In a new blog post, Zara Altair examines how voice, tone, and mood combine to create your author style. “The three are so closely aligned, it’s hard to tell them apart,” she says. “But when it’s time to edit your story, working on the craft of your style will improve your reader’s experience while reading.”
Your author’s voice is how your reader “hears” your novel. The elements of voice include syntax, vocabulary, paragraph flow, sentence structure, and tone. “Voice is your personality coming through in your writing,” Altair says.
Tone reflects your attitude towards the events of your novel, Altair explains. “In a mystery, your detective sees clues and meets with suspects,” she writes. “Every encounter is an opportunity to express their attitude toward their job, the case, and the world around them.”
Finally, mood is your emotional atmosphere. This may change slightly from scene to scene, but generally your novel will have an overall feel. “A cozy mystery may be sassy and light-hearted even though it revolves around a crime,” Altair notes. “A noir mystery will create a sense of impending doom and the darkness that makes the story ‘noir.'”
But what is your voice? To develop it, Altair suggests you start with your writing process. “Identify what comes naturally to you, and then work on making improvements,” she suggests. She also shares three questions to help you make your voice stronger:
- What three words would you use to describe yourself as a writer?
- How do the people in your life describe your writing style?
- Look around at your favorite books, articles, even movies or TV shows: which voices resonate most with you?
