do you think writing has a Voice? Elaborate with Example
Answers
Answer:
You may think, you’re born with a voice inside you. And you only have to discover it.
But this is far from the truth.
Your writing voice develops over time. You can even steal it by studying the masters.
And don’t listen to the people who tell you to write the way you speak.
Whoa!
This is a really …. uhm … really big misunderstanding. Who told you that?
When you speak, your sentences are often unfinished. You make grammar mistakes without anyone noticing. You use words and phrases and even whole sentences that are redundant.
You know what I mean?
Content with a strong voice is carefully edited. It’s more concise than spoken language. It’s more sensory and emotional, too, because you need to compensate for lack of intonation and body language.
You can’t whisper. You can’t cry. You can’t move your hands to stress your points. You can’t even make eye contact.
When you write you only have words to communicate your message.
4 examples of writing voice
Example 1: Evernote
Easily gather everything that matters. Clip web articles, capture handwritten notes, and snap photos to keep the physical and digital details of your projects with you at all times.
(from Evernote’s home page)
Example 2: Man Crates
Ready to have your mind blown? What if we told you bacon doesn’t have to just be a staple at breakfast and on your sandwich? Bacon can be a portable, dangerously habit forming companion at your fingertips, 24/7. You might start hoarding and stashing.
(from one of Man Crates’ product descriptions)
Do you feel the difference?
Evernote addresses a wide audience. Their writing is to-the-point and simple. No frills.
In contrast, Mancrates’ targets a more specific reader. They use more words to get their message across, but their voice has more emotion, and resonates stronger with their specific audience.
Now, let’s compare the voices of two writers …
Example 3: Nancy Duarte
Haven’t you often wished you could make customers, employees, investors, or students snap, crackle, pop, and move to the new place they need to be in order to create a new future?
(from Nancy Duarte’s book: Resonate)
Explanation: