What is it for a writer to have a ‘voice’?
Wiki definition – “The writer’s voice is the individual writing style of an author, a combination of their common usage of syntax, diction, punctuation, character development, dialogue, etc., within a given body of text (or across several works).”
The importance of the writer's voice
The importance of the writer's voice
A strong voice is a free voice. Having the ability and courage to speak your mind freely without hinderances allows your voice to naturally emerge from within yourself almost as if you were actually speaking and someone was writing down every word you are saying and not missing a single word.
Here is an example of an original voice -
“Apparently people are mad because blah blah black dude protagonist with a lightsaber, or girl protagonist, or Latino X-Wing pilot protagonist, and not enough straight white dudes. And folks are mad enough to join in on the hashtag and — nngh. Bleh. Meh. Gnarrgh. I mean, what version of Star Wars did you watch? The one where Luke Skywalker is a racist hick shitbird? The one where the Empire are the good guys because yay oppression and fascism and totalitarian chic?”
And here is an example of someone (nearly) without a voice -
“In January 1815 the news radiated across the country: Andrew Jackson had decisively defeated
the British in the Battle of New Orleans. Along with spectacular American naval victories—
Oliver Hazard Perry on Lake Erie and Isaac Hull with the Constitution (“Old Ironsides”)—
Jackson’s triumph helped establish one of the great myths in American history: that the United
States won the War of 1812. In actuality the war was a draw. The British won most of the land
battles; they successfully blockaded American ports and effectively stymied American attempts
to invade Canada. The Treaty of Ghent, ending the war, did not even address American
grievances, which included Britain’s interference with shipping and the impressment of sailors.”
Notice the vast difference? It's like talking to a real person, and then turning around and listening to a brick wall speaking about whether the war was a draw or not. I say "nearly" without a voice because I believe everybody has a voice. Although it may look like the second example doesn't have a voice, in actual fact, it is a type of voice. A type of voice that can be recognised by the majority to make it easier to understand. The voice is neutral, carrying no slang or localities. Essentially, this voice, this style, is flat, bland and factual considering it to be, as it seems, a part of a textbook entry which is what the aim is.
An example of a strong voice -
"You don’t know about me, without you have read a book by the name of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth. That is nothing. I never seen anybody but lied, one time or another, without it was Aunty Polly—Tom’s Aunt Polly, she is—and Mary, and the Widow Douglas, is all told about in that book—which is mostly a true book, with some stretchers, as I said before.”
Breaking rules left and right here. Note the atrocious grammar and the way he interrupts and repeats himself. Mr. Twain puts us right in the room with Huck Finn. Simply the way it is worded helps us to both hear the accent and see the boy—before ever being told what he sounds or looks like.
Voice isn't the point of writing?
As important as it is, some view the ‘writer’s voice’ as merely a distraction. Undertaking the perspective of someone that makes a living from writing, the reason for his view is totally valid. Most writing opportunities that actually provide you with a living wage would be within the work-for-hire section, which concludes of textbook entries or exam questions. In this case, the ‘writer’s voice’ is void. Essentially the people who would hire you do not care about your voice. If they do care, it would be that they don’t want anything to do with it. As harsh as it sounds, the point of work-for-hire is to make your voice into the house style.
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/11/finding-your-voice-as-a-writer-overrated/382946/What goes into the writer's voice and how do we develop it?
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