Writers often hear remarks like: you haven’t found your voice, or you need to develop your voice, or preferably, I like the voice of this piece.

So what is voice? Think of all the contestants of American Idol singing the same song, for example Otis Redding’s R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Now one contestant might try to imitate the sassy style of Aretha Franklin, which would be a huge mistake because no one can sing it like Aretha. Someone else might sing it with the energy of Otis or the multi-levels of Ike and Tina Turner’s version. Someone else might slow it way down and make it more soulful. All the different moods and emotions a contestant adds to his or her rendition is Voice. It’s one contestant’s way of communicating that’s different than any other contestant.

So how do you create voice? Always a tricky question. Most writing teachers will tell you to be more of who you are. I agree and disagree with this statement. It depends on what you’re writing. If you’re writing non-fiction like a blog or memoire, then it’s definitely important to be more of yourself to find your voice.

If you’re writing fiction, you want to find the voice of your point-of-view character. For example, Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch sounds nothing like Connelly’s Mikey Haller character. One is jazzy, the other razzy.

But here’s where it gets tricky. On some level, all of our characters come from us, therefore, finding the voice of our character is in some way finding more of our own voice.

For example, Edgar Allan Poe had a haunting voice in all of his writings from his poems—ex: The Raven,  Annabel Lee—to his short stories—ex: The Pit and the Pendulum, The Cask of Amontillado. All his characters came from a tormented place and many historians will tell you that Poe was just as tormented. Don’t know, didn’t know the man.

Another way to explore voice is through the writers you read. When you are feeling stuck who is the writer you read from? Or when you’re wondering how to handle a specific passage what is the book you pick up? Do you have a book that you’ve reread until the cover is mostly duct tape? The reason you return to these books, is because of their voice. Whether the voice of reassurance, reason, or that of an old friend, these narrators rapture you and therefore, have something to teach YOU.

I suggest you return to that book now. Pick it up and read for Voice. What about the narrator makes you want to keep reading? What about the narrator makes you keep the faith?