Writing Tips #4: What is the Voice?

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If you're interested in writing, regardless if you're experienced or just starting out, you might find something useful in this tip series. Today we are gonna talk about the author's "Voice", what it means, and should you even bother with it.

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Introduction

What is the Voice?
The Voice, is something every author has. Whether knowingly or unknowingly. The degrees to which you use your voice can wary, cut it is always gonna be there in some capacity. Put simply, the Voice is your style, your signature. It is what will (for some authors) separate you from the pack.

How will I find my Voice?
Through reading other authors, through people-watching (more on this one in a future blog) and through just writing and finding yourself as an author.

Is it important to have a distinctive Voice?
Some authors argue that having a Voice is the most important thing, while others say that the content of what you write is what's important, not how you write it.

Both sides bring compelling arguments.

The Painted Frame of Glass

The Painted Frame of Glass is a well-known analogy in the writing world. Basically what it means is: you have this painted frame of glass (your voice), and the canvas (your story). The more prose you use in your writing the more painted the frame of glass. It's a pretty apt analogy and I'm fond of using it.

As with all of these blogs, there is no right answer. You can paint that frame of glass as much or as little as you want to. If anyone has read the classic "Lolita", they would know that Mr. Vladimir Nabokov's prose almost cover the canvas in full. To the point where you barely even see it, all you see is the painted frame of glass at times.

Choosing whether your Voice is more prose heavy or not is down to your writing preferences. And make no mistake, some readers appreciate a more stylistic type of writing, and some just want to read a good story. It's the same for authors.

I'm personally more of a canvas guy, meaning my frame of glass is very transparent, it is there to accentuate the canvas, to make it pop out more, not to obscure it. Again, there is no right answer here.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Words

This is something that few new writers actually think about. And yet it is very important in building your story. The specific words you use paint a picture for the reader. They evoke a certain feeling - ever so subtly. Knowing and udnerstanding this, can help you realize your world vision better.

Of course, being descriptive is important. But details should not be throwaway, they should be put with care and attention. They need to be relevant and have payoffs. All this means is: you need to be consistent. Even if your Voice is less descriptive, your words still evoke a particular feeling in the reader, whether you want to or not.

We're not even talking about how the words you use in viewpoint character chapters are one of the most important things in writing. We're talking in general, throughout your story. Whether you know it or not, the choice of words you use will have an effect.

Being a Mute

Some established authors would say that your voice connects you to your reader. That if someone took a book off a bookshelf and skimmed through it, they would immediately know who is the author is. That's one argument.

The other is that it doesn't actually matter. Because, your story is what actually matters, and that readers come back to your writings because they know they will receive something fulfilling.

I dunno if mute has been used in the way I'm using it now, but I thought of it while trying to construct my opinion: The story is what matters, the characters and world are what matters. If you are a "mute" (if your frame of glass is fully transparent), I still believe your story will suffer no penalty; IF your writing and world building and character development are on point.

Some might hear this and call it a travesty, an insult to the craft. I would answer with, there is no such thing. The author can do whatever he likes, as long as it helps him create the best story he can create.

Conclusion

Some readers like reading writing that is filled with prose, and some can't stand it. You can't think about that when you're writing. It's the same as posting on Steemit. You can't pick your audience, your audience picks you. If they want something with more literary writing they are gonna go out there and find and support the author that gives that to them.

When you're writing, don't focus on trying to be different, to stand out from the pack - to be cute. Unless it's in line with your vision of the project. Just continue practicing, and your voice will find you.

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Thank you for reading!

If you missed the previous parts of this series: part 1 here!, part 2 here! and part 3 here!

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