How to Find Your "Author" Voice: Top 4

Every author has a “voice,” but the question is, do you have the right voice for your audience? You should have a voice that won’t sound too repetitive or academic. It is a voice that readers can connect with, and not just any readers, but your specific audience of readers because, yes, different types of writing require different approaches to that “voice.” Like branding or any other product, your goal is to have a unique appeal that keeps readers coming.

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The harsh truth about being a writer—or in any of the arts—is that many people are doing the same thing as you, with the same voice and ideas, which is why you want a voice that connects to your specific audience.

If you’d like more information on how to market yourself, I go into an in-depth approach here.

You don’t need to pay loads of money to make yourself stand out. In truth, it starts with your voice, and that’s totally free, though it may not necessarily be easy. To change your voice means to break your habits of your particular writing style. Changing any habit is difficult and requires time, but if you’re committed to changing it, you will be successful.

So, how do you change your voice?

1. Show Your Work To Your Audience

I can’t stress this enough because if you show this to a friend who enjoys fantasy, but you write romance, then there’s going to be a disconnect. You’re not going to get advice that works for you. Similarly, say you write academic papers. If you show your paper to someone who doesn’t read that sort of writing, then what happens when they read over words or studies that they don’t understand or don’t know about?

Remember that writing is subjective. Even with someone in your audience, you may not agree with everything they say or suggest, and that’s okay. The purpose of these readers is to see if they believe you’re in the correct genre.

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2. Read Your Genre

There are many writers out there that don’t read or listen to audiobooks. Not reading, especially in your genre, does your writing a great disservice. If you do not know what’s in the market and what is SELLING, then how will you ever reach your audience and become successful? I know that it is really tempting to just write what you want to write. I think it’s essential to write what inspires you, but you have to keep your readers in mind. They are how you become a bestseller, after all. They expect certain things in your genre, and if those needs aren’t met, it could be disastrous for you. Not only that, but publishers expect certain things too. If you want to sell, you have to be aware of what sells in your genre. Not only that, but how do the successful writers in your genre write? What is their voice? Emulate this to get maximum success.

3. Write Outside of Your Comfort Zone

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Maybe you’re still experimenting with your writing, and you’re still trying to figure out where you “fit in.” Maybe you already know the genre that you write. Both of these options are great. What I’d like to challenge you to do is to explore different styles of writing. These don’t have to be specific to prose. Think: Haikus, stanzas, news articles, etc. See how these different styles “feel” and see if any can be used within your genre. The more you push yourself, the more you’ll understand who you are and what you’re capable of as a writer.

4. Be Yourself

While this seems like a no-brainer, I want to emphasize that no matter how you choose to write, no matter what steps you do or don’t do in this article, you need to make sure it feels authentic to YOU. It’s important to write outside of your comfort zone, to write what’s popular, and to be inspired by other authors, but don’t do it at the extent of losing your writing style. These tips are only to help you become more successful, but they don’t work for everyone.

Your voice comes with practice. You will find who your readers are and what they enjoy through a slow, sometimes tedious process, but it’s worth it in the end. I promise.

Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations.