"You need to find your voice."
- As said to The Modern Gal by not one, not two, but three editors AND a coworker upon me getting my new job. "I think I left it at home," I replied to the coworker. Another colleague suggested it was at the bottom of the ginormous purse that I was slugging around.
I got it, I needed to find my voice. Unfortunately, I had no idea where or how one finds their voice and what they're supposed to do with it once it's found.
I set off in search of my voice last week with my destination a journalism conference in Florida. I certainly was more keen on the idea that I was going to be in sunny St. Pete for three days than I was on the idea of spending three days surrounded by work colleagues (and now you know one of the few secrets I keep from those of y'all who don't know me personally. I am indeed some kind of journalist/writer, but I'm leaving it at that). But as is usually the case with me when I'm not looking forward to something, I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
The conference just so happened to have a session on -- I'm sure you've guessed it -- finding one's voice. As it turns out, finding one's voice is just identifying your own personality, who you are, and finding a way to make that personality show in through your writing. You know, kinda like what we do on our blogs every single day.
We were made to do several exercises with the idea that they helped us explore our personalities. It got me to thinking, I have this perfect tool in my blog, so why don't I use it to identify my own voice and practice using it more often. And I've got a built-in feedback mechanism!
What I'm getting at is this: I may be posting some of my voice exercises here. (And apparently I'm a singer now). Sometimes it may be obvious that's what I'm doing. Other times I might be trying to slip one past you.
I do ask one thing of you, though, dear faithful readers. I sometimes require being hit repeatedly over the head to figure something out. Which is probably why my voice was missing in the first place. If you glean anything, ANYTHING, about my personality from my writing style, please let me know what that is so I can put it to greater use. Thank you for your cooperation.
-The MG
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Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Modern Gal looks for her voice
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8 comments:
I read somewhere that "Find your voice" is the least helpful piece of information a writer can receive, and I feel that way somewhat. Sometimes I write with no purpose at all, and sometimes I make it reflect my true personality, and sometimes I try and make it reflect my made-up personality. It's always the latter that gets the stronger response.
I'm not sure where my voice is. I find when I'm trying to write, the thoughts get scrambled and whatever I've written down sounds like complete garbage. When I'm just rambling and not really caring, then a really awesome piece of work comes out of it. What does that tell me about my voice? I have no clue.
I hope you find yours!
I think you've got a great voice. You have a sharp sense of humor and I enjoy your perspective on things.
In terms of finding voice, it's something I struggled with in my fiction for years. I think it comes to a point of being honest with yourself about who you are. Sometimes we have this idea of who we want to be, but we're going to be best at what we do as writers when we accept who we are instead.
Allie's comment was kind of deep. Good advice...I think.
I have the same problem (if it is indeed a problem.) I feel like I probably have a distinct voice when I write on my blog, but everything else comes with so much expectation that I think much of my personality gets erased from the writing by trying to live up to it.
I don't know. Something like that.
To be honest, this is probably the second or third time I've read your blog; however, if I can "glean" anything, it is this:
You are careful; as I am careful. You want to portray a particular image; as I want to portray a particular image. I imagine that's what we do as "bloggers." As much as I dislike that term, we do this for a reason. It may be cathartic; yet, I think it's more than that. It's a need to express oneself and have others approve. Let's be honest; we would quit if no one read. The fact that you and Angie occasionally comment on what I write permits me to keep writing.
I glean this: You, as Me, appreciate words, and want people to appreciate them as such.
All such wonderful thoughts. Thank you very much.
I suppose being told you need to find your voice is better than, say, being told you're not aggressive enough and that everyone in your office is disgruntled with you. Is there a conference session for that?
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