Some writers know instinctively who they are from day one. Words bloom on the page, and the writer’s personal style spills over and saturates the story with meaning. To quote the lovely Anne LaMott, we don’t like those people very much. Most writers struggle initially to find their voice and wonder what the hell narrative voice even means.

To put it simply, Voice equals Style. Voice is what makes a person’s writing unique. It’s the personality and attitude the writer conveys in the story. The more charismatic and fine-tuned the voice, the more immersive and enjoyable the experience is for the reader.

When you pick up a book by a favorite author it’s like slipping into a snuggy with a cup of hot cocoa. Your expectations are rewarded; you know something of what you’re about to enjoy – whether that’s an immersion into lush prose, to be confronted with a gritty and uncompromising tone, or simply transported by a transparent style.

But even if we know what narrative voice is, how do we find our own? We often doubt we have the skills to achieve the soaring lines we admire in our favorite authors. Sometimes, this doubt can become crippling, and stall out your writing career before it even begins. So what’s the answer?

Pretend.

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be.” –Kurt Vonnegut

Pretending is what writers do best; it’s like breathing. When we pit our bi-polar heroine against the evil Cobbler, and bequeath the Cobbler with halitosis, a smoker’s cough, and a penchant for wearing lacy thongs beneath his leather apron, we’re pretending.

Why not take a half-step further and pretend to be awesome writers, even when we don’t feel awesome enough?

Borrow from the writers you admire. Read their works twice: first for the sheer enjoyment, and then again, critically. Pinpoint what you love most about the author’s voice (what you don’t like is also useful). Think about the tricks and flourishes the writer uses to make the story better, and then borrow them. Go ahead and try one of them yourself. Then try another. And another.

Another fantastic way to learn voice is to type or write out chapters from a beloved book, or even copy the entire book, word for word. It helps to feel those words on your fingers. You begin to understand how and why the author made certain choices, and you will probably enjoy an AHA! moment or two.

Borrow away then, to gain confidence and skill, and to discover what suits you. Authors have learned from one another since stories were invented. Our heroes blazed the trail before us; they studied, and continue to study their own personal heroes. When we borrow and try out their skills, we become more fluid, take risks, and improve and grow along the way.

No one else can write like you; your uniqueness is inbuilt. Each new skill adds to that. Like kids dressing up in adult clothing, we eventually fill out those clothes, and then we are what we pretended to be.

Be AWESOME.

Your turn.

Let us know what you think about developing your voice. What have you learned?