As writers, we are encouraged to find and develop our voice. Your voice is comprised of many elements, including the themes your explore, your word choices, the rhythm and cadence of your sentences, and your overall tone. It’s what you say and how you say it. It’s what makes your writing uniquely you.
In an article for the Stage 32 blog, playwright Chris Morley adds some elements to the concept of voice. For Morley, voice is the part of you that takes over when you’re on a writing roll, and you’re not sure where your ideas are coming from. It’s also the part that knows when you’re writing isn’t as authentic or as good as it should be.
“My Voice has a tendency to throw out my best laid plans and surprises me with an idea that comes out of left field, something I would ‘normally’ never have considered,” Morley says. “It doesn’t care about my schedule, deadlines, and strategies.” But it’s not all inspiration. Another part of your voice is the instinct that says a scene isn’t working or that a character isn’t strong enough. It’s the part of you that says “get back to work.” Morley says that ignoring that voice puts the quality of your work at risk. In his experience, he knows a work is finished when his voice stops objecting. When his Voice accepts the work, he knows he’s done his best.
Most importantly, you have to be happy with your work. “Deep down are you at peace with what you have created, or are there nagging doubts? That’s your Voice speaking,” Morley says. “The peace and fulfillment you experience when your work is done, when your Voice is calm and at peace, comes from a trust in yourself and is as close to personal success as I can imagine.”
