Why Should I “Find My Voice”?

My last post felt somewhat incomplete at the end. I was asking What Does “Finding Your Voice” Really Mean? Now it’s time for part two:

Why Should I Bother Finding My Voice At All?

In my last post, I decided that finding your voice means writing in a style that is distinctive in a consistent way, so that your writing is recognizable as your own.

Given that that is the case, why should you bother?

Distinctive Means Entertaining

One thing that can be said for a distinctive voice is that it is often also an entertaining voice. These people often aren’t entertaining because they’re necessarily trying to be, but because of the way they put things.

A great example of an entertaining voice is Charlie Cox, who commentates on the MotoGP in the UK. Just last week he was describing the gravel as “the kitty litter”. It’s his unique way of describing things that makes his commentary so enjoyable.

• “He’s got such bad luck that if he fell in a bucket of boobs, he’d still come up sucking his thumb.”
• “That track looks like it has as much grip as the front step of my pub at 11 o’clock at night.”
• “He’s got the absolute ducks’ guts of motorbikes.”
• “He’s gone through the field like a pig through hot strawberries.”

Charlie Cox may be an extreme example, and he may come up with these wacky sayings beforehand, but I think my point is clear. By being distinctive, you become more entertaining to read.

The truth is that anything you or I write has probably been said before by someone somewhere on the internet. Part of what makes one person’s explanation superior is the manner in which they said it. This is, I believe, why finding your voice can be so important. If you try to force yourself to be entertaining, it can sound fake and sometimes outright embarrassing. When you’ve found your voice, you’ll be entertaining without it being in any way forced.

Of course, some people are naturally more entertaining than others. If you’re not the life and soul of the party, that isn’t necessarily a problem…

Distinctive Means Trustworthy

As previously mentioned, when someone has found their voice, their writing seems natural and unforced. They’re being themselves. I would say that this is probably the biggest advantage of finding your voice.

Being entertaining is a bonus, but when someone believes that you’re being entirely open and honest, you create a huge amount of trust. Finding your voice can make you appear entirely genuine, as you are always consistent about how you state things.

Trust isn’t solely created by finding your voice, but I believe that finding your voice can make you appear far more trustworthy.

How Do I Find My Voice?

I don’t think there is any shortcut or an easy way to find your voice. It’s a matter of continuing to write and write and write. Over time, it develops naturally, of its own accord.

Maybe others have a different idea, but that’s what I think it boils down to.