Eight things you need to do to find your voice as a writer

In my last blog, I traced the development of my writing voice by looking back at the first reviews I wrote for the music paper Sounds. If you haven’t read it yet, click here.

I identified eight learnings about how you might find your voice in the written word, which I’m now going to dig into in more detail.

NB: These learnings apply to fiction and non-fiction, but please note I am not a novelist. If you want to write fiction, find a creative writing course. This is aimed at people who want to write blogs or articles.

1. Start by writing freely – don’t edit yourself
   Even if it’s stream-of-consciousness stuff or a brain dump, just start writing until some kind of theme or idea emerges – and keep going without worrying about grammar, spelling or sentence construction. You can spellcheck and edit later. Because I am a writer and an editor, I have often tripped myself up by having my editing brain switched on when I start writing, which has often led to the dreaded blank page syndrome. You need to switch off your editing brain, switch on your creative brain and just let it flow.
   
   
2. Keep writing until it becomes a habit
   Writing is like going to the gym. You need to keep working out to get blog-fit. Like a muscle, if you don’t use it, you lose it. I know this myself – despite having been a professional writer for 40 years, there have been periods when I haven’t written anything at all. Getting back into the habit then becomes harder, and you start dismissing your own ideas. I once published a blog every day for three months. It was tiring, but worthwhile – it meant that I was constantly scanning for topics to write about, and I always found something.
   
   
3. Have the courage to stand behind a point of view
   What do you really think? Are you brave enough to put your opinions and beliefs on paper? Are you prepared for people to disagree with you?  I had to get used to mildly insulting or teasing musicians in the name of entertainment – but only when I felt it was appropriate. After all, part of my job was to inform readers as to whether or not they should part with their hard-earned cash to buy records or gig tickets. You might have an opinion that puts you outside the mainstream. As long as it’s your authentic belief and you’re not being provocative for the sake of it, then share it.
   
   
4. Be clear about who you are writing for
   Who are your audience and what do they need from you? The readers I was serving at Sounds were mostly 18-30-year-olds who were really into particular genres of rock and pop but interested enough in the music scene to read reviews of bands they may not be fans of. If you’re writing a blog on your website, you need to write for the people you are serving and hope to serve. What do they care about? What do you want them to care about? What can you share with them that they wouldn’t be able to read anywhere else?
   
   
5. Hear yourself speaking in your writing
   When I read my old reviews, I can hear the 20-something me speaking. I cringe at some of it but that’s the language I used then – much of it steeped in the culture of the magazine. I’d say you’re aiming at a conversational style that feels natural. I often read people’s writing and can’t find them in it – it’s either too bland, too formal or too clever for its own good. The best way to achieve a conversational style is to read your writing out loud to see if it sounds like you talking to a friend. You may need to get over yourself, but it’s worth doing. Speaking it out is how you find your voice.
   
   
6. Unleash the full range of your personality
   This one relates to the above. Don’t be afraid to show your personality in your writing – you, warts and all, with all the quirks that make you interesting and unique. So many people are hampered by everything they’ve been taught at school or university about how to write. Let that go now. You’re not expected to write an academic article full of evidence and footnotes – unless you work in an industry where that is the norm. Again, this needs practice – there’s a level of permission that you need to give yourself in order to allow the full you to express itself on the page. When in doubt, channel your favourite writer or artist. I often think “What would Boy George say?” as he has always been so honest and funny in interviews and when he has written articles. One way of testing this is to ask a close friend to read your writing and get them to tell you whether or not they would know you were the author.
   
   
7. Find a writing mentor or editor
   I can’t stress how important this is. If you’re serious about finding your voice as a writer, at the very least you need the co-operation of a trusted individual who can read your writing and give you honest and constructive feedback. This does not mean your nearest and dearest, who will err on the side of cheerleading rather than help you develop your style. They don’t need to be an expert but they do need to have some writing or editing experience or be a few steps ahead of you in terms of having their work published (even if it’s self-published). They can be your champion, but they must have your development in mind. When I started writing, I was convinced that my reviews would be extensively rewritten – and was surprised and delighted when they appeared in print with only a few tweaks. This gave me confidence that I had something to say – and that it was worth publishing. Kudos to my early editors, who gave me space to develop while gently course-correcting me with a few strokes of their pens.
   
   
8. Give yourself permission to have fun and enjoy writing
   This is also key. Don’t treat writing as if it’s a school exam. If you don’t enjoy it, you won’t have the incentive to keep writing. If it feels arduous or difficult, then you need to ask yourself why. What’s getting in the way? What are your limiting beliefs around writing? Are you comparing yourself unfavourably to others? Are you buying into an old story about not being a writer? What has to happen for writing to be a fun activity for you? What’s going to help you keep going when you don’t feel particularly inspired? As I’ve already said, I have gone through periods when I haven’t written much at all, and haven’t felt like doing so. Sometimes I have to do a “pattern interrupt” to force myself back on to the page. But more often, I wait for inspiration to hit me and act on it immediately. Then the words flow and I can have fun with them, teasing out a concept to its logical conclusion.

So there you have it – my eight learnings about finding your voice as a writer. I’m sure there are more, but these should get you started. And if you are looking for a writing mentor and editor, you know where I am…

Check out my new offering – Finding Your Voice as a Writer – a 1-2-1 coaching package. Click here for more information.