By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Do you feel your writer’s voice is blocked?

Does a well-meaning reader claim your writing voice is just like__________ (fill in the blank)?

Are you frustrated in a futile attempt to sound like yourself and not another writer?

Then stop! A writer’s voice can’t be taught. The only way to develop voice is by writing.

For the fiction writer, the more we write, the more our unique way of streaming words with character, plot, dialogue, emotion, rhythm, setting, symbolism, and other literary techniques morphs into (your name)’s voice. Voice in this instance is a blend of the writer and the POV character.

For the nonfiction writer, the focus is on how the writer presents and interprets the information.

[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none” inject=”#Writing #BRMCWC #Writingtips”]Write Yourself Free: Tips to Unblock Your Voice @DiAnnMills on @BRMCWC[/tweet_box]

But sometimes we are blocked in our writing. The joy that should give us satisfaction and discovery paralyze our imagination. What might unblock our minds and help us move forward?

1. Use a blank sheet of paper or your computer. Close your eyes and write the first thing that marches across your mind. Pay no attention to spelling, grammar, or meaning. Just rely on your imagination and creativity. Continue for several minutes. Open your eyes and read what this free-flowing exercise produced.

• What topic or topics dropped into your mind?
• What words, phrases, or structures are only you?
• What did you learn about your writing voice?

2. Take your phone’s camera on a nature hike. Snap pics of those things that attract your attention and interest. Feel free to bend low, aim high, and use various angles to gain a new perspective. When you return home, write a caption about a few of your shots. Or you may choose to write a paragraph or short story.

• What was your favorite pic? Why?
• What was your favorite caption, paragraph, or story? Why?
• What did you learn about your writing voice?

3. Read the first page of a bestselling novel. Rewrite the first page in your

• Do you sound like the original author or yourself?
• Explore what you’ve written, what are your word and style choices?
• What did you learn about your writing voice?

4. Establish a regular time to journal life’s events. Include the mountain peak moments, the valleys of despair, surprises, challenges, and everything in between.

• Do you have a consistent topic in your journal?
• What color pen do you prefer to use? Or do you grab a pencil?
• What have you learned about your writing voice?

5. What is the most treasured experience of your life? Write this in essay form or perhaps a poem.

• Did you find the exercise difficult or easy? Why?
• Can you brainstorm writing projects from this exercise? List them.
• What have you learned about your writing voice?

6. Create your writer’s mission statement. Include integrity, faith, and priorities.

• What words did you select? Why?
• What are your dreams and goals as a writer?
• What have you learned about your writing voice?

A writer’s voice is clear, natural, unforgettable, and engaging. It’s the freedom to invest hours in what is a writer’s most treasured possession—voice.

Are you writing more to deepen your writer’s voice?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards, the Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, BookBub, YouTube, LinkedIn. or her website: diannmills.com