When blogging we hear so much about "finding your voice". The good ladies of the rain, TLW, Mariana Wagner, Ann Cummings, Monika McGillicuddy, and Carole Cohen, all wrote about it when we reviewed books here in Active Rain like Realty Blogging, by Richard Nacht and Paul Chaney and also The Weblog Handbook by Rebecca Blood.
We hear about "finding your voice" from Project Blogger Judges, from other bloggers....it seems that the VOICE
subject is everywhere. So I decided to do a little investigating to see what's the big deal about THE VOICE, and here's what I have to say.
Your voice can be caustic, it can be controversial, it can be regarded as "syrupy", it can even be overbearing. The whole concept of "finding your voice" is simple, it's about feeling comfortable with your writing, it's about letting the words flow just like you were having a conversation, it's even about dropping our formal writing training and having some fun.
The most important aspect about your voice is who your audience is - if you can figure out who you are talking to, then it will be easy to know what tone to use. In our daily life the way we talk to our child's school principal is different than the way we talk to our Yoga instructor - same applies here. We also have different moods and may be aggressive, happy, sad....depends on the day, depends on the situation.
For those of you who have an Active Rain blog and an outside one, you are probably finding out that your voice will be different. We can see a big difference between Active Rain Posts and Localism Posts because the audience is not the same.
So what's my point with all this?
We are all different, we all have different personalities. Our blog should reflect that. It is your choice to be controversial, it is your choice to be sweet and expose personal sides of you. The opinion people will have of your so called "voice" will be subjective, some will like it some will not. Just keep at it and focus on who is listening, and if it starts becoming a chore, you are doing something wrong. It is easier to redirect that voice to a different audience than to try to change your personality.
Ines.... very good... short, sweet, and to the point. You make some great points. One thing that stuck out is that you said that some people will like what you write and follow you.. and some won't. Can't take it personal.
And you are so correct when you said that you might have a different voice if you write on two different blog sites. Writing blogs on AR and then if you have another blog page, that your voice might be different on that one. I just started another site last week.... I am going to have around 3 others, all different with different meanings, trying to drive different kinds of business.
Overall... good job....
Stephanie - thanks for stopping by.
Jeff - can't take it personal.....that's a FACT. And after the voice, comes subject....some people will be attracted to certain subjects. Look at Maureen's blog being on a diet now for eating too much.
Paula - it's not easy, but you do get better at it by doing it. So keep on blogging....you'll see it getting more and more clear.
Danny - LOUD AND CLEAR : )
Hi Ines - thanks for the link! We certainly have read alot about 'finding your voice', in those books, and in posts and comments all over the place. I think whatever one wants to write about is what their voice is - I've finally come to that conclusion. Find the writing style you're comfortable with, find what you like to write about, and just write.....write, write, write. ;-)
Ann
Ines~
When we get to the point as real estate professionals where we can not only find our voice, but inspire others from that professional perspective, (as you do) possibly we can inspire those who "hear" us...
Ann - we've come a long way haven't we? ....and it feels good!
janeAnne - you have no idea what your comments means to me...thank you.
That microphone pic is way hot!!! Very sensual!
Question:
How did you get so many "other" points?
Luke - I have "sensual" times too you know. The "other points" were from creating areas in localism (cities) and adding photos...hmmm, I haven't done that in quite a while.....thanks for the reminder.
Now that I liked! I tried to get ideas for better ways of writing. I found I can use some of them...(my structure needed work when it came to some types of writing) but geez. I just gotta let loose and do my thing the majority of the time. I love to write to express myself. I love to write just on a whim...and not have to worry if I'm doing it right or what....thank you for instilling that ......
We are all different, we all have different personalities. Our blog should reflect that.
Ines,
That picture is great! Voice? Mine still cracks. I think I have a New York accent even when I write. Over 20 years in Southern California and it is still there.
Colleen and I have discussed this at great length. She and I write so very differently and are strong and weak in opposite areas.
We are all individuals and just have to be who we are.
I don' t think of voice in that way. Voice is the same voice I have in person, so that when people call me and meet me, it's a match. If people expect to find the person they "thought" you were from your blog voice, and meet someone totally different, then it is not "voice" it is "presentation".
I have read some amazing blogs, and then when I email or talk to the person, they have nothing to say that is anywhere near like their writings. Makes me wonder if they copied it from somewhere, or had someone else write it. If consumers are going to contact us as a result of our blog, they have a right to meet the person you portrayed yourself as on the blog. That is blogvoice.
Ines, this line in particular struck a chord with me: if it starts becoming a chore, you are doing something wrong. You're right. Blogging in your own "voice" will never feel like a chore. It's a great flag to be on the lookout for. I'm still struggling with mine.
Write a LOT, your voice will find you while you aren't paying attention. I think I didn't have too much trouble with it because I have had penpals since I was in high school, so I've been writing all along. Writing is FUN for me. The catch is that I tend to write in a very simplistic style -- but then again my writing for years has been for people who speak English as a second language, and I want them to be comfortable.
ARDELL makes a very good point, you SHOULD write the way you talk. People will expect you to have the same voice when they meet you in person. You're not trying to be anyone else, you're trying to be YOU.
Your post really helps me to refine my writing style (which is a work in progress.)
Ardell hit the nail on the head in her comment above.
I don't think you should be looking for a voice. Your voice is you just being who you are. If you have multiple voices, how do you keep track of who read what?
Just be who you are or you else you are just playing games and living a lie. People will eventually find the truth and will then feel ripped off.
Advertising is the place for creating a specific image that you want people to believe. I think blogging is the place where people get a taste of the real you and not the image that you want them to have.
Brian - you get it....it takes a while to understand what that is.....it took me way longer than a dozen posts to figure it out.
Gail -I will certainly check out your community blog and what's important here is that you get the results you need - and it looks like you are. Thanks so much for that compliment and I do hope to meet you some day soon. It's obvious we would get along, and have fun.
Jeff- I did read Julie's blog and I think we are being challenged by this competition to question the way we do things and the way we portray each other. There are certain subjects that make me "edgy" one of them not getting the "subjectiveness" of blogging. I just get mad when people criticize someone else's voice and it is who they are. Thanks for reinforcing this for me!
Sally - I think you are doing it perfectly. The only time you should ever question your style is when you are not getting the results you are looking for.
Laurie - Ha! New York accent that cracks! I can feel the accent, but the cracking....no way....you can sing away a storm!
Cyndee - LOL! there's a time and place for all that stuff to come out....and yes.....Rick's very lucky..but so am I.
Ardell - you should read it again....because THAT's exactly what I said.....your personality needs to come through or you are being a farce. Talk about disappointing people in person, no?
Joddie - that is very cool.....we all have our little things to be thankful to AR for...or big things. Congratulations on your writing.
Maggie - since you started here you've been using your voice. You know when to have fun and when not to. The little I've talked to you on the phone, I know for a fact that it's you...the maggie I know from your writing.....you're not struggling with your voice, you're struggling how far to project it.
Sarah - one fo the first articles I read about blogging described it as an "online journal" - obviously that was before business blogs came out. How can you write a journal withought being yourself. When I read your blog, it's like pulling up a chair at a table with friends and it makes me feel comfortable. Now it explains it...penpals!
Diane - I am so glad...go for it!
Tim - you are right, my explanation about "finding" your voice is about finding the way to portray yourself in writing. When I started blogging, I was very formal and would use that "letter style" writing.....dear sir(s)...I have come to the conclusion that..... I later realized that it was wrong. That doesn't mean it wasn't me, it means it was me formalized (I hope you get what I'm trying to say). I realized with blogging that I can be down to earth, I can use my corny humor at times, and I can even sound pissed off when I am. And Ardell is right and so are you, we need to be ourselves and let people meet the real us through our blog, that's ultimately the goal....to be able to engage the consumer and have a conversation with them.
Ines,
I have seen some very powerful "voices" from people who did not even realize they "had" a voice, come and go here at AR.
I have also seen people start out with a one liner post and expand with a full blown "personality".
The problem is, we never can be sure if we are reading someones' true voice or not.
As Tim Maitski notes, we may be reading "multiple voices":) And some people actually do have multiple voices, so that is not necessarily a bad thing.
I think a lot of people, including myself, are sometimes hesitant to use their "true" voice due to the backlash received when you do. Which in and of itself is not a bad thing either, just means they don't like conflict.
Nice post, Ines, your voice is loud and clear.
Mike - not edgy at all : ) not getting comments is definitely a difficult aspect of blogging but I do understand that AR is a "different place". In the blogosphere your blog can go without comment, but it doesn't mean you are not getting read. So please don't get discouraged if you don't see many comments on your blog and blog on!
J.R. - now I have to go check if you are a man of few words....see? you achieved something here because I'm curious.
Karen- I totally see where you're coming from and I have been hesitant myself at times - you do need to decide if you like conflict or not. AR can be a rough place too and a lot of 'caustic' personalities have left because they didn't like the camaraderie in here. I do think it's possible to have different voices, heck....when I'm doing an architectural presentation my real voice is so different than when I'm paying bills.....and no, I am not schizophrenic and neither am I! : )
Ines...
Oooo. Dancing and singing in the rain. I loved Hubba's comment...May I add that we really can't fake it till we make it :)
It doesn't work like that. I can't imagine trying to be anyone but me. I have a hard enough time remembering my name. Never mind keeping up with a fake persona. Can you just imagine a Blogger with a bunch of different voices trying to remember who they were that day? :)
Ah. Ha. Mango. LOL. Sorry folks. Inside joke :)
TLW...ROAR!
It is easier to redirect that voice to a different audience than to try to change your personality.
Enough said, good post.
Ines & Rick, I agree with being the real deal, to me blogging is online Flirting
Very nice Ines, Hey I have to be me. I'm not that complicated and I just write about what I know and do. I never really gave thought to "finding" my voice. I am who I am for better or worse. I have however become more confident in my writing. I think that just comes from doing it. My writing has become better but my style has always been just me, talking, via the written word.
If folks try to be something they are not, they will fail.
Very well said Ines, you have to be true to who you are, and each setting has a behavior that is appropriate for it, just like real life. You would not behave the same in Church as you would at a party, and it is the same thing with AR, Localism, etc. But even if your behavior is different in these different settings, it still needs to be reflective of the type of person you are, and if it isn't, it shows very clearly.
memememe... there's my voice!
good points one and all
I've found myself trying to write for feature almost exclusively... and my most recent star came for a localism piece. It definitely got me thinking about which is more important and which way to write for each
Ines,
Just be yourself, thats the bottom line. Your post is inspirational because you can tell you are writing from your heart. Thank you! :)
TLW- I've seen bloggers with different personal...it's very disheartening. I could not see you ever faking it...and that's what we like about you (by we, I mean all of me's...hee hee).
Hey, you got mango, I go Lychee hmmm
Missy - I think that's the toughest thing - defining the audience....and that's where all those tracking plug-ins come into place.
Mott - I totally agree....I think you start finding out what people think about you once you've been here enough and once you get repeat traffic and a real audience.
Mitchell- on-line flirting...that's good! there's also room for that! And don't be surprised when they criticize you for that as well.
Bryant- your writing has always been great and you are who you are. You are very good loooking, you have a great head on your shoulders and doesn't hurt to have a hell of a woman behind you.
Christy - I had the same problem, I was trying to find topics for my real estate audience and realized you don't have to look for those - focus on those questions you get every day. The chances are that if someone is asking, others will have the same questions - the trivial topics are usually the best ones.
George - let's talk about YOUR VOICE!! I know I pick on you for it, but would love to hear it....especially your Church Voice - when will I have the pleasure?
David - stop trying...you'll see how much easier it gets.
Suzanne - definitely writing from my heart, especially because there are so many people out there telling you how to do it - there is no fixed equation.....just keep writing and inevitable....the improvement will follow.
Good information... Thanks for the post!
Mariana - you are the perfect example of VOICE - sometimes soft, sometimes loud, most of the time fun. Your blog reflects who you are and how you are, but your local posts are different than your Code of Ethics posts....and they are all excellent. As for mood.....don't even get me started.....I'm the queen of MOODS.
And.....if anyone ever tells you your voice is "boring" or "not controversial enough" or even "too consumer oriented".....you just let me at them!
George - I meant your real live Church voice silly.....come one.....say when!
Wayne and Lynda - you are welcome.
Great Advice. It's now what you say it's how you say it
Rod
Thanks for your honest opinion....and a great open mind!
Dena - you tell them!! : )
Rod - you got it ! and it's ok to say it in different ways as long as you are you.
Sally - that's what I'm about....an open mind! Thank you.
Thanks Gena - can't wait to see yours either....and I'm sure it will be stunning.
Elaine - who are the "blogging gurus" anyway and who taught them how to do it is my question. I think they have been testing what works for them and so should others. The Project Blogger Coaching idea is fabulous because we can learn from those who have done it and have tested different strategies.
John - my sentiments exactly!
Ines: I’ve lost my voice—where did it go? It was here just a moment ago—but it’s
GONE—GONE, I tell you! Now I gotta find it all over again! Oh yeah, I came here to comment on your post: nicely done, Ines, very nicely done!
JayInes- very good post. And great picture! Finding one's voice is the toughest thing for a new blogger. Especially if you are not used to talking so much. At least for me it is. :)