I recently received feedback from an editor of a book I was pitching. I won’t go into detail, but let’s just say she really enjoyed it, she was on board with the book and excited about its intangibles and story, but she didn’t fall in love with it. She wasn’t hooked enough.

This often happens, and really, publishing editors have a TOUGH schedule cycling through agent queries, author queries, editing board meetings and lateral editor pitches that see themselves filter in their emails, calendars, and mail rooms.

No wonder there are strikes.

But it is unfortunate when this happens. As an agent, there’s no greater joy, personally, than to see one of my authors finally get recognition from major publishing houses, so when a manuscript gets rejected, I share in their pain.

So, what was missing? This editor informed me that the book was lacking a ‘narrative voice’. That is to say, she wasn’t reeled in enough by the particular writing style. There wasn’t anything in the writing to actually distinguish itself from other books and make it an engaging read.

This may be fatigue or a result of reading thousands upon thousands of manuscripts. Publishing is a competitive world. There are so many writers out there with so many incredible backgrounds, getting your foot in the door can sometimes feel like moving a mountain.

So how do we fix this?

1. Figure out what your voice is. You’re not an NPC, you’ve got a book because you’ve got an idea that the people sitting next to you don’t have. You’ve got something unique, wholly yours, and you’ve got to put your stamp on that. If you’ve been writing your whole life or even if you’re new to writing, you’ve probably got a quirk or two that sets your writing apart.
   • Expand on that. Create a unique and memorable voice for your narrator or main character. Whether you like to be enthusiastic, include lots and lots of intrinsic dialogue and thoughts, or specific input on a subject you care deeply about, or you go the stoic route and write concise and straight-to-the-point storytelling like McCarthy or Hemingway; whatever it is, own that $*!t.
   • Consider their personality, background, and perspective. If you’re writing a memoir, you know no one else has lived your life or been in your shoes, so use that. Use your own experiences to really flesh out who you are. If you’re writing a fictional character, what do they do? Are they an artist? Then they’ll look at the world in an artistic, creative way. Are they a soldier? They may possess a bleak, straightforward view. Are they old, young? Does this narrative voice distinguish them from other protagonists or characters?
   • Use specific language choices, sentence structures, e.g.:
     • manic voice: lots of run-ons and exclamations.
     • stoic voice: shorter sentences, realistic dialogue.
     • creative voice: lots of colorful descriptors and playful language.
     • lyrical voice: literary devices and unusual formatting
   • Use patterns of speech that reflect their individuality.
2. Develop your voice. Use this blog as an example, where my writing style often blurs the line of professionalism and casual winging-it on-the-fly. Why? Because that’s exactly the kind of person I am. I’m Type B instead of A, I wing it instead of plan, I jump first and think later. But I get the job done, I work hard, and fight for what I need to. That’s what I’m about, and that’s what this blog is about.
   • You know your own personal attributes. In today’s world, everything is becoming ‘DIY’ and figuring out how to brand yourself. Everyone is not just told but encouraged to start a website, portfolio, or podcast even if they’re a relatively private person.
   • You can use these attributes to your advantage, even if its unorthodox, out of the ordinary. It’s you, at the end of the day.
     • Flair, not fluff.
3. Show emotion. No one’s reeled in by a story if we’re in the same place at the end of a narrative as we were at the start. A story is meant to take us somewhere – that’s why they call it a journey. Emphasize the emotions and reactions of the narrator or main character to events and experiences. This is how readers connect with a story on an emotional level and adds depth to the narrative voice.
4. Use vivid and descriptive language. Paint a vivid picture with your words, using sensory details, metaphors, and similes to bring scenes to life. Descriptive language can help create a strong narrative voice that engages the reader’s imagination.
5. Show, don’t tell. If I could write this on a billboard sign in front of your house, I would. This is so important for anything you ever write in the creative space. It’s also the easiest thing to mess up, as many writers don’t actually know the difference.
   • Instead of simply telling readers what’s happening, show it through actions, dialogue, and sensory details. We should be experiencing the story alongside the narrator or main character, that’s what the narrative voice is all about.
   • This also helps you avoid ‘purple prose’ or big, clunky paragraphs that just explain and explain what’s happening rather than tell the story as it happens, placing it in the middle of it and how the characters are feeling and reacting.
   • When you’re reading a book, perhaps a memoir, and we’re given such in-depth scenes about a specific movement in one’s childhood and the next chapter just reads: “then she grew up, went to college, got married.” Woah, those were pretty big moments that were kind of told to us rather than shown.
     • If you want to keep it concise and don’t want to reveal too much or it’s an aside to the main narrative, that’s fine, but at least give us a scene or two that fleshes these out rather having it read like a Facebook caption.
6. Use dialogue effectively. Imagine having brilliant world-building, an engaging plot, great characterization using the hero’s journey, visually groundbreaking effects, an awesome musical score to accompany it, and the dialogue just…kind of sucked? I am describing Star Wars if you couldn’t tell; an absolute favorite of mine, but a franchise that desperately needed anyone other than Lucas or the sequel writers to take a crack at revising their dialogue. Having iffy dialogue can make or break a story.
   • Dialogue is so revealing as to a character’s true nature, their intentions and their relationships. Ensure that the dialogue sounds natural and authentic, and that it doesn’t take readers out of the story completely.
7. Maintain consistency. Consistency in the narrative voice is crucial for creating a strong and believable voice. Pay attention to the tone, language, and style throughout the story, ensuring they remain consistent and aligned with the character or narrator.
8. Edit and revise. Regularly review and revise your writing to refine the narrative voice. Look for areas where the voice could be strengthened, clarify sentences, and eliminate any inconsistencies.

It’s going to take practice. It’s going to take experimentation. It’s important to find a balance that feels authentic and resonates with your intended audience and the story you want to tell.