Using Your Writing “Voice” is a Key to Success at the Office

If you’re not a professional writer, you may not be familiar with the phrase, “finding your writing voice.” Or, you may have heard of it, but don’t think it’s a thing for non-writers. “After all,” you say, “it’s not like I’m trying to write the next ‘Harry Potter’ series, so why would someone that basically writes e-mails at work need a voice?”  

Before I get to your answer, think about your favorite writer. It can be a novelist, columnist, playwright, blogger or any kind of author. Why is that person your favorite over another author who writes the same kind of thing? Ninety-nine percent of the reason is probably because of the “voice” he or she uses. The way that the writer constructs thoughts and gets them down speaks to you in the same way certain singers appeal to you.

Your writing voice is not your writing style, although that is part of it. Nor is it your writing tone, even though your tone is also part of it.

No, your writing voice is the unique way YOU look at the world and how you present yourself through your words. And the beauty of it is, it’s mostly about you being you.

Everyone has a writing voice … even if they don’t realize it

Whatever voice suits you is all up to you because everyone comes from different experiences and backgrounds. Even people in the same family will have different writing voices because their situations are different.

For instance, I’m the youngest of three siblings, so I filter my world view through those eyes (baby brother). My sister is the oldest, so she is the stick-to-the-facts leader who grew up to be a CPA. My brother is the middle child who loves drawing attention to himself, so naturally, he grew up to be a sales executive.

Despite growing up in the same house, neighborhood and schools with the same two parents for our entire lives, if you gave all three of us the same writing assignment, you’d get three totally different pieces in tone, style and … voice. It wouldn’t matter if the assignment was a creative writing piece on unicorns or a business memo on the pros and cons of a new HR initiative to strengthen employee engagement. My brother, sister and I would all bring our perspectives and our voices to the assignment.

Make your business writing stand out by developing your voice

Finding your voice in business writing is key to establishing your credibility and your ability to persuade others to your point of view. THAT is why it is important to find your voice, even if all you do is write emails and the occasional report. By establishing a voice that is professional and delivers on quality content, just seeing your name on an email gives it instant authority.

However, don’t think that your business writing voice absolutely has to be dry and technical (unless that IS your voice!). For instance, my voice is a less formal, conversational style with a humorous tone (when the occasion fits). I’ll shoot off a memo to our CEO with a humorous tone because we work together on many things and I know he appreciates me treating him that way. On the other hand, if I’m writing to a manager or executive that I don’t know as well, I leave the jokes out, but still keep it somewhat casual.

At a previous job where I worked with sales offices all across the country, an office manager once told me that when they saw my name pop up on an email, it got read immediately because they enjoyed my emails so much. (Ahhhhh, my emails went to the TOP of the pile, eh???)

My job requires extensive research about our industry, so part of my writing voice is the liberal use of statistics in what training techniques work. Therefore, when my co-workers see an email from me, they tend to know what to expect and how I’m coming up with my suggestions on an idea, project, report or whatever. The fact that I can make them smile with well-placed puns is part of my writing voice.

Choosing the style and tone of your document   

 

It’s important to get the right style and tone in your documents in order to find your voice. Use the following guidelines as to what to use and when to use it.

Conversational Writing 

• It mimics familiar conversational tone 
• The author is as important as the material being delivered 
• It’s appropriate for personal and some business writing when the audience is known to the author

Formal Writing   

• It uses traditional business English 
• It uses stilted language 
• It’s appropriate for professional writing when the audience is unknown to the author

Business Casual Writing 

• It puts the message above the author, but the author’s personal voice still comes through 
• The delivery of the message is personal without being over-familiar  
• Slang is excluded, and little or no jargon is included 
• This is the most-used writing style in business today

Why you rarely—if ever—write as you talk

Informal conversational English

• It takes less time to write 
• It takes less time to read   
• It engages the reader more quickly

Caution: Consider the reader’s reaction to informal communication.   

• Is the writing too casual, assuming a relationship that does not exist?  
• Does the subject require dignified treatment? 
• Is the casualness of the writing a possible indication of poor education?  

Until you find your voice (and you will) go a bit more conservative in your business writing. It’s safer that way. But it’s still important to be yourself. You can’t fake it when it comes to your style, tone and voice in your writing.