in tonality, structure, and personality. Perhaps you write your stories to be read in a fast-paced, pressure-filled way. Or maybe you write in a way that slowly takes your readers by the hand and guides them through the fields of pressed parchment at a leisurely pace. This is one component of your voice.

The next is in what kinds of stories you tell, not the plot, but the theme. Does your voice have one theme it prefers to stick to when writing? Or do you have multiple themes that seem to all connect in the end, or are entirely different from one another? Now, we don’t mean to scare you, there’s no need to have one theme in order to have a strong grasp on your voice. In fact, your voice may change with each piece of writing you do. The key to voice is consistency. If you are telling a story about a man who gets lost in the woods and comes across an alien spaceship, and the theme is about creating community, is the language and pacing that you’re using to tell this story consistent?

Another great way to develop your voice is by reading multiple books from authors that you admire. It’s no secret that to be a great writer you should be a devoted reader as well, one of the reasons for this is that either consciously or subconsciously, you begin to develop a clearer understanding of voice. Does your favourite author describe a character's accent in their dialogue? Or consistently write run-on sentences? Do they use incredibly descriptive settings to immerse you in their stories? Maybe they write as though they’re talking to a friend. When you find something your favourite author does, try putting your own spin on it and writing your own story in a sort of imitation of them. Continue to do this, then read back through the work and find what separates your writing from their writing. Before you know it you will have developed your own unique voice and have a firm grasp on how to best utilize it to captivate an audience.

Creating a Voice for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs, we haven’t forgotten about you. Finding and defining your own voice is just as crucial for you and your business as it is for creative writers. However, defining and finding your voice is going to be slightly different.

For businesses, we define voice as the tone and personality you convey to your target market through branding, marketing, and communications. A business's voice is usually developed during brand development and should remain consistent throughout all branding, marketing, and communications.

To find your voice, you need to answer these three questions:

1. How do you want to communicate with customers? (Will you address them as though they are a friend? Will there be a degree of separation to symbolize prestige?)

2. What do you want to communicate to your customers? (Are you trying to convey a certain level of knowledge about an industry? Do you want to show your customers that you have the best waterproof sneakers on the market?)

3. What is your mission statement?

The third question, ‘what is your mission statement’, will be your greatest asset when defining your voice. Answering this question will help you determine the tonal language you will use to address your target market.

Another great way to find your voice is to do market research. Dive into the branding of companies, entrepreneurs, and businesses that you admire. How do they communicate to their audience? What sets them apart? By studying other brands voices you will have a clearer understanding of how to set up your own voice and how to set yourself apart from the rest.

Finally, as an entrepreneur, you most likely infuse your marketing and products with a bit of your own personality. Utilizing your personality in your branding is a great way to quickly and effectively create your own voice and set you apart from competitors. Are you always making others laugh with your quick wit? Insert that wit into your brand's voice. Are you passionate about social issues in your day-to-day life? How can your business reflect that in its brand positioning and create a unique voice of its own?

Creating your own voice can seem nearly impossible when you first start out because we tend to focus on separating ourselves completely from others. The truth is that while we’re all unique, in many ways we are similar to everyone around us, but it is the small details that sets us apart from one another. Find the small details that set you apart and use them to inspire your voice.