Voice and Style

Voice and style come from within. It's part of what you know, experience and enjoy. Don't try to copy favorite authors in style and voice, but learn from them. Ask yourself why you take pleasure in reading their work. If you've fallen in love with their characters, even the villainous character readers love to hate, work to develop interesting characters of your own. The mistake many writers make is to jump on to the proverbial band wagon while a theme or genre is hot and write stories very similar.

Writing a novel takes months or longer. The submission process takes more time. Putting together a book proposal and effective cover or query letter sometimes takes as much work as writing the manuscript. By the time an editor or publisher holds your manuscript in their hands will the market be flooded with similar story lines based on a current hot trend? Will your characters stand out or blend into the sea of other hopefuls with nothing to distinguish them or make a memory? What makes your idea different?

Reading is an important aspect of writing. Reading fiction feeds the imagination. It can work as a springboard to propel new creative ideas into the arena of possibilities. Allow your unique voice and style to penetrate the barrier of what has been to move on to something new.

Where to Start

Write. Get your ideas from your mind to the computer or notebook. Don't worry about fixing things as you write. Head toward the conclusion. Add elements of conflict and tension. Worry about fine tuning later. Changing or defining a character's appearance can be dealt with once the story is to the point that it makes a difference. 

Set aside time to write. Develop a habit. Keeping a journal is one way to help establish a pattern of writing. Write what you know and realize the freedom to create in your own voice and style.