Reader,
Would-be writers often worry about "finding their voice."
I don't say "would-be" to disparage these folks. The sad truth is that the quest to find one's voice is often fruitless. Few people find what they think they're looking for. And what's worse, nothing actually gets written.
Every single person — yes, even you — is born with a unique writing voice. It's not something you have to go out and find. It's as much a part of you as your speaking voice.
I think this feels foreign to a lot of us because we've largely forgotten what it was like to learn how to talk. We weren't born with a full vocabulary. Nor did we know how to twists our mouths and tongues in the intricate ways required to produce the consonants, vowels, and diphthongs that now make up our everyday speech. We had to hear and then imitate other people. And yet, the ability to speak could not be granted by anyone else. It was the fruit of our labor and made use of our natural equipment.
Our writing voices work the same way.
However, there is a key difference between our speaking voice and our writing voice: one is seen while the other is heard. And before you dismiss me with "No duh," let me explain how we often misunderstand this difference.
When we listen to our favorite singers, we do so because we're captivated by the sound of their voices. Some of us are drawn to the bold vibrato of classically-trained opera singers. Others prefer the authentic twang of a folk singer. Heck, some people even like to listen to Bob Dylan, something I've never understood. In all these cases, what keeps us listening is the fact that we like the way these voices land in our ears.
Although the written word ostensibly uses the same raw materials — aka words — it doesn't work the same way. Sure, things like rhyme and rhythm impact our ability to read and enjoy what we read. But when we fall in love with an author, it's because we're captivated by the pictures they put in our heads. Not unlike John Cusack in Being John Malkovich, though hopefully a lot less creepy, we enjoy the experience of looking at the world through another person's eyes.
What I'm trying to say is this: the only way to "find" your writing voice is to ask yourself, "What did (or do) I see?" and then write the answer down.
Don't waste your time trying to figure out what you sound like. Instead, focus on what you're seeing and try to capture that on the page. The clearer your readers can see through your eyes, the more they'll appreciate your unique voice.
Keep your stick on the ice.
Frank.