Finding Your Voice

When I first began writing, I did not know where to start. I had no idea. Was I supposed to sound like myself? Was I supposed to sound like someone else?

It was difficult to wrap my head around; finding your voice is tricky. You have to be yourself and write like yourself, or the words won’t flow, and you won’t get anywhere. So, like anything, start, write as you would speak, and you will have something to work with. Over time, as you edit, you can play with the character by describing how they act and what they say; your voice will become theirs, and they will take on a life of their own.

I wrote my entire book in first person. It was easier for me to think in that way. However, after a full edit, I realized it felt too close to home. I worried that my readers—family and friends, in particular—would think the character was actually me, and I didn’t want that. If that were on my mind as I edited, it would limit me creatively.

So, I searched and replaced I with Grace and changed me to she. Converting my manuscript from from first person to third was easier than expected. Doing this provided the distance I needed from the character and allowed me to develop my voice further.

— Cindy