Welcome the August writing challenge. This month, we’re getting folksy.
August is a month when many people take vacations. You might escape from your ordinary life. So this month, escape from your ordinary writing voice.
One fun way to do this is to try writing with an extremely casual, informal tone—you might even say folksy! Throw in words like persnickety or highfalutin. Try writing in the latest slang, if you know what that is. Try whatever seems both fun and unfamiliar to your usual writing style.
So go ahead, go overboard. You don’t have to share this with anyone. You probably shouldn’t.
This exercise loosens up your rigid expectations for what your writing voice “should” sound like, and that can be really useful.
If you’re always casual in your writing, flip it and try to write in a very formal, highfalutin tone. See what that feels like, just for fun.
Try it a few times this month and see what happens when you push the boundaries of your ordinary writing voice and style.
A word from our sponsor…
This month’s exercise is brought to you by the book I have coming out this month called The Writer’s Voice: Techniques for Tuning Your Tone and Style.
If you found this exercise interesting, check out the book. It will be available mid-month in all of the usual places.
