Finding Your Voice
Guest post by Lisa Buffaloe
My friends don’t talk, think, dress, act, or look alike. Not one is a clone of the other. And I love that!
I love their unique qualities…from the quirky friend who rattles off one-liners with the speed of a machine gun, to my friend who reads and studies her Bible so much the pages are falling out. Or the girlfriend who gives the best hugs, and the friend who has the gift of organization, and the one who has the gift of hospitality and cooking (neither of which, I might add, are my strong points). I wouldn’t want any of my friends to change. I cherish them for who they are.
Editors, agents, and publishers are looking for authors with unique qualities and a voice all their own. So how on earth do you find your voice?
Be you.
Don’t strive to write like someone else. God created you to be you. He loves you just the way you are. Don’t compare yourself to others. Yes, we should read other authors, study the craft of writing, and strive to write in excellence. But when you sit down to write, allow God to flow through you to use you. Let His words inspire you to write the things He lays on your heart.
You are unique, and therefore your voice is unique in speech and in writing. Your voice is a gift straight from God’s hands; speak and write for His glory, and your matchless qualities will touch lives that no one else can touch.
Article reprinted from So You Want To Write? with permission. Please visit www.SoYouWantToWrite.org for more free resources and practical insight for writers. Lisa Buffaloe is a contributing author for The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter. Her articles have appeared in Angels on Earth magazine, as well as Guideposts, Rest Ministries, (In)courage.me, and others. She’s an active member of writing organizations and critique groups, leads Bible studies, and speaks to writer and women’s groups. Her manuscripts have placed as finalists in the 2011 Women of Faith and the 2010 ACFW Genesis writing contests, and won awards with other distinguished writing contests. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.
Thank you Lisa,
Needed to hear that, once again…Love you ♥
I found “Finding Your Voice” to be such an encouraging word – an exhortation to become all that I am meant to be, to write striving for excellence and still be sensitive to HOW the Holy Spirit would have the words be released. We are all at different levels, different places in our journeys and yet the Lord has each one of us exactly where He would have us, learning from our differing experiences so we can be ready to share a word and meet a need at the right time. I appreciate your words, Lisa and pray that you will be filled with fresh manna daily. I love the uniqueness of our fillings! Thank you for sharing your gift with me and so many others.
Thank you so much, Jeannie! Isn’t it awesome to know our unique qualities were created to use uniquely! 😀 Blessings to you!!
Love you too, Russana! God bless you!
Thank you, Jeannie. Isn’t it awesome how God uses our unique abilities to touch others in unique ways.
Blessings to you as you share God’s truth with those you meet along your journey!