The Words That Expose Your Character’s Voice

This article is my opinion only based on my learnings. I have always wondered the tone of voice that makes some characters jovial, some pensive, and others humorous. It makes them stand out. I have endured through my struggle to attain consistency in distinguishing between the voices.

Sometimes, a pet word used by a person reveals more about them than is told. Here are some words if used by a character shows a bit more.

• Yo – “I told him, yo, to move out of my way.” This MC is casual, chilled, and an extrovert. They are friendly and know how to have fun.
• Sure – a character that uses this word is a people pleaser.
• Mate – It matters where they are from. And certain words just give a person’s background away. Mate – Australian. Nappy vs diapers; knickers vs underwear; shoelace vs shoestring could make all the difference between British and American if used consistently.
• Dear – Affectionate MC trait.

But it isn’t always about a favorite word repeated by a character. It’s about attitude. Here are qualities that comprise a voice.

• Skeptic. This person will doubt plans and advices. Their general response to everything might just be the word: No.
• Humorous. They try to find irony in the most serious of situations. They are cheerful and always joking. Sometimes inside out, but other times, in front of people. These people may be weeping alone inside a home but in front of others, jokes naturally crack out of them.
• Sarcastic. A little dry, their response to conflict and problems is sarcasm. They aren’t easily amused.
• Poetic. My favorite people who have the ability to look at normal, mundane stuff and bead beautiful expressions. They are the philosophers and can feel abstract at times.
• Escapist. This person avoids accepting problem despite looking straight into it. They believe all is well with their world when all is breaking as though pretending will enable them to escape the problem.
  Other categories involve:
• Dominating
• Timid
• Rash
• Blind believer
• Can’t lie

My takeaway is that consistency in their dialogues and attitudes through the book (along the ARC) gives your MC a believable voice, gets the reader to feel like they know them and recognize who is talking. And when the MC (main character) changes—a skeptic becomes a believer, a humorous person becomes morose unable to crack a single joke or see the irony anymore, there is an ARC, a transformation which can be fascinating to read.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•