This post is a first in a three-post series on voice. To read the second post see, Using voice in nonfiction writing. The last post is Use voice to breathe life into nonfiction writing.
Recently, I listened to Todd Nordstrom, a guest speaker on the Libby Gil radio program. He is the CEO of the thought leader consultancy, Yodel, and has ghost written 12 bestselling business books as well as a myriad of articles and blogs. His topic was Establishing the Authentic Emotional Link. Mr. Nordstrom advises first time authors not to try to be Dr Stephen Covey or that person that they feel encapsulates being a good writer. To be successful, he says, don’t pretend to be someone else; be yourself.
All the while I was listening to the interview, I was thinking about a new series of books I am planning to write, and trying to figure out how I could be myself as a writer without being boring. I want my books to have more élan than cookbooks. I was also thinking about how hard it is to be authentic and let people see who you really are. Baring yourself through your writing is difficult, but necessary. Finding your voice and having the courage to use it makes you real, not stiff and stale. According to Mr. Nordstrom, this authenticity is what readers want, not you pretending to be something you are not.
I don’t consciously set out to write something à la my favorite author. I don’t paraphrase what others say, though I may build on someone’s ideas and arrive at my own conclusions, as I am doing with this radio interview. But, is this originality? Is it enough to keep my reader’s interest?
Reviewing what I have written, especially in blogs, I seem almost too logical, too formulaic. My points go from A to B to C, and then I sum up. This is probably a result of years of technical writing. I need to shake loose of whatever it is that is holding me back and restricting what I say.
When I compare my writing to Adam Nathan‘s, an indie writer and blogger I admire, I see an originality and genuineness that I don’t see in mine. He does not hold back. Will I ever have the confidence to write without setting up barriers that limit how much I reveal about myself? I must learn to do so to survive as a writer.
Other authors have learned to be authentic. Bill “Skywalker” Walker has four books. His latest, Getting High: The Annapurna Circuit in Nepal is his best, because he really opens up and lets us into his mind. As I read it, I felt as if we were sharing a cup of coffee as he related his tale. It is this comfort that I am striving for.
Writing like Bill Walker takes confidence, and belief in what you have to say is important. My first book was a small step towards gaining the courage to let people into my mind. With each blog post, I become a little more confident and practiced in opening up. Hopefully, my new book series will be a giant leap forwards for me.
Mr. Nordstrom says to find your true voice, listen to the “off-the-record comments” you make when you talk about your topic. This is the true voice, the one you should be using when writing. I completely understand. When I speak about something that matters to me, I am more animated and passionate. The words just flow. This is the “real me” that I am striving to get on paper, if only I had the courage to do so.
Still confused? The following links, might help you understand more about what voice is and how to find it.
Finding your voice
- 25 Things Writers Should Know About Finding Their Voice This funny post helped me understand how voice manifests itself in writing. Voice is something that can’t be forced. It is “who you are. How you bleed and spit and scream on the page. You are your voice. Your voice is you.” This is a long post, but worth the read.
- 10 Steps to Finding Your Writing Voice Jeff Goins provides pragmatic steps to finding your voice. “You’ve got to set yourself apart, showing you have something special to say — and that you have a unique way of saying it.”
- Find Your Writing Voice – By Starting With Your Heart This post says it all: stop playing it safe. “Write something real. Write something that matters.”
