Science Writing: Finding Voice and a Style

David Everett

David Everett directs the MA in writing program at John Hopkins University. He has written about the environment, economics, government, politics, and labour. His reporting and writing have won many awards and honours.

In this chapter, he tries to define voice and style. He adds that it is difficult to think of their definitions. He reviews tools of voice and style, and suggest techniques that shall help writers identify their own. Style is “how a writer uses language to forge or reflect an attitude toward the world.” Style is the personality imposed on our writing by external or internal mindset and rules. Voice is an individual’s writing personality. With voice, what we do not write is of the same importance as what we do. We make readers feel in a certain way without explicitly mentioning that feeling in our writing. Style and voice can correspond to opinion and emotion. Style is also influenced by publication. The style must fit content and purpose.

The author advises writers to study strong voices and imitate if possible. Freewriting, journaling, and revising can improve their writing. The author recommends writers tape themselves and asks them to write only what they know.

In the end, the writing personality of a writer is confirmed by how comfortable he/she is with it.