Finding your voice as a writer- A full guide.

There are millions of writers on the X app alone.

And many more in the world

Why do some people stand out?

It's because they have a specific writing voice.

You can read their work and immediately know exactly who wrote it.

It's a phenomenon that I can't really explain, but I know you have experienced it too with your favourite writers.

Let's see how you can get your own voice and distinguish yourself from the endless sea of writers:

Ps: If you feel this post is too long, scroll down to CONCLUDING ADVICE to get a little overview. But in truth, you will need to read the entire post to get the full message.

WHAT IS YOUR “VOICE”?

So what exactly is a writing voice and what does it consist of?

Well…

A writer has two voices:

The inner and the outer.

The inner voice is how you internalize what you read. It's in essence the preferred tone you like content to be written in.

It is the style of writing that gets you excited to read a particular writer's work whenever it is present.

There's a reason a certain style or author appeals to you.

You internally get a dopamine rush when reading that style because you enjoy it.

This is tied to your personality.

The outer voice on the other hand is the tone you prefer to write in.

It is how others perceive your work and how it sounds in their head.

Now, needless to say, your inner voice directly affects your outer voice.

Because you will always want to write like your favourite writers.

This is normal.

I said you had two voices, I didn't say they were two different voices.

If you are drawn to something, you will try to recreate it for yourself. It is a natural thing

So you see a lot of your writing resembling that of your favourites.

But you want a unique voice right?

You don't want to sound like anyone else, so how do you achieve this?

The first step is practice:

You must write. A lot.

And keep writing till you notice a pattern that excites you.

Remember, you are writing to people like you.

Your readers share your interests so if it doesn't excite you it won't excite them.

If it doesn't excite them, it won't be remembered.

The second step is patience:

It takes time.

To see any meaningful result, you have to write for a long time.

But I have good news for you…

YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR VOICE

Yes you read that right (pun intended)

You have your voice already.

Remember your inner voice?

Yeah, it may seem like you're enjoying a particular writer's style but in reality, you enjoy it because it matches your innate ideal style of communication.

In other words, your outer voice may look like you're copying your favourite creators in the beginning but in the long run, you'll realize that you're just being yourself.

That's why you need to write a lot to figure this out.

You practice your style (voice) intentionally and then build confidence to write in that style constantly.

But there's one thing to note about your writing voice:

It can appear stronger or weaker, depending on what you are writing or at what writing level you are at.

Weaker when you're just starting because it's just forming

And stronger when you've written for a while because of the confidence you build.

KEEP THESE IN MIND WHEN WRITING:

• Write about stuff that genuinely interests you

• You are a copycat by design- nothing is ever really new

• Your voice will grow on you.

When I started writing on Twitter (now known as X)

I was writing about copywriting.

Back then I had only 11 followers but I managed to grow to 50, then 70 followers and eventually 100.

But there was a problem…..

I was writing what everybody else was writing.

There were so many copywriting accounts that talked about the same stuff and eventually, I stopped getting excited to write.

Don't get me wrong I love copywriting, but it isn't my passion

My passion is the art of writing itself and everything it entails, not just selling.

When I realized this, I switched up my content.

I started to talk more about writing-related issues like writer's block and impostor syndrome

I started writing about authenticity

I started writing about lessons from my everyday life

Once I made this switch from writing what I thought the market wanted to writing what I was interested in, my zeal for creating content came back.

And I'm very close to 300 followers now.

People sense your enthusiasm through your writing and they attach it to you.

If they read something you write and it lacks that same enthusiasm, it seems fishy and they walk away.

You should also focus on your interests because that's the only way you can keep a writing habit.

If you don't get excited by the topic, you won't be excited to write

And if you don't write you'll never find your writing voice.

Mimicry is how you learned to understand the world as a child.

You copied your parents, teachers, religious leaders, friends and anyone you looked up to

And overtime, that's how you developed your personality and characteristics.

The same goes with ideas.

There is no new content or idea to write on.

We are just writing about existing concepts through our own perspectives and mental conditioning.

When you internalize ideas (through reading, listening or watching), remember to give the world your own version of it.

You are unique, therefore your opinions are unique.

If you need help writing out original content check out the truth about original content here

Finally,

The last thing you must keep in mind is that there will probably be no big “aha-moment” when it comes to finding your writing voice.

Your voice won't come down on you like lightning - It'll grow on you

It's a slow process of trial and error

Of practice, iteration and evolution

Of building confidence.

It takes time so enjoy the ride.

CONCLUDING ADVICE ( TREAT AS IMPORTANT)

Write a lot and write with intention.

When writing, you must decide what you want to accomplish in your writing.

Do you want to sound funny, informative, deep or professional?

Do you want to take your reader on an emotional ride, or do you want to create awareness in their mind?

Decide what you want to accomplish

Then as you practice your writing, you make sure to hit these targets.

Experiment.

Don't put yourself in a box.

Try out different tones with your writing, till you find your voice.

Sometimes we repress ourselves just so we can sound like our favourite writers

Don't fall into this trap.

Who knows, your favourite writer may even wish they had your personality and sounded like you.

Don't be afraid to experiment.

Find what clicks and sharpen it.

During your experimentation phase, you'll notice that a particular tone is easier and more comfortable for you

So double down on it and stick to it.

Focus on that tone and develop it

Eventually, it will evolve with parts of your personality infused into it and it will become your own.

Silence your internal critic.

A lot of us are our own biggest critics.

We tell ourselves something won't work, it's not funny enough, nobody wants to read something like that; all before we even post/ publish.

[I'm assuming everyone reading this is already posting on social media to get feedback on their writing]

Inwards, I'm a perfectionist so I know how it feels to be brutally criticized by your own mind.

But keep in mind:

Your inner critic is your mind's manifestation of all the anxiety you feel about putting your authentic voice out there.

It's a price you have to pay if you want to improve your writing and find your voice.

Accept that it's all in your head and let it all go.

Don't battle with the inner critic

Just do the opposite of what (s)he tells you.

This is how you silence it.

Embrace your quirks and surround yourself with them.

I don't like the sunlight.

It's weird I know- but it's also one of my quirks.

I write in the darkness, wearing a hoodie sometimes.

Sometimes I play Juicewrld in the background.

These are all things I identify with.

It gives a sort of serious melancholic feeling

And that feeling infuses into my writing.

Most of my content won't make you laugh but will incite a sort of bitter enlightenment.

So do this with your own quirks.

Surround yourself with important parts of your personality as you write

And see the results for yourself.

This post is already becoming too long so I'll just say the rest without going into too much details;

Don't let the criticisms of people who don't get your interests weigh you down, be very selective of the kind of people you listen to

The ideas you make your readers think about constantly will make you a voice in their heads and they will think of you whenever they're reminded of these ideas (this is how you stand out).

Explore your interests

Review your life

Write what you know!

Black and white opinions are boring.

Complexity will activate the mind and help you stand out. Introduce a bit of complex philosophical conflict.

All these help you challenge yourself and in no time, you will be too confident in yourself to even look for your voice.

If you made it to the end, thank you for reading.

You can use this as a guide whenever you feel you need to find your voice again.

Till next week

Your friend,

Michael.