Finding Your Writing Voice (And Why It Matters)

Let’s kill the romance right now.

There is a pervasive, gooey myth that a "writing voice" is some mystical stardust sprinkled by a capricious muse. We treat it like a divine gift—you either have it, or you’re destined to write instruction manuals for toaster ovens.

Here is the unsexy truth: Voice isn't magic. It’s mechanics.

It is the accumulation of a thousand micro-choices about diction, syntax, and whether you have the guts to be honest. It is a technical skill, not a zodiac sign.

If your current writing sounds like a "corporate approximation of professional"—stiff, beige, and roughly as exciting as a tax audit—it’s not because you lack a soul. It’s because you haven’t tuned your engine.

Here is how to stop sounding like a press release and start sounding like you on your sharpest day.

Deconstructing the "Voice" Equation

When we talk about voice, we are really talking about the intersection of personality and engineering.

Strip away the "writerly" mystique, and your voice comes down to three levers you can pull. Let’s break them down before you accidentally "leverage" another "paradigm."

01

Diction is the difference between “utilizing a methodology” and “using a system.”

Many writers suffer from The Smartest Kid in the Room Syndrome. They believe authority requires syllables. They think if they use the word “efficacious” instead of “works,” people will take them seriously.

Spoiler alert: They won’t. They’ll just think you’re trying too hard.

The Corporate Robot: “We aim to facilitate strategic synergies to maximize optimization.”
The Actual Human: “We help teams work better together.”

The Fix: Audit your last three emails. Circle every word you wouldn’t use while ordering a coffee. Replace them. If you wouldn’t say it to a bartender, don’t type it to your reader. Your goal is precision, not pretension.

02

If diction is the lyrics, syntax is the bass line. It’s how you arrange the furniture of your sentences.

Long, meandering sentences are fine for Victorian novels, but in modern content, they are a sedative. You need rhythm. You need a pulse.

The Drone: “It is important to note that when one is considering the implications of the market, one must also look at the data because the data is where the truth lies.” (I fell asleep typing that).
The Voice: “Look at the market. Now look at the data. See the disconnect? That’s where the opportunity is.”

The Fix: Read your work aloud. If you run out of breath, your sentence is too fat. Put it on a diet. If you sound like a sat-nav, chop your sentences up. Create a heartbeat.

03

This is the lever most people are terrified to pull.

Corporate writing is safe because it is Teflon-coated; nothing sticks to it, but it has no texture. Authentic voice requires you to drop the “perfect expert” facade.

Honesty means admitting what you don’t know. It means having an opinion that might actually (gasp) annoy someone. It means killing the passive voice—”mistakes were made” is a phrase for politicians and toddlers, not experts.

The Fix: Write the thing you’re afraid to say. The sentence that makes you wince a little? Keep that one. That’s where the gold is.

The "Best Day" Benchmark

A common trap is trying to adopt a “persona.” You don’t need to morph into a jagged cynicism machine or a Zen guru if that’s not you.

The goal is to sound like you on your best day.

What does “Best Day You” look like?

You’re sharp: You don’t ramble. You hit the target.
You’re awake: You aren’t sleepwalking through clichés.
You’re confident: You don’t hide behind weasel words like “somewhat,” “possibly,” or “I think.”

Think of your voice not as a transcript of your brain (which is messy), but as the curated, 4K resolution version of your expertise.

Why Your Voice Matters (The SEO of Not Being Boring)

Why bother? Why not just let AI vomit out a generic article and call it a day?

Because information is a commodity, but perspective is an asset.

In an ocean of AI-generated beige, a distinct voice is the only life raft you have. Search engines and humans alike are starving for E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness).

Differentiation

Your competitors can copy your pricing. They can copy your features. They cannot copy your swagger.
Tribalism

A strong voice acts as a filter. It attracts the people who love your style and repels the ones who were going to be a nightmare to work with anyway. Win-win.
Retention

People click for the answer. They stay for the attitude.

How to Start Today

Voice isn’t found under a rock; it’s forged in the fire of editing. Here is your marching order:

1

STEP ONE

Write the “Vomit Draft”

Get the ideas out. Let it be messy.

STEP ONE

2

STEP TWO

The “Human” Pass

Read it and ask, “Do I sound like a person or a pamphlet?”

STEP TWO

3

STEP THREE

The Rhythm Check

Kill the long, winding sentences. Punch it up.

STEP THREE

4

STEP FOUR

The Honesty Audit

Find the safest, most boring sentence you wrote. Delete it. Replace it with what you actually mean.

STEP FOUR

Voice is a choice. Make a better one.

Ready to sharpen your blade?

I can take a dull, corporate sentence you've written and rewrite it in this "Authoritative & Witty" style to show you the difference. Do you have a sentence or short paragraph you want me to transform?

Contact Jessica Neutz

Want better writing (without boring newsletters)?

Finding Your Writing Voice (And Why It Matters)

Deconstructing the "Voice" Equation

The "Best Day" Benchmark

Why Your Voice Matters (The SEO of Not Being Boring)

Differentiation

Tribalism

Retention