If you’ve been blogging for more than 5 minutes, I’m sure you’ll have heard people talk about your ‘voice’. What does ‘finding your voice’ really mean and why should you care?
I write only because there is a voice within me that will not be still.
–Sylvia Plath
WHAT’S YOUR BLOGGING VOICE?
Have you ever read a post and felt as if the author was talking directly to you. You felt like you were friends, or that at the very least that you should be! You can tell they’re really passionate, really self-expressed and they speak with confidence. People are moved by those who speak with their real voice. Yet what most people don’t realise is that almost everyone who’s found their voice had to put in a lot of work to find that voice. It doesn’t usually come naturally. When you read something that has been written about a personal experience, you get a sense of the person who wrote it. If they write well their personality will jump off the page. Their writing could make you feel as if you know them personally, when all you have actually done is read their words. They have the skill to make you ‘feel’, they can engage you and take you on a journey with their words.
‘Your voice’ includes your writing style, your tone, your choice of words and everything about how you communicate. If you have a strong voice it may will polarise people. Not everyone will like your voice and you know what? That’s just fine. In order to find our true fans, we will come across people who just do not find a resonance with our message and prefer to go elsewhere. Let them go and just know that you’re one step closer to finding people who will LOVE your voice.
There’s no doubt that you can develop your voice to make it stronger and more representative of you. It will not happen over night.
There are lots of ways to approach finding your voice, so let’s get started.
Ways to find your blogging voice
Write like you speak
From a young age we are taught to write in a formal way. We write letters, we pass exams, fill out forms, write essays and none of these forms of writing require us to show our personality. All of them expect formality and correctness. So you can see how this doesn’t help us to develop our skills for emotive writing that connects with our readers.
Write with passion
There’s no doubt that people write their very best work when they are passionate about the topic they’re writing about. So what you are passionate about? What do you love? What do you find easy to write about? Maybe it’s a topic you could talk about all day long.
If you love internet marketing, get into the internet marketing field. If you love knitting, get into the knitting space. What’s a topic that you’d talk about and obsess about even if you weren’t getting paid? What’s something that really lights you up in life and gets you excited? Maybe not every single passion can be turned into a career, but you’d be surprised at how tiny niches can be very profitable. Start with what you’re really passionate about. It’ll come through in your voice.
Care about the impact you want to make
Can you tell the difference between someone who’s written something and really cares if you succeed. Versus someone who’s just writing the content for the sake of it? I’m guessing you can tell that the first piece has a completely different feel to it. Naturally, it’s the people who really want to help us that we feel drawn to. When you’re writing content, ask yourself: Who are you trying to help with this content? How would you like their life to change as a result of you writing this content for them? If you really want to help people, they can sense that. It comes through in your writing and your voice. It creates loyalty. Your voice isn’t “one thing” that people can point to and say whether it’s good or not. It’s more of the overall vibe of your content, how everything you say is presented. A great voice will create a sense of community, loyalty and following. While a weak voice will just turn people away from your content.
Show your personality
When you talk to your friends and family, how would the describe you? Are you outgoing? Quirky? Quiet? Bubbly? Make sure you share your personality in your content. Infuse your quirks and idiosyncrasies into your words. Write without worrying about ‘correctness’ or formality. People who have developed strong voices aren’t afraid to polarise people. Try writing like you’re speaking to casually to a friend. This will make your style informal and conversational. Always be honest. Show your personality and share your opinions. Be yourself, staying true to your personality and your voice, and people will identify with you. Your voice, whether you’re writing a post, speaking on stage, chatting on a call, should remain consistent. There needs to be a congruence to your voice, in order to build the know, like and trust factor and build your credibility.
Read (& write!) lots to stay inspired to share your voice
“The best way to develop your writer’s voice is to read a lot. And write a lot. There’s really no other way to do it.”
Stephen King
As you’re reading, think about what you like about the authors writing style. What aspects could you can take into your own style.
I’m constantly inspired by other content creators and think this is one of the best ways to find YOUR voice. The more you write, the more time you will have to find and hone your voice. Practice makes perfect!
Copying but not copying
Nobody is born with a style or a voice. We don’t come out of the womb knowing who we are. In the beginning, we learn by pretending to be our heroes. We learn by copying. ~ Austin Kleon
We learn by modelling, it’s a psychological phenomenon. So, why don’t we use modelling to help us develop our writing voice? This is not copying everything someone else does. Rather being inspired and taking aspect that we can do our way. The best way to work through this is to pick a writer you admire and who resonates with you. Then ask yourself these questions;
- Why do you love this writer?
- What it is about their intros that compels you to read on?
- Why do you love their tone?
- Do they have words they use frequently?
- Do they share their life stories?
- Do they inspire you to take action?
You can then use this information to develop you own voice and give you the confidence to do your version of what you like and feel connected to from the writing others.
Tell a story
As bloggers we know we should give value. Often we focus so much on giving the content in a clear way that we forget to share ourselves too. Your readers want to know your opinion on something. They don’t just want the facts, they want your version, your opinion and your stories. The stories don’t have to all be your own, they could be yours, but they also could be family members, friends, or even clients or colleagues. Your stories are unique to you so sharing them shows your audience the real you and also gives them more chances to resonate with what you’re saying.
Make sure you have a point
Have you ever read a post, got to the end and wondered if you missed the point? You skim down it again, but you didn’t miss anything. There wasn’t really a point. You don’t want to do that to your readers, you don’t want them to feel like they wasted the time they spent on your site. Your posts must have a point and your voice should help you communicate that.
Give yourself time to grow and develop your style.
As you get more confident in your writing ability, you will start to show more of your personality in your posts.
Read your posts back to yourself out loud.
Reading your posts aloud is a wonderful way to hear how they sound first hand. How does it sound? Forced or natural? You want your words to sound like an easy conversation.
Be consistent
While you don’t have to have the same tone in all of your posts (i.e being funny or sarcastic) you need to have the same voice. When your readers read a post they ideally should recognise your voice shining through. I always write the way I speak, so it’s easy for me to maintain consistency across all of my posts. Chopping and changing will be off-putting for your readers.
Enjoy it
If blogging starts to feel like a chore it will show in your writing. So, make sure you always love what you do. This will project from your post and draw people in. Be confident that your voice is worth hearing. You have as much right to tell your story as anyone else, so share your story and share part of you too. Showing your readers your personality means they will be able to identify with you so much more. Be honest, be truthful and most of all be you.
Having a strong blogging voice is about voicing your opinions, being a leader, and adding a strong dose of personality. Stop worrying whether people might not like you. Let your personal quirkiness shine through. Feel free to be different, eccentric, or even a bit weird. Because that’s how you connect, and engage, and grow your blog following.
Do you feel you have found your voice or are you still looking? Have you found your true blogging voice? What helped you nail it?
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