When you write something, there is always going to be a voice that will make the writing sound good. Readers will want to hear that sound as they read a written story. I want my voice to be heard in my future writing projects. It may be easier said than done, but the voice in a writing piece is what makes it compelling and memorable for readers. 

The voice in writing is a subject I began learning about this week after reading “On Writing Well” by William Zinsser. It focused a lot on how writers use good sentence flow and rhythm to make their writing sound better. Zinsser describes this by saying that writing isn’t just for the eye, but also for the ear. I think this is a great point, especially when you’re reading something out loud — a strategy recommended by one of the editors in my sports writing experience. The ears will take in what you’re saying as you read something, so of course, it should be as clear as possible. If something sounds bizarre or not right structurally, chances are that it’s jarring language, as Zinsser puts it. 

I also read this article by Donnell King about the difference between “for the ear” and “by the ear.” It pretty much relates to the points I mentioned above. Now, what I really think would be helpful for me is brainstorming words and putting each one into a sentence. In other words, I can just talk to myself about it, like I’ve always done with any given situation. This could also be an alternative to clustering, which is a term I learned about this week as well. Although they say it’s easiest to write down the ideas that come to mind, talking them out loud would be beneficial as well. 

As someone who takes his work ethic seriously, I’m glad to have read all this information about voice in writing. I think it’s essential, and if I just practice it and use my own strategy of talking to myself, what a difference that would be in my writing moving forward!