“This is so Amrit,” is the comment someone left on my Medium blog post, some time back. On Medium I mostly publish journalistic, opinion or literary blog posts. I write in my own style. My writing has its own voice.

Do I also have a “voice” when I’m content writing for my clients? I have a style, certainly.

Clients who prefer my style of writing stick with me.

There are some content writing clients for whom I have been writing for more than 5-6 years. Recently a client contacted me after 10 years, and this is when you can easily do a search on Google and find a content writing service.

Hence, there are many clients who prefer my style of writing. But, is the style of writing also your voice?

Voice is something different. Many writers can have the same writing style. In fact, the content writing and copywriting advice that you get on the web is all about style. Everyone who has written for a couple of years is full of advice these days.

Your voice gives a unique feeling when you write. Classical writers have a voice. Charles Dickens had a voice. If I read something from Charles Dickens (aside from the fact that he was a racist asshole) and you don’t tell me that it has been written by him, I can make out that it has been written by him.

Having a writing voice renders a sense of unique personality to your content. Just because you are writing content for your business website or blog, doesn’t mean it should be devoid of personality. There are many entrepreneurs who write for their blog or website with a strong presence of personality.

Writing voice can be developed and it can be inherently present inside you. In fact, I believe that the voice is always there and when it begins to manifest, you allow it to manifest.

How I let my writing voice manifest

Honestly, I don’t do it consciously. I just let it flow. I’m not saying that I am always flowing. Sometimes my writing sounds stiff. This is when my soul is not into the topic. I’m not saying that I do a lousy job of content writing but if you ask me about my voice, it is missing.

I have reached a stage when I don’t have to worry about making writing mistakes. So, from that angle, I don’t need to worry.

Even when I commit mistakes, they are less of mistakes and more of whims. Yes, I have my own writing whims. Fortunately, I’m able to explain my whims to my clients.

Confidence is essential if you want to develop your own writing voice. Confidence must come from ease of writing. Inflated confidence can be counter productive.

I’m talking about the confidence that comes from muscle memory. When you don’t have to think to perform an activity. In fact, more than confidence, I should call it “being there”.

You must have come across the expression, “sing as if no one is listening, dance as if no one is watching.” Don’t worry about how people are going to judge your writing.

Yes, there should be no spelling mistakes. There should be no grammar mistakes. The writing must be clear. The message that needs to be delivered, must be delivered without ambiguity. Your writing must reek of enthusiasm because if you don’t feel enthusiastic about the idea you are trying to convey, your readers won’t feel enthusiastic too, and the entire effort and money will go down the drain.

Hence, this is how you have a writing voice:

• Cover all your bases.
• Writing must be in your muscle memory – you shouldn’t have to make an effort.
• Write about the audience, about the reader.
• Don’t fret about writing advice but at the same time, make sure that your writing is readable on smaller devices.
• Focus on the message and not on your style.
• Deliver value and be enthusiastic about it.
• Don’t try too hard to sound verbose, but at the same time, don’t shy away from using your favorite words just because people may think that you are trying to show off.

Yes, as a content writer, I get paid for my content writing services. But mostly I’m writing for the pleasure of writing. If I have made enough money, I don’t mind writing for free. In fact, all my journalistic writing is for free, is for the love of writing. Maybe that’s why, people have begun to recognize “me” when they come across my blog posts and articles on other websites.