Last Updated on February 26, 2024
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Does the content you create have a unique style? Without personality, there’s nothing to distinguish you. In order to stand out, you need to find your voice.
We’re going to start today’s piece with a short story. It’s a tale of two individuals, whom we’ll refer to as Bill and Brown.
Bill’s a pretty awesome guy to hang out with. He’s always got some witty rejoinder at the ready, and he tackles everything in his life with a certain zeal that his friends and family find admirable. Not only that, the way he presents himself is unique to him – there are very few people who can say they’re just like Bill.
Brown, on the other hand…just is. He’s a pretty smart guy, really, but most people are bored to tears within a few moments of talking to him. There’s nothing especially unique about him; nothing to distinguish him from everyone else they meet in their day to day lives. Most people forget about him shortly after they part company.
In case you were wondering, this story’s something of an analogy – I’m making reference to the difference between a piece of writing that’s put together with personality and one that isn’t. See, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter how valuable or interesting your content is. If you can’t write with a certain unique flair, people probably aren’t going to bother with it – like Brown, it’s going to be thoroughly forgettable.
What I’m saying here is that you need to instill a voice into your creations. They can’t be written in a boring, mechanical fashion. Content alone, explains Launchbyte’s Boss Lee, simply isn’t enough.
“There are many articles out on the web that highlight the importance of content,” writes Lee. “I’m sure having great content helps. But many times, it is the personality that draws in the audience.”
Unfortunately, nailing down that personality isn’t something that comes easily to everyone. What can you do if you’re struggling to find your voice? How can you put your own unique spin on the stuff you create?
1. Know What You Want
Before you even think about sitting down to create you need to ask yourself one very important question: why are you doing this? Unless you know what you’re making content for (and about), most of the stuff you pump out is going to end up feeling insincere, unfocused, or pointless. It’s important to establish what your goals are right out the gate – because what you’re aiming to achieve will definitely have an impact on how you put forward your thoughts and ideas.
2. Express Yourself
I’m certain you’ve heard the old saying about opinions (which probably isn’t appropriate to reprint here). Everybody has one – including you. Express that in your writing. If you feel a particular way about a topic, make that clear to your readers. While you shouldn’t make bogus, unsupportable claims (always back up your stuff with evidence, people), you also shouldn’t be afraid to step out and boldly state how you feel – even if it’ll get you a bit of hate.
3. Talk About Your Passion
The next time you sit down to write up a blog post or publish a podcast, ask yourself how you feel about your topic of choice. Is it something you’ve a keen interest in? Would you talk about this sort of thing outside of a professional setting, or are you strictly concerned with how it relates to your brand?
Hopefully it’s the former – because generally, when you’re writing about something you don’t care much about, you won’t enjoy writing it. And if you don’t enjoy writing it, that’s going to come across clearly to your readers. Me, I’ve always had an interest in marketing and technology – so those are the topics I write about.
If you’re not terribly passionate about your subject matter, then it might be time for a change – or at the very least, to hire someone who is.
4. Find A Role Model (Or Several)
One tip from Launchbyte that I’ve found to be quite valuable is that if you’re having trouble figuring out how to track down your personality, look for a few people to model yourself after. Find writers or content creators you think you might have something in common with – or simply people you admire – and look at how they convey themselves. From there, it’s simply a matter of looking at their style and developing it so it works for you.
5. Imagine You’re Having A Conversation While You Write
I’ve got one last tip before we wrap things up. See, I’ve always written in something of a conversational tone – it’s just something that I do. That definitely helps make my stuff easier to read, since it actually flows like a natural conversation.
Why not imagine you’re actually sitting down with a friend and having a chat while you write? If could help make your work a lot more appealing to the audience by giving them some concept of your thought process.
Create Like Only You Can
Everyone – no matter who they are – has a unique voice, even if finding it can be something of a challenge. If you’re going to be a content creator, you definitely need to find yours. Otherwise, you might as well get someone else to do the job for you.
I think Brawn Media put it best:
“When reading content written by someone who knows how to write in their own voice, you will notice something special about the tone of the content. You will be able to feel the passion, self-expression, and clarity in what they are trying to convey. People are moved reading articles, listening to articles, or watching video by those who speak and write with their unique voice.”
Posted by:Nick Greene
Nick Greene is a Content Specialist at Northcutt, an inbound marketing agency. He's armed with an English degree and an inborn passion for all things involving marketing and technology. Nick has been a full time journalist and copywriter since 2010 – and he’s loved every moment of it.
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