What are voices in writing?

The author’s voice in writing is the distinct style in which they put together words, including various literary devices and techniques such as syntax, diction, dialogue, tone, pacing, and punctuation. It’s what makes each author’s work unique and recognizable across all their novels, poems or stories: and can strengthen a work when used to enhance character and narrative voices.

There’s more?! Character voice reflects the unique personalities, perspectives, and speech patterns of individual characters within a narrative, whilst the narrative voice encompasses the point of view and storytelling technique employed by the narrator, shaping how the story unfolds and how readers perceive the events and characters within it.

Types of voice: character

Character voice is a powerful tool in any writer’s arsenal, as it offers insight into the essence of a character, and even plays a key part in carrying the narrative forward. Good characterisation, found within a strong character voice, allows readers to get a glimpse of the unique traits that define and differentiate each individual character. Character voice goes beyond mere dialogue — focus on the way characters interact with the world around them, including their motivations, beliefs, and emotions.

Language is also a good way of peppering in some good characterisation: whether characters speak in formal tones or colloquial slang, their language choices provide valuable clues about the setting and context of the story. Internal and external aspects of a character’s voice may be at odds, creating a tension that adds complexity – and juicy conflict – to their portrayal.

You should always be aware of the balance between dialogue and heavy description (if you can get both in without cluttering the text, good on you!) While physical descriptions like appearance or interests offer clearer insights into a character’s internal world, dialogue allows them to engage with others and the external environment.

Types of voice: author

An author’s voice is the hallmark of their craft, and often becomes the fingerprint that distinguishes their work from others in the literary landscape. Central to the author’s voice is diction — or, the carefully chosen words and phrases that shape the narrative and convey the author’s unique style and perspective. Being selective here and only choosing the strongest strings of words is best, as this is a reflection of personal voice, personality, and artistic vision.

Similarly, tone plays a pivotal role in the author’s voice, reflecting their attitude towards the subject matter and audience. Whether they choose a more formal, informal, serious, or comical tone, this choice will affect the emotional connection readers have with a character. Mood also works to infuse the narrative with a particular atmosphere, enriching a reader’s experience. 

Syntax (the arrangement of words and sentences) adds depth and texture to the author’s voice, allowing them to craft sentences that resonate with rhythm, lyricism, rhetorical effect or other things. Although this seems obvious, the choice of word, its order and many other contextual elements can either strengthen the work if done well, or make it fall flat.

Types of voice: narrator

A crucial aspect of storytelling, the narrator’s point of view determines the lens through which readers experience the story. First person (I/my), second person (you/yours), third person (she/he/they) and multiple narrators change the way in which readers get an insight into the world.

An omniscient narrator possesses an all-seeing knowledge of the story’s events and characters, providing a comprehensive view of the narrative landscape. The most intriguing narrative voices often belong to unreliable narrators, whose perceptions and interpretations of events are skewed (often biased, or otherwise incorrect), adding layers of complexity and intrigue to the storytelling process.

Shout it loud!

The beauty of narrative voice lies in its infinite possibilities, but it’s best when an author hones their own and strengthens it through… Well, writing! Developing an author’s voice is all about embracing your style and perspective, which is best done through exploring and experimenting.