When I think about my writing voice, it’s honestly just me, but a little more organized. I don’t like writing that sounds super formal or fake, so I try to make it feel like I’m actually talking to someone. I usually use first person because it feels more real, and I like being able to connect what I’m saying to my own thoughts or experiences. If I read something back and it doesn’t sound like something I would actually say, I know I need to fix it.
For this piece, I tried to keep my tone the same the whole time. I didn’t want it to randomly switch and feel awkward or confusing. I kept it more thoughtful and straightforward instead of trying to be funny or sarcastic, because that wouldn’t really fit. I focused more on being clear and honest, because I’d rather someone understand what I’m saying than try too hard to make it sound “impressive.”
One thing I struggle with is finding the balance between too casual and too formal. I naturally write pretty casually, but I know that for something public, I still need to sound like I know what I’m doing. So I tried to stay in the middle, like still sounding like myself, just a little more put together. I also try to keep my sentences from all sounding the same because I get bored reading that, so I assume other people do too.
Overall, my goal with writing is for it to feel real. I don’t want it to sound forced, or like I’m trying to be someone else. I want people to read it and feel like it actually came from a person, not just something written to check a box. If someone read my work, I’d want them to recognize that it sounds like me and not just any random student.