The Secret to Standout Writing: Consistency Is Key
Writing consistently is more than a skill; it’s the key to building trust and maintaining your readers' and clients’ loyalty.
In the vast sea of content, what sets a writer apart? It's not just creativity or flair—it's consistency. When readers know what to expect from your writing, your voice becomes a signature that sets you apart in a crowded market. Clients keep coming back to freelance writers when they continuously deliver what’s expected and asked of them.
Consistent voice and style do more than build trust—they make your work memorable and distinct. This reliability turns casual readers into loyal followers and makes your work instantly recognizable, ensuring that your writing not only resonates but also stands out in their minds.
Here’s why consistency is a powerful tool as a writer and how you can harness it to build a body of work that’s both diverse and unmistakably yours.
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Develop Your Core Voice
Your core voice is the foundation of your writing, no matter the project. Spend time getting to know your natural tone—whether it’s warm and approachable or more formal and direct.
For instance, consider how authors like Stephen King or Haruki Murakami have developed distinct voices that readers can identify almost immediately. King's conversational, often folksy tone combined with his knack for horror makes his work instantly recognizable. At the same time, Murakami's surreal and introspective style creates a unique atmosphere that is unmistakably his own.
These authors have not only built trust with their readers but have also crafted a brand that is synonymous with their specific style of storytelling.
Once you’ve identified your core voice, you can adapt it slightly for different audiences without losing your unique style. Let’s say your natural voice is warm and conversational. You’re writing a blog post for a lifestyle brand that values approachability and a friendly tone. In this case, you can lean into your core voice, using casual language and a light-hearted style to engage readers.
Now imagine you’re tasked with writing a white paper for a tech company. The audience expects a more formal, data-driven approach. Here’s where your ability to adapt comes into play. You might dial down the conversational tone, choosing more precise language and a structured format.
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However, your core voice doesn’t disappear—it’s still present in the clarity of your explanations and the subtle way you keep the content accessible. Even though the tone is more formal, readers familiar with your work would still recognize your underlying style.
You don’t have to nail this all in one sitting! Developing your core voice is a practice you’ll continue throughout your writing journey. The key here is to be aware and thoughtful with it. Whether you’re writing a fun, engaging blog or a serious, informative report, your core voice remains the thread that ties all your work together.
Create a Personal Style Guide
Your personal style guide documents your preferences for tone, sentence structure, vocabulary, and formatting. This guide serves as your writing compass, ensuring that even as you explore different genres or topics, you’re practicing a consistent underlying style that’s unmistakably yours.
1. Do you prefer shorter sentences for a punchier effect, or do you lean towards more complex structures?
This helps set the rhythm of your writing. Shorter sentences can make your writing feel more direct and dynamic, while longer, complex sentences might suit a more reflective or analytical tone.
2. What kind of vocabulary do you gravitate towards?
Consider the types of words you naturally use. Do you prefer simple, everyday language, or do you lean towards more sophisticated or technical terms? Your choice of vocabulary plays a huge role in defining your style.
3. Are there specific phrases or expressions that feel particularly “you”?
Many writers have signature phrases or ways of framing ideas that make their work recognizable. Identify these and include them in your guide. They can help reinforce your voice across different projects.
4. Are there terms or topics you completely avoid?
Perhaps there are certain words, clichés, or jargon that you steer clear of because they don’t align with your voice or feel overused. Or maybe there are topics you consciously avoid due to personal preference or branding considerations. Including these in your guide helps you maintain consistency by ensuring these elements don’t creep into your work.
5. What is your approach to dialogue (if applicable)?
If you write fiction or scripts, how do you handle dialogue? Do you favour realistic, everyday speech, or do your characters tend to speak in a more stylized or poetic manner? Defining this aspect can help keep your dialogue consistent and true to your overall voice.
6. How do you handle humour or emotion in your writing?
If your work includes humour, do you lean towards dry wit, playful banter, or satirical commentary? Similarly, how do you express emotion? Are you more reserved and subtle, or do you embrace a more direct and passionate approach? These choices greatly influence the tone of your work.
7. How do you structure your content?
Do you prefer a straightforward, linear structure, or do you like to play with form, using non-linear timelines or fragmented narratives? Defining your preferred structure can help you maintain consistency in how your stories or arguments unfold.
Defining these elements will help you stay consistent, whether you’re writing a personal essay, a novel, or a blog post. Your style guide can be as simple as words on paper kept at your desk, or an easily accessible Google Doc you can add to and edit as you further define your style.
But it gets even more interesting with AI as a writing assistant.
Creating a GPT with your specific preferences can be a game-changer. You don’t need to rely on AI to write for you (and shouldn’t!), but it can be a highly effective first editor that understands your style guide.
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Imagine you’re working on a new piece and want to ensure it aligns with your established voice. You can have the AI review your work, identifying areas where your tone might waver or your sentence structure could be more consistent.
For example, if your style guide emphasizes a warm and conversational tone, but a draft paragraph reads overly formal, the AI can flag it for you. Or, if you tend to use certain words or phrases frequently, the AI can suggest alternatives that keep your writing fresh while staying true to your voice. This helps you maintain a consistent style across your entire body of work, no matter the project.
It’s like having a dedicated editor who knows your voice inside and out, ready to help you refine and strengthen your writing. This ensures consistency and frees you up to focus on the creative aspects of your work.
Regularly Review Your Body of Work
Taking time to revisit your past work is one of the most valuable habits you can develop as a writer, even though it can be intimidating and uncomfortable. Looking back at what you’ve written over the years, you might cringe at some of your earlier efforts. Some pieces I wrote 20 years ago are mortifying today. But that discomfort is part of the learning process—it shows how far you’ve come.
When you review your body of work, look for patterns in your voice and style. Are there inconsistencies that need addressing? Maybe you notice that your tone shifted drastically between projects, or perhaps you’ve evolved in your approach to storytelling or argumentation.
Identifying these patterns helps you understand your growth as a writer and reinforces your unique voice.
You might find that earlier works were more formal or rigid compared to the more relaxed and conversational tone you’ve developed over time. Or perhaps you used to rely heavily on certain phrases or structures that you’ve since moved away from. Recognizing these shifts can help you bring more consistency to your current and future writing.
This reflection is not just about critiquing your past work—it's about celebrating your progress and learning from it. You’ll likely find elements in your earlier writing that you want to bring back, along with things you’re glad to have left behind. Regularly reviewing your work helps ensure that each new piece you write aligns more closely with the style and voice you’ve worked so hard to develop.
Moreover, this practice can guide your future projects. If you’re working on a novel, for example, reviewing your past essays or short stories can remind you of the techniques that resonate most with your readers—and with yourself. It helps you stay grounded in your voice, even as you explore new themes or genres.
Don’t shy away from revisiting your old work. Grab your favourite beverage and get comfortable.
At the end of the day, consistency as a writer anchors your work and makes it recognizable and reliable. Honing your core voice, creating a personal style guide, and regularly reviewing your past work will help ensure that every piece you produce is true to your identity and resonates with those who follow your writing!