Creating and refining your own unique style of writing is very important. Readers are constantly in pursuit of something original, different and clever.
It can be difficult – especially when you’re just starting out – to fine-tune the way you write and embody the qualities that make your voice distinct and innovative.
The writer’s voice includes the personal way he/she sees the world, how it is translated. Your unique voice and style comes from the rhythm of your words. Your voice as a writer is the authorial personality you assume. Pay attention to tone; it encompasses word choice, sentence structure, even grammatical and punctuation issues. The tone must match your voice.
1. Use life-experiences
It is what you know, making it so much easier for you to slip on your characters’ shoes and immerse yourself into your story. Reflect where your journey has taken you, events that have embedded themselves into your memory. Let those reflections guide your writing.
Be inspired by real people, real emotions and real events.
When your content leaves you with deep and nostalgic feelings of been there, done that, then it’ll exude a profound sense of realism and empathy – one that will resonate and connect with your readers .
2. Make your observations unique
Everyone sees the world through their own lens. Take a moment and step back – become aware. Observe body language and conversations. How is their body language associated with the situation?
3. Awaken the 5 senses
Ignite as many of your readers’ senses as possible.
Describe the scent, the taste, the feel, the sound, and what you see.
4. Show with a twist
Use a different approach. Avoid using the same words to paint a picture.
5. Avoid clichés
It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of clichés.. They can hinder your potential for originality.
6. Use intimate details
Accentuate the emotions experienced by your characters. They are key to enhancing the quality of your writing. Be specific in your characterisation and describing the setting. The subtlest movements can build up the mood,
Word choice is crucial here.
7. Turn objects into metaphors
- Love is a battlefield.
- Bob is a couch potato.
- Baby, you’re a firework.
- I am titanium.
Metaphors make words come to life, making the object more relatable.
8. Create strong, authentic voices
The effective use of voice allows the reader to become deeply immerged in the story, forgetting that the characters are in a fabricated world.
9. Learn the rules of writing, then break them
Experiment, test the limits of what you think you are capable of writing.
10. Write every day
Quantity doesn’t matter; frequency does. The more you write, the better you will get. A world of words awaits you. Practice does make perfect!