The Role of Freewriting in Developing Your Unique Voice and Style
By Eleanor Hecks
What makes your writing unique? When readers come across your books, what do they see that makes them know it’s yours?
Establishing your position within the writing community can feel impossible, especially if you are just beginning your career. Each writer you come across pulls you in different directions, which can make it challenging to find your creative identity. The tendency to adopt the stylistic elements of a recently read work is a natural part of writing, one that contributes to your emerging voice.
While you may try to replicate it, your voice is uniquely your own. You would be able to identify the difference between Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens, wouldn’t you? It's in the way their sentences flow. Their writing embodies their voice as much in fiction as it does in reality. Discovering a personal voice or style can be a struggle, whether you're writing a novel or a blog post.
Your authentic voice, once discovered, may be difficult to explain or describe. A fundamental truth of writing is that some of the best material happens naturally as you practice, and the best way to do this is through freewriting.
What Is Freewriting?
Putting pen to paper is easier said than done. You can get caught up in the semantics of structure, the dreaded first sentence on which the entire premise relies. You feel compelled to grab the reader’s attention and draw them in. One wrong word and a fictional world can come crumbling down around you.
Freewriting is the opposite of that. It is the practice of writing down whatever comes to mind and noting it without stopping to think. Do you want to start your story with a car crash? Write that scene before your brain has a chance to catch up to you.
Freewriting is not collaborative. It is not a draft, but an exercise in self-discovery. There is a time and place for constructive criticism from mentors who can help guide you and refine your work. In fact, 96% of employees value getting feedback from others as it fosters their professional growth. It’s invaluable for refining your work, but freewriting serves another purpose. It is something that's solely for the individual.
Practicing freewriting is actually a labor of love, giving yourself the allowance to engage in creative play. Your thoughts may be chaotic, but allowing yourself to write without self-censorship can help you access ideas that overthinking would otherwise block.
Voice and style are similar but not the same. The subtle difference in their definitions can provide you with clarity as you explore your creative identity.
Freewriting for Voice
Voice is the lens through which you write. It is your unique personality, attitude and style that express themselves through writing. Voice is the overall effect created by the style in a written work.
The only way to develop your natural voice is to practice writing as honestly as possible in how you would speak . This practice may make some people’s work sparse and others’ more colloquial. What you cannot do is try to copy another author’s voice word-for-word.
You may currently discount your true voice as not being as strong as others. This is a common dilemma among writers, but one that needs to be overcome. Working on the craft while continuing to write in the way that feels honest and true to who you are can help you feel more confident in your unique voice.
It takes is a bit of bravery to share it with others,butmore often than not, it's your unique voice that the world wants to hear.
Freewriting for Style
Style is the unique way you use words on the page:. word choice, figurative language, sentence structure, tone, sensory detail and other elements of prose. It is the mechanical and stylistic conventions a writer uses.
Discovering your writing style can be a vague or elusive journey, as all the elements that fall under the category can make it feel overwhelming. A lot is going on when it comes to your style, but it is important to remember one crucial lesson for success: There is no such thing as a “good” style.
There is not one linear path for character development or good dialogue. There are conventions, but this process is less about mastering a skill and more about refining what is unique about you.
Tips for Beginners
Only after analyzing your freewriting content can you understand what comes naturally to you. Don’t get caught up insemantics. Using freewriting to find your writer’s voice and style is the quickest and most fulfilling way to self-discovery. Just write and don't think when you practice freewriting.
Here are some ways to help you put pen to paper:
Set a timer: Give yourself a time constraint and keep writing for a set period without stopping. This can be five minutes or 30 minutes, but what matters is setting a limitation for yourself.
Keep your pen or fingers moving: If you stop, then you must start all over again. A second of doubt can ruin the entire practice. This invites writer’s block and all the anxieties that come with it.
Avoid deleting or crossing out: This is editing. The point of freewriting is to avoid the structure of editing yourself for an audience.
Don’t worry about spelling or grammar: This is also editing and is counterintuitive to self-discovery.
Don’t get bogged down in thinking: Try to write what intrinsically comes to mind. You’ll be surprised by how quickly words flow once you get rid of that mental barrier.
Be free: This is your time to explore and have fun. Enjoy this process and engage in creative play. You deserve it and need it to hone your craft.
Free Your Mind
You want writing to come naturally. Wishing to become known for your words is not a fool's errand, but it takes time, confidence and trust in yourself. The most important task is just to write.
Let those words flow, and don’t worry about whether your voice and style are engaging or worth five stars. Write the way you do when your only goal is to enjoy your passion. Getting your words on the page is the only way to achieve that self-discovery you desire, and freewriting helps you do so.
Eleanor Hecks is a writer and designer focused on helping new authors follow their passions through book writing and cover design. She serves as Editor-in-Chief at Designerly Magazine, and her work has been featured on publications such as Independent Publishing and Writers Helping Writers.