by Lyneta Smith @LynetaS

A squirrel clung to the tree trunk behind my new friend Kellie as we sipped iced tea on her deck. He skirted back and forth, unsure whether it was safe to jump onto the railing. I was about to comment on his unusual tail shape when he burst into emphatic chatter. Pew! Pew! Pew!

Without having to turn around, Kellie mentioned that her porch pal is a Douglas squirrel, native to the Pacific Northwest. I marveled at the powerful sound emitted by the tiny creature.

Kellie explained that this species uses its loud voice in the competition for food. She pointed to the squirrel feeder at the other end of her deck. “As kits, they’re bullied, but when they mature and get their voice, they scare away bigger squirrels and blackbirds.”

That’s true about the writing life too. When we get our voice as writers, we dispel untruths and banish fears. Our words can dislodge unhealthy thinking and foster robust growth.

But how do we find our voice? And how do we know when it’s happened?

Practice. A Lot.

Try writing varied genres, points of view, and topics. Experiment with creative ways to communicate. Gradually, you’ll find your sweet spot.

Sometimes I read something I’ve written and put away for awhile and think, “Wow, that’s pretty good.” Other times, I don’t even bother to edit; I scrap the unsalvageable manuscript and restart. After awhile, you’ll notice what type of writing fulfills you.

My writing voice is stronger for topics that thrill me. For example, I once wrote an article for a newspaper that was so boring the editor practically rewrote it. A little while later, I conducted a fascinating interview and wrote a fun article for the same newspaper. When I sent it in, the editor emailed me back: “This is great! I love this!” and didn’t change a word. Because I was excited about the topic, my voice came through loud and clear.

Edit and revise.

With every draft, our voice grows stronger. Paying close attention to syntax, grammar, and vocabulary helps us hone our voices and create a more pleasurable experience for readers.

I’ve heard an agent talk about a piece being “overwritten.” During revisions, one of the things I look for is words that sound fancier than I speak. Unless you’re writing fiction from the point of view of someone who loves polysyllabic words, you’ll want to avoid them. Once in awhile we like to introduce a new word, which is great when the work calls for it. But filling our prose with bloated words, such as “utilize” instead of “use,” masks our true voice.

I recommend joining a critique group, if you’re not already part of one. It’s one of the best ways to gauge how effective your story or message is. I offer this advice with one caveat: you’re likely to encounter conflicting opinions or get suggestions that don’t feel right. Feedback is helpful, but ultimately you get to decide what sounds most like you.

If you don’t have a critique group, and there isn’t a local one in your area, consider Word Weavers online. You can join from anywhere in the world, and it’s worth the reasonable fee. I don’t like to submit any piece of writing unless I’ve edited it based on my group’s feedback.

Know Your Audience.

Depending on who will be reading, you may want to nuance your voice. Genres like middle grade fiction, mom blog guest posts, or devotionals each sound distinct.

I edit a lot of Christian living books, and the advice I give nonfiction writers is to imagine they’re sitting in a coffee shop with a reader from their target audience. What would you say to someone across the table from you who needs your message? That’s what you should write down.

A good fiction writer aims to say everything exactly as their point of view character would tell the story. Right now, I’m on a Mark Twain kick; I love how he can make Hank Morgan from Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court sound so different from Huck Finn in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

 Often, you can measure the strength of your voice by what resonates with your audience. If you’re not yet published, you can get reader feedback by posting on your blog, entering contests, and sending submissions to periodicals. I knew I was getting close to finding my voice when magazines and newspapers started to accept my work for publication.

Join the Chorus

As Kellie and I finished our tea, the Douglas squirrel quieted and finally got brave enough to pass us and enjoy his lunch. While he nibbled on nuts, a symphony of birds and rodents sounding various tweets and chirps in the tall western red cedars and Douglas firs.

God has given each of us a particular voice and purpose. When we find it, we reach and inspire our audiences with His power, and for His glory.

Lyneta Smith enjoys all things wordsmithing and grandparenting. She’s the author of multiple-award-winning Curtain Call: A Memoir and oodles of articles in anthologies, magazines, and newspapers. When not working on her own manuscripts, she’s wild about helping other writers wrangle their own words. She and her husband, Doug, are loving the empty nester life because they can work from anywhere in the country. When they’re home, you’ll most likely find her at the local coffee shop (nicknamed “Lyneta’s office” by her friends), sipping on a local roast while typing and deleting repeatedly.