Find Your Voice

Do you watch ‘The Voice?’ After missing a couple of seasons, I started watching it again. I must say that this seasons crop of entertainers is the most talented I’ve seen since the shows debut in 2011. There have been ‘steals’ where one singer may be dropped by their coach in favor of another only to be ‘stolen’ by another coach, who this season are Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton. After understandably rough starts, each and every singer has found their voice.

Authors have a voice too. Do you have a favorite author? I have several favorite authors for varying reasons. Of course they must write well, but I might find a particular authors’ dialogue compelling. I might find the personal life of the protagonist interesting, even though he or she may be involved in the investigation of a murder. Some writers pay close attention to detail. Others present ideas that may seem fantastical, but they present them in such a way that it sounds believable.

Of course you enjoy particular authors because of their stories. But why do you return to the same author over and over? Besides the stories they tell, you like their style. You like how they tell the story or paint the picture. I’ll bet that as you read a particular book, you can hear the characters speaking to one another, or maybe directly to you if it’s written in first person. You enjoy the authors ‘voice.’

When you write, you have to find your voice. No matter what genre you write in, the reader has to be able to hear YOU. Express yourself in your writing. Develop your own style. Explore your own emotions so that you can express them in your characters. Are you detail oriented? Then be that way in your stories. Do you like to use slang in your characters speech? Then do it! I’ve mentioned this before, but the late Elmore Leonard used wonderful dialogue in his stories of crime, murder and mystery. You knew his characters had hard edges to them, and were rough, possibly seedy simply because of their speech. When you read one of his books you can hear his voice.

So why don’t you sit down ‘write’ now and start writing or pecking away at your keyboard and express yourself through your characters, scenery and dialogue. Find YOUR voice!

The reason for this blog is to help you, as an aspiring writer, to improve your art. Yes, you are an artist just as any painter, musician or singer is. And remember, if you write, you’re a writer. If you have a published book, even if you’re self published, you’re an author.

Not only do I want to help you improve your craft, I also want to help you get your name out there. If you want to be a featured author in this blog, let me know. If you want to be interviewed in this blog, let me know. Subscribe to this blog or find me on Facebook. Simply search my name.

Good luck to you.

Don Bordua

#BorduasCorner #writing #authors #books

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