As writers throughout our academic careers, one primary lesson we constantly learn is to find our own voices; our pieces should be reflective of our personalities. Writers find they sacrifice their voices for the sake of receiving a specific grade; their voices are lost in the hopes of later finding an “A” at the top of their papers. In academic pieces, there should be a balance between your own voice and what the assignment requires. Writers do not have to surrender their passion and personality for the end result they are hoping for that comes in the form of a grade.
Paraphrase
Nearly all academic papers require quotations in order to support an argument or claim. One of the most significant ways I try to keep my voice established and evident in my academic writing is to paraphrase when using quotations. Relying so heavily on quotes that they write your paper for you can sound unnatural; there is also an opportunity lost by not using your voice to using explain these quotes and their relevance in your own words. It is so helpful to use less quotes and to choose the strongest, most relevant ones rather than to have a surplus of quotes that you cannot explain on your own. By choosing the quotations that are most central to your topic, you can express the author’s intentions and why it is applicable to your argument or thesis. Paraphrasing these quotes, too, instead of using only direct quotes, gives your writing fluidity and a voice that is entirely your own.
Finding Something Engaging
I think the most practical advice to not lose your voice in pieces of academic writing is to be sure that you are writing about a topic that you are passionate about! If your assignment is to write a book report, choose a book that you have always wanted to read. If you have to write a literary analysis about two books, choose your favorite theme in both by comparing and contrasting them. By having this freedom of choice in the writing topic and the direction you take in your piece, your voice as a writer will come through naturally. Your paper will begin to write itself and you will find that your talking points will come more easily. Writing about something that means a lot to you , something which genuinely engages you, will give you things to say and it will make you excited to write, which will make your reader excited in return.
Moving Forward
These are only a couple of ways out of a handful that will help you establish your voice as a writer without giving it up for academic purposes. Maintaining passion and enthusiasm during the writing process will help your piece be memorable to the reader and will set it apart. Explaining your quotes well, as well as in your own words, will undoubtedly give your paper personality. This advice, in tandem with choosing a topic that excites you, will keep you focused on exactly what you want to say as well as what you want your reader to understand in the end. It is important to remember that writing should be enjoyable without feeling like your voice is disappearing.