Good morning,
After having read this amazing post, where May express the importance of a strong blogging voice; a question sprawn to my mind.
Should our blogging voice change depending on the style of posts we do ?
My personal blogging voice is simply to write my posts as I would be speaking them to you – So I don’t necesarely “edit” how my posts sounds like in my brain while writing. Being a second language english person, some of my sentences may sounds wierder than it should; or maybe it isn’t written properly – but that’s one of thoses things that’s proper to me. I feel like i’d sound different if I had been born and raised in english instead.
Most of my ideas sprawn in the middle of the night, it’d come to me and i’d write the whole post in my head before hopping to write it online or on paper; Being a thinker of nature, my brain just basically go into “speech mode” withing itself and just.. write it out😂 I take exactly what my brain speech it to me and write it in that format – I may tweak a few things here and there, but not much. That’s just how “authentic” I want my posts to feel.
While this is quite appropriate for most posts, what about the more informal ones ?
Should guides and reviews also adopt this kind of blogging voice? or would it be better to opt for a more “professional” tone, while also remaining yourselves?
When I started blogging, I was under the influence of thinking that reviews should need to sound professional. Of course you still need to give your opinions on said book! But while i’m obviously not a “profesional reviewer”, I had felt like you kind of needed to have something more “leveled up”, you know ? We do work with publishers and authors after all.. To be honest with y’all, my reviews format are not quite set in stone yet. I’m still tweaking it as I go until I find one that i’m completely happy with.
- What’s your blogging voice/do you have more than one?
- Do you change it consciently (or not) depending on the topics?
- Have you seen other bloggers do that/like to read it?
- Should we just keep our same voice no matter what we write?
Let me know in the comments! xx
I don’t think there is a should or shouldn’t necessarily. It is all based on what is comfortable for the person writing. For me, I know there are some reviews I feel more comfortable being looser with than others. And different styles of blogs I definitely think I can show more of my personality with than others. However, everyone might not feel that way and that is totally understandable.
Fair unough ! I see what you mean.
I love this post, what a great discussion topic! I definitely think that it depends on a person and how they feel about the posts they’re writing. For me, I know my voice tends to change a little depending on posts — I’m more serious for book reviews and discussion and more “fun” in things like lists or monthly wrap-ups. This was a great post, and thank you so much for linking to mine! <3
Aww thank you ! ❤️
yeah I think that’s pretty much the same for me – I’d tend to slow down on my “over use” of emojis when writting reviews and try to sound a bit more serious.
I definitely aim for the same voice when I’m writing blog posts like fun book tags, or more in depth reviews. I also try and write everything in a conversational tone, because that’s how I think, so it’s easier for me to write that way and not watch my language.
I think because my job involves writing briefs at work, I tend to let a bit more of that ‘professional’ vocabulary creep in, but that’s how I talk now anyway, so it’s all a bit of a mix.
Also, your English is better than some people that I know who are born in English-speaking countries, so you’re doing very well!!
Aww thank you! ❤️
Yeah, that make sense; that sort of thing now being automatic to you as you use it so much at work. The conversational tone is also my favorite !
I’m still working on my voice for my blog, and I want to sound professional but it just doesn’t come easy to me, so I’m tweaking it as I go, usually I just want to be like ‘let me throw down this book at you all, read it, be happy’ and it’s like, well…that’s not helpful at all lolol. I think your blogger voice has really grown since I started to read you and you’ve impressed me with how your blog has changed! I think maybe the time to definitely be more professional in posts are tutorials/guides, if only because it makes it easier on the reader who is trying to learn something.
Aww thank you! Mostly because I just stopped trying to sound like something that i’m not xD
Yep I agree.. something less « opiniated and subjectives » as guides and tutorials don’t really make sense to be read in a familiar/joking manner… specially as it would affect what your trying to make others learn.
Take your time ❤️ a blogging voice is personal to each of us,and only you can know what you want. But once you’d have it it will be so much easier !
I forget what you mean. I have a professional blog as well and I sound different there compared to my bookish one. But that’s because they are for different purposes. But I also agree that your personality needs to come through otherwise how are you unique compared to all the other blogs out there?
Also like you I’m still tweaking my formats. I think I’m finally onto a winner (in my head, still need to create it and move all my reviews into that) thanks to research and figuring out what will work best for me and my intended audience.
Yeah, in that case it can be easier.. yep! That’s exactly how I feel too – if all your posts are blend and with no personality whatsoever, or any personal experiences, anything… well I might aswell read anyone else’s instead 🤷🏽♀️ nothing draws me to your posts in special..
Ithink I got a format I like too! But oh my god im not gonna re-do them all xd that way you can see the evolutions of them ahah
I used to think I needed to sound very professional for my blog posts, but I’ve realised I feel like an imposter when I do that, so now I just write the way I’m comfortable with.
I did the same too !
Must be a common issue, as unless you blog for business.. you don’t really need to ? 🤔 unless of course that’s how you naturally speak… which in that case… sure
It’s so difficult to pick the right kind of blogging voice and sometimes it’s actually impossible to pick it as it comes to each of us naturally in a different way. I definitely lean towards the more “professional” style when I write book reviews but then I prefer conversational style for discussion posts because I feel closer to my audience and when I’m reading discussion posts I would like to feel closer to the blogger. Great topic, you definitely made me think about this which I hadn’t considered in a long time!
Good, thank you!
Yep, I think exactly the same way! Not too too sure if my reviews sounds as profesional but xD atleast a notch less casual than other posts
I always use my “own voice” when writing posts. It’s become my brand and signature. The only times where I struggle with spontaneity and sarcasm is when I write my 3 or less stars reviews. I don’t want to lie but I also don’t want to disrespect the author’s work either so I have to think really hard about what I will write and how
I totally agree, I do my best to remain respectful and not cross the « being mean » line for books I haven’t enjoyed/wasn’t for me.
I don’t know really what my ‘voice’ is per se. I do tend to be more formal with my writing, no matter what type of post I’m writing. I also tend to be brief :/
Well, maybe that’s all part of your voice ! All that matters is that you’re comfortable writting like that 🙂