The Voice

Good Monday morning one and all!

Last Monday I talked about the writer's voice. How unconsciously writers put their own style into their work, whether it be articles, poetry, fiction or any other type of writing project.

As writers gain more experience writing, for others and for themselves, this voice or style becomes more distinct. The voice also becomes more solid with confidence.

It isn't easy submitting work over and over that is critiqued and altered and commented on again and again. Editors have a habit of commenting on everything that should be fixed and very rarely do they mention the great points in any work. I am not being critical. I am also an editor and it is the purpose of the job to highlight the errors and problems.

Being critiqued repeatedly, however, helps a writer distance themselves from their work and also helps them learn to argue for the finer points that really matter, thus gaining confidence and their voice.

It is important to never assume that an editor knows more about your work than you do.

There is a fine line between accepting the suggestions and changes an editor introduces in your work and blindly following what they say. Even if you are a new writer, you have the right to ask questions and request explanations for changes.

Editors are capable of misunderstanding your meaning and making mistakes too!

As you become more experienced as a writer less changes are necessary anyway. It is easier to 'get it right' the first time.

Betty Jane Wylie, in her book 'The Write Track,' comments on this and says to not go over your work again and again like you did as a new writer. That it's normal for your speed to increase and for assignments to get easier. She encourages writers not to lose confidence when things flow more smoothly, but to realize that this is a normal part of the creative process. With greater experience comes greater speed. (Hey, there's gotta be perks of being a mature writer, right?)

The writer's voice is what attracts us to certain writers and not others.

The voice can make us feel at home or impress us or bore us or shock us. That's all part of entering into a book or an article or a movie.

I encourage all writers to explore their voice. Writers don't have to fit in, the most important thing about being a writer is staying true to who you are and letting the world experience your work.

It takes time to break into the writer's market, but it's well worth it.

Good luck to all you writers out there and enjoy your voice, it's yours and you should treat it with the respect and care it deserves.