What It Means to “Find Your Voice” as a Writer

“Find your voice.” Advice every writer hears, yet few can define. As an editor and book coach, I see authors struggle with this concept—often believing that voice is something they must invent from scratch. In reality, your writing voice isn’t created; it’s uncovered, shaped by your unique perspective, experiences, and passions.

What “Voice” Actually Is

A writer’s voice is the distinctive blend of your personal style, tone, vocabulary, syntax, and worldview that makes your writing unmistakable yours. It’s the personality that comes through on the page, regardless of what genre you are writing about or what subject. Voice is not the same as the voices of your characters—it is the underlying current that gives your storytelling authenticity and cohesion.

It’s how you sound when you’re being honest on the page.

What Voice Is and Is Not

Voice is your own personal expression and it is constant in your own writing. It is what is said, how it is said, and what it sounds like (including syntax, vocabulary, diction, rhetoric). Your voice may evolve as you do as a writer, but it will come across through all of your work.

Here are some things that get confused with the author’s voice:

Term	What It Is
Narrative Voice	How the story itself is told. The “voice” the reader hears that is shaped by the narrator’s language, tone, and attitude. Can be tied to a character (first person), or more distant (third person). Narrative voice sets the mood, the pacing, and determines how much the reader knows and feels about what’s happening.
Character Voice	The distinct way a specific character speaks, thinks, and expresses themselves. Shaped by their background, personality, emotions, and worldview. This is revealed through their dialogue, inner thoughts, and reactions. Each major character should have their own unique voice that feels authentic and consistent.
Style	Style is about technique and craft. Style can refer to choices in syntax, word choice, sentence, structure, imagery, and figurative language. Style can also refer to style guide choices, from guides such as the Chicago Manual of Style.
POV	This is the perspective which your story is told in. Examples: first, second, or third person. POV determines what information the reader has access to and shapes their emotional connection to the story. It influences both narrative and character voice.

Why Writers Struggle to Find It

Common roadblocks:

• Imitating other writers (which is a normal phase when beginning!)
• Writing for approval instead of authenticity
• Trying to “sound smart” or “be literary”
• Voice gets buried under perfectionism and over-editing

How to Start Finding Yours

The truth: your voice is already there! You are not starting from zero, you are uncovering what’s already inside.

• Write the way you speak—then polish for clarity, not personality
• Read widely and analyze whose voices resonate with you
• Notice what excites you—your voice lives in your passions
  • Ask yourself what themes or topics you return to and what unique lens you bring
• Write regularly and experiment
  • Finding your voice is a process of discovery, not invention. Write and then write some more. Your natural rhythms, quirks, and preferences will begin to emerge.
  • Freewrite without worrying about grammar or structure, let your authentic self come to the surface.
  • Voice gets stronger with use, it’s like a muscle – exercise it!
• Read your writing out loud—does it sound like you?
  • Reading your work out loud can reveal whether your voice feels authentic or forced.

Voice Is Your Greatest Asset

When you write in your real voice, readers trust you. Your voice is what makes your writing memorable, not perfect grammar or fancy structure.

• An authentic voice invites readers to invest in your story.
• Your voice makes your work memorable and distinct, helping you stand out in a crowded market.
• Your voice guides your story, helping you make choices about what details to include and how to frame your narrative.

Final Thoughts

Finding your voice is less about searching for something new and more about peeling back the layers to reveal what is already there. Write often, read deeply, and listen to your instincts. As you do, your voice will emerge—clear, confident, and uniquely yours.

“The writer can choose what he writes about but he cannot choose what he is able to make live…” Flannery O’Connor

Let your writing live by letting your true voice sing.

I help writers find (and trust) their true voice through kind, strategic editing and coaching.
If you’re tired of sounding like everyone else and ready to sound like you, let’s chat.