Banging My Gong - The Voice
If you’re not sure why I’m banging a gong, read this call for action and this post about my vision first.
It has been well said that a writer’s voice is only truly heard through the ink and paper on which he writes. For the Internet writer, that voice is heard via the ones and zeroes inside his CPU, but the idea is the same: To really know what a writer is all about, you have to read his writing. If his voice isn’t unique, it will be drowned out in the comforting yet forgettable chorus of other writers.
So, what exactly is my writing voice? How do I use the medium of writing to effectively portray a unique personality and position? How is my writing different from others? How does my voice complement the Great Song of the Internet? Or is my voice too soft or too shrill, too blustery or too grating?
Simply put, my voice is me. In this blog, I write as if I were writing to a friend. In some ways, I do write to friends; I engage in discussions with many of my regular readers that are deeper and more significant than discussions I have with my “real-world” friends. But if I had to sum up my voice in a single word, it would be this: conversational.
I want to provoke conversation. I want to participate in conversation. I want to interact with my readers and with the whole blogosphere. Like I said yesterday, I want to share my failures as well as my triumphs. I want you to know me.
Why?
That’s a silly question, isn’t it? Who doesn’t want to know and be known? Who doesn’t, deep down, want to learn from other human beings, to help them when they need it, to share their experiences, to help shape their lives and be shaped by them. That’s what being human is all about. Apart from how we relate one to another, there isn’t much separating us from the rest of existence.
At any rate, I could add other words to describe my voice. I’d add words like honest, vulnerable, confident, experienced, articulate, helpful, generous, fun. These are all tones of conversation, little individual modes of my voice. These are the building blocks on which I build my writing. These tones complement my vision. In the same way, there are descriptive words I’d prefer to avoid, like staid, formulaic, monotonous, boring, didactic, academic. These tones work against my vision. I have used these voices at other times, like when I was in grad school or when I’m writing SEO content as a pen-for-hire. But not here. Not if I can help it, anyways.
Is all of this gong-banging a bit self-indulgent? Maybe. But, to some degree, that’s the point of this blog, isn’t it? Like I said yesterday: I want to share my journey as a writer with you. Maybe you like it, maybe you don’t. Maybe you can learn something from it, maybe not. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I get that. But it’s right here, regardless.
Comments
10 Responses to “Banging My Gong - The Voice”
Leave a Reply
-
Subscribe
Bob (if I may call you that) -
I couldn’t agree with you more. I, for one, am very glad that you’re here. I just wish more people valued internet writing.
Lindsey
Hi Bob
Thanks for dropping by my blog as it means I’ve discovered yours.
I’ve enjoyed going back through your posts and exploring… lots of really valuable and insightful information here.
I agree with your insights about voice. A writer’s voice is part of his or her authenticity and connection with readers.
Cheers to you not being a lifeless robot!
You provided a great info here, i appreciate you kind knowledge
@ Lindsey - By all means. Bob is my name! I think that folks are coming around; I’m often more self-conscious about calling myself an “Internet Writer” than anything. I always assume people are thinking, “Couldn’t get a real job, eh?” Usually they’re thinking “that sounds cool.”
@ Yvonne - Thank you. I’m glad you’ve stopped in. Don’t be a stranger; I intend to (and recommend that everyone else) spend more time on your blog, as well.
@ Max -
Is your “How to Blog on Vacation” series done, by the way? I see you’re tackling Squidoo today…
@ Thesis Writing - Thank you. I’m glad you’ve stopped in!
I believe that voice and voice alone is what sets many writers apart and helps them stand out. One of the marks of a good writer is having a recognizable voice — i.e. you know it’s that writer without reading the byline. I struggle with this because I spent so many years doing mostly business writing so I’m trying to get my creative writing voice back now, or maybe I’m trying to find it. Good topic for discussion.
@ Melissa - It’s not easy, is it? Moving in and out between a business and a creative voice…
I do so much dry web content writing to pay the bills that sometimes I have to blog just to remind myself I’m a human being and not an encyclopedia.
Your creative voice is coming along swimmingly, by the way. Your blog is plenty readable. I just came from there, actually.
Bob - nah, I’m just taking a break on it. After all, I’m on vacation! And it seemed to be getting a bit stale. I’ll write a new one in a few days.
Hi Bob,
I really like your conversational tone and am glad that I found your writing,
thanks,
sue
[…] This isn’t a problem for most bloggers. Like most other people, bloggers tend to be a bit narcissistic. I include myself in that group, and will admit that I’m one of the most self-obsessed. I’ve said it before, openly and honestly: I blog, in part, because I want to know and to be known. […]