My question today is “how did you find your voice”? Or are you one, like myself, who is still making that discovery?
What was your “eureka” moment – when you realized that you had discovered the writer in you?
Did it take you a long time to unveil your true style?
What I am finding through my reading is what I do not want to write, or what I am currently not interested in writing. I am not a person likely to spend loads of time on research, so I don’t think I could write good nonfiction historical stories, for example. I also will not write erotica or horror or sci fi. As far as novels, not sure that is what I can do, either – yet, anyway.
There are styles I really enjoy in what I am reading, so I will keep discovering what appeals to me that way. What I do know is that I enjoy writing for young readers, and stories with a little bit of humour, stories with good ethics, and so on. But, I am still a beginner since I have not allowed myself much time nor the thrill of really setting ‘my muse’ free. 🙂
Now to mention the book I won, A Black Tie Affair by Sherrill Bodine. Today I got a chance to read it to the end. It is well written; pulls you back and forth in the lives of the two main characters; includes some mystery, romance (I skipped over the erotica since I’m not comfortable reading that), lots of fashion detail and has an odd little detail in the ending. Sherrill Bodine can certainly write and if that is the type of book you enjoy then you may want to pick this one up and her other one, Talk of the Town.
You can find A Black Tie Affair listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.
So, back to my main question … how did you find your voice?
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂
Polilla Writes 
I know we often speak about “finding our voice” but the real truth is, it takes time for our “voice” to develop. It comes from writing, writing, writing. It comes from a place deep inside you, a knowing that this is who you are when you write. When it’s there you’ll know it and recognize it. You won’t have to ask anyone. It may be something you’ll never be able to fully describe but as I said you’ll know it and recognize it. That’\s the important part.
When I started writing I wanted to write for kids. It seemed pretty simple. I had a goal in mind..But, in the beginning, I had no idea about what things were important to me as a writer. That was something I had to go looking for. So I began writing short stories, then slowly the short stories were written from a kids POV. This was not something I set out to do in my short stories. It was something that happened over time. Not all my SS are about kids, either. I write stories about things that are important to me. And not necessarily anything life-changing. But I figure if I can end a story by giving the reader a new way of looking at something, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Regardless of what age group you’re wanting to write for, I suggest you just write. Find something you want to write about and start telling your story. Sometimes we discover that the genre we think we should be writing in isn’t the one we are best suited to write. Again, this is something you will discover as time goes by.
I’m not sure this is of any help, Lynn. I’m sure there are lots of great books out there on this very subject.
Best of luck in your journey,
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Thank you, Laura, this is very helpful to me.
I think that I have been trying to build a foundation under my dream, if that makes any sense. I like to understand as much as I can, and although it sometimes takes me quite awhile, I have felt it to be beneficial. Now I suspect it may be eating into good writing time.
It is hard for me to organize my time to ‘just write’. Also, I don’t think I have ever considered writing as a ‘serious’ thing for most people, but rather a more whimsical spending of one’s time. Perhaps that is a true reflection on myself, not believing I had anything of real value to share. That is gradually changing as I am beginning to see myself as a writer. (Thanks for that tip.)
I will try from now on to think less about the other things and ‘just do it!‘ – as a very good friend has told me many times. In fact, I have urged others with the same advice. And as you have said – “just write.”
I have so many ideas and a new one formulated a few days ago for a magazine article. Time to get to it.
Thanks, Laura, for your wisdom once again.
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