Advice for Finding Your Voice as a Poet

What is voice in poetry? It’s a mixture of factors like tone, diction, and style, which combine to create a unique way of writing that belongs to a particular artist. When you think of Shakespearean sonnets, you probably have a voice in mind and are thinking of the iambic pentameter and vernacular he used. While we certainly don’t suggest trying to sound like Shakespeare, we do have some pointers for finding out what works best for you in your verse.

Imitation Isn't Always the Highest Form of Flattery

It’s been said before, and that’s because it’s true. Say and write the things that only you can write. Do not attempt to mimic anyone else unless you're doing an after poem. Read as much poetry as you can and attend as many readings as you can. Open mics and workshops are also great resources for developing your voice.

Vocabulary and Tone

Pay attention to the vocabulary and diction that you're using and be sure that they match the tone and the style of poem that you're writing. For example, you don’t want to use super formal or outdated Bridgerton-sounding language when you're writing about something contemporary.

Artificial Intelligence = Artificial Voice

These two next points should go without saying, but as a poetry reader and manuscript reviewer, I have seen them often enough that they do bear repeating. Do not use AI to write poetry. If the editors wanted to read what AI created, they could come up with that by themselves and most well reputed organizations ask for a disclosure that you did not use AI in any part of the creation, or if you did to provide an explanation justifying how you used it and in which ways or in which areas of the manuscript. 

Don’t try to be sneaky! AI has its own distinct voice and writing patterns that are easy for the trained eye to spot.

Don't Control + V

Another important point is no plagiarizing. In a perfect world, we'd hope that we wouldn't need to mention this, but experience has shown otherwise. Just a friendly reminder that the literary world is incredibly small and tight-knit, and if you think that getting caught plagiarizing at one magazine will not have an impact on your publishing future elsewhere, think again. Editors talk. 

If you are using the words of someone else in any way as an inspiration or jumping off point, be sure that you credit them correctly, whether that's an epigraph or a footnote. Give proper credit where it's due for words that you did not write. 

Mix Up Your Style

I would encourage you to try out different styles of writing, be that stream of consciousness, trying a new poetry form, adding dialogue, or maybe visiting a writing group for some feedback. There's a calendar put out every year by Dr. Taylor Byas and Seamus Isaac Fay with plenty of writing groups and collectives you can join where you can experiment with different types of poetry and see which one maybe fits the subject of your poem.

Practice Poetry Daily

If you don't have one already, start a journal. Writing workshops often suggest the three morning pages, coined by Julia Cameron. For this exercise, your pen (or keys) keep moving until you have filled up three pages. 

There is no pressure for the pages to be about your current writing project and you don’t even have to go back and read them later, but some writers do find gems in theirs. Either way, just get your brain going and get a conversation out on the page.

Use Art as Inspiration

I would also encourage you to look for voice inspiration in other forms of art. You can make something along the lines of a vision board or turn to music, movies, visual art, or places in the world. What do those things bring up within you? How do you write about them? 

What is the style that I adopt when I am describing and painting a picture for others of this favorite place or my favorite songs? What are the literary devices that I'm using? Am I using figurative language? Am I using metaphor? Am I using anaphora and repeating things a lot? 

All of those stylistic choices culminate into your voice.

Use Your Voice!

Once you have a poem that really embodies your poetic voice, we’d love to see it. Submit to Ink & Oak for the chance to be featured in our monthly issues.