3 Ways to Find Your Writer Voice — and What That Actually Means

Are You Hearing Your Voice or the Voice You've Been Trained to Use?

The best feedback I received from a participant at last year's Pedal & Prosody retreat in Montana was that one attendee had finally found her writing voice. She was an established editor at a well-known outdoor recreation publication. After years in various departments, she felt confined by the magazine's strong branding and distinct voice. Whenever she wrote, she automatically slipped into that voice. When she managed to break free, she found herself writing in what she called her "journal voice." This voice was developed in her youth, a specific way of expressing herself as a writer.

Being able to easily switch between different voices is what makes professional writers successful, especially those working for highly stylized brands. However, this ability can also be limiting. For instance, that magazine will never publish a queer romance that doesn't involve scaling a literal rock face or a poetic narrative of sibling tensions designed around selling kayaks. In a later post, I will discuss the importance of writing for ourselves and separating some of our writing from capitalism. But first, we need to learn how to tap into our individual writer voice.

Three Factors to Reconnect with Your Writing Voice

I believe three key factors help writers reconnect with their authentic writing voice:

A Space for Nonjudgmental Creativity

Virginia Woolf emphasized the importance of "money and a room of her own" for a woman to be a successful writer. She pointed out what successful male writers had in abundance at the time. As a devout introvert, I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. However, I would extend the conversation to consider what that room actually represents and whether others are allowed to share in that writing space. An atmosphere of nonjudgment that celebrates our creative writing without the expectation of perfection is imperative. This environment encourages playfulness and allows us to feel safe enough to create. If it's been a long time since we've allowed our creative voice to emerge, our self-conscious ego can edit our thoughts before they even reach the page.

Shake It Out — Literally If You Need To

In my last post, I described how being in nature can help with writer's block. I included some scientific findings about how nature can reset our neural pathways. To me, nature and movement are interconnected. The natural world is rarely still. Air and water flow through everything. The smallest creatures tirelessly cover the earth, both feeding and being food. Our hearts beat, our minds wander, and our bodies move in thought. So when I talk about nature, I don't mean sitting completely still in an unstill environment. Instead, I mean allowing yourself to move among nature, feeling your connection to the world around you. Even if you are in a city, find a bike path with trees, a park, or even a bodega where pigeons have made a nest. Don't resist the urge to move and be part of nature.

Tapping into our natural state helps us — hear me out — tap into our natural voice. We become more linguistically fluid, give our internal editor a break, and feel less judged by ourselves. I once took yoga classes at a place that, while I suspect was a cult, began each session by watching videos of lions moving. We observed their breath at rest and in motion, noticing their muscles and how they exist fully in their bodies. At the end of each class, we would pat different parts of our bodies and express gratitude: "I love my liver! Thank you, my liver! I love my knees, thank you, my knees! I love my heart, thank you, my heart!" You get the picture. Our creative voices can change, just as our bodies change. Connecting with our wild instincts brings us into a flow state of creativity. Do we get our best ideas in the shower because of some strange law stating that good ideas come when we least expect them, or because we are distracted and not forcing ourselves to create?

Next time you go on a bike ride or a trail run, bring a notebook. Allow yourself the opportunity to stop when inspiration strikes. You may discover your writer voice when you least expect it, so be ready and give yourself permission to listen!

Dedicated Time to Write — and Share

We were not designed to be "on" all the time. It's challenging to focus when others constantly chime in with requests, feedback, and news updates. Cutting out distractions to have dedicated time to write — even if that includes a bike ride or a hike — can help reduce outside influences on how you should sound as a writer. Give yourself permission to see what emerges. A great starting point is Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, particularly the Morning Pages. Morning pages are a fantastic practice for starting the day, turning on your brain, setting intentions, and clearing mental clutter. There is no expectation to produce something good, poetic, enlightening, or productive — they aren't bullet journaling, and they don't have to be a diary.

At our retreat, writers benefited from having time to sit in a field, by the stream, or on the couch. That entire weekend was dedicated to retreat time, and the other participants were equally engaged in the quietness of pen scribbles and soft typing.

Another crucial element of this dynamic was the opportunity to share later in the day and evening. Sharing is never required. When someone chooses to share, they can discuss their writing experience, give a synopsis of what they wrote, or share their actual writing. If they share their writing, they also indicate whether they seek constructive feedback, positive feedback, or simply a "thank you" before moving on to the next person. This opportunity to share on the writer's terms, receive the kind of feedback that feels safe, and listen to how others' work is received by the group is monumental. It helps loosen the restraints we place on our inner writing voice and builds motivation to continue working to let it sing.

Feeling Stuck? I Can Help You Find Your Writer Voice

Are you interested in freeing your own creative voice? I can help! The next retreat is coming up this September 25-29 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. No bicycle is required (though there is phenomenal riding nearby). This all-inclusive retreat includes a shuttle to and from the Santa Fe Airport, lodging with optional room upgrades, all meals, and guided workshops led by me and my co-host, Wendy Rule. Click the link below to learn more and sign up today!

Learn About Retreats

Retreats not for you? One-on-one coaching is also available to help you create a sustainable writing practice, nurture and strengthen your authentic voice, and connect with publication opportunities at all levels of the writing journey. Click the link below to learn more.

Learn About Coaching