Our Many Different Voices

I was thinking today how my writing voice sounds different than my talking voice. We have many different voices. For example, have you ever heard one of your favorite musicians or actors talk for the first time and you were surprised to hear how completely different it is from their performing voice? It is very eerie how one's writing, talking, and singing voices can all sound so different. In fact, brain imaging has proven that we use different regions of our brain when we use these other mediums of communication.

Personally I feel I communicate best through my writing voice, perhaps because I have more time to consider the perfect words to use to convey my thoughts. That is not to say that I can't also communicate well in a conversation, just that I feel I can get my point across more efficaciously when writing. I have a vast vocabulary that I can draw upon when I am relaxed and writing, but often when I'm speaking I find that I will pause as I mentally search for the right word. As far as singing, well you won't catch me doing much of that, but I can carry a tune.

I bring this topic up as a reminder to writers that the sound of your writing voice will set the tone for your entire story and is just as important as other aspects such as plot, setting and character development. Obviously the qualities of a writing voice are not measured in the same physical qualities of the spoken voice, such as timbre, pitch, volume and tone. Although they can convey these qualities by the subtle nuances of the words we chose.
The narrator and characters in our stories speak to our readers through our writing voice. We can make the reader hear the deep resonating voice of a wise old man, the rich and sultry whispers of a temptress, or the giggles and high pitched voices of children all by the choice of words we use-- our writing voice. Pay attention to this when you write and see if you can hear how your readers will hear the voices of your characters.