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Tone of voice 📣
Have you ever noticed that when you read different passages of writing, you naturally speak those words back yourself in a particular tone and rhythm. This is known as 'tone of voice'.
Used in the right way, a compelling tone of voice is a powerful weapon for charming your readers and disarming your foes. It's what makes your writing distinctly 'YOU'.
When I started publishing online I wasn't ponderous about my own style. I just focussed on getting words onto the screen. Writing the way I spoke. (There's actually been very little advice I've seen online that suggests a better route.)
With that said, I did meet some resistance when I sat down to write. And it was because the level of authority I wrote with didn't feel authentic. Long story short, I was deploying the 'fake it til you make it' approach.
For the Organized Thinking approach I found it easier, natural and more productive to remove any pretence of authority. And just take people along on my journey of research while I seek to solve a problem.
This is the path of the scholar, and in this article I'm going to show you why...:
- It's an authentic stance to adopt
- Reduces the "Pressure to Produce Original Thought"
- Reduce the barrier to creation
The Three Authority Writing Personas
Every writer finds themselves adopting a persona. Whether that’s reflecting your true self or portraying someone you wished you were. In my experience I've seen three common personas: The Novice, The Scholar, and The Guru.
Imagine any hobby as an example. The Novice is the newbie trying it for the first time. They have no prior experience and they're just giving it a go. The Guru is the wise old sage who has studied the topic and boasts vast experience on the matter.
The Scholar sits somewhere in the middle. They understand the hobby well, but are seeking more guidance on how to perfect their craft. They follow the gurus, but also question their methods and test it against new ideas.
If these personas where to create content around this example hobby you can visualise what it'd be . The Novice reporting on their first impressions. The Guru talking about the lessons they've learned over the years.
The Scholar would share everything they learned too, but in a way that is more relatable to the Novice. They'll also produce things with an inquisitive and critical approach. They share their findings whilst continuing the pursuit of excellence.
Why does the Scholar persona work so well?
- You work well with other personas and audience levels. They're more relatable to The Novice audience. You can collaborate with other Scholars, whilst opening up a dialogue with The Gurus of this world
- It's easier to create content about documenting a journey than coming up with it from scratch. To that end, You're not pretending to know everything. So no need to "fake it til you make it". The Scholar tone isn't absolute. It's honest, pragmatic and measured.
- When you embrace The Scholar persona you completely reframe the way you consume and produce information online. You realise everything you watch or read can become part of your research and your content machine.
- It matches perfectly with the Organized Thinking approach.
- You also never need to "make it". You simply showcase your prowess with continued research and pursuit of a craft you choose. People naturally respect others who dedicate energy and share their learnings on a subject.