Literary Devices: Adding Voice
- M.L. Bull
- Feb 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 28
Voice is one of the most distinctive features within fiction and from authors' different writing styles alone. There are certain literary devices that can allow authors and writers express and show characters' worldviews, distinguish multiple characters from one another, or create emotional atmospheres in their setting descriptions and environments that speaks to their readers. Previously, I discussed literary devices for adding style and adding color. Below are a few literary devices that can add voice to writing.
Literary devices that add voice to writing:
Diction
Tone
Mood
Dialogue
WATCH THE EPISODE
See episode 4 of season 2 of my Journey of a Christian Writer series below to find out more about how writers can improve their writing and add voice using the listed literary devices in the bullet list above.
EXAMPLE OF DICTION
From chapter one of my Christian and Historical fiction novel, "The Pact of Freedom."
Once my best friend Pearl and I formed our sister blood pact as little girls, I felt as much in bondage as the slaves on my father's plantation. Rather than accept life as it was, I wanted the freedom to explore the world, live my own dreams, and grasp the pleasures of life, liberty, and happiness. But in the South, this felt like a fantasy--an elusive dream, as I lacked the courage to execute it. Maybe my statements were inconsiderate in a nation that favors the white race, but I saw slavery as inhumane and nothing more than a pit of hell. Having opposing views made me a branded traitor to my own flesh and blood.
From the passage example above, the reader learns how Milie compares herself to a slave because of her close friendships with her best friend Pearl and the limitations what white women faced in the South during the 1850s era. It's also clear how the white townspeople saw her as a traitor because of her Christian, opposing views against slavery. Branding was an ill-treatment slave masters did as a form of punishment to their slaves to show their ownership. Hence, because Millie is a white, young woman, many of the privileged white in the South didn't think Millie should have friendly relations with the slaves.
EXAMPLE OF TONE
The following is one of Millie's journal entries from my Christian and Historical fiction novel, "The Pact of Freedom." From her expressive writing, the reader recognizes how Millie felt appalled and disturbed by the mistreatment of her slave friends and other fellow slaves, and her offense toward the institution of slavery and corruption of the republic.
EXAMPLE OF MOOD
Thick gray clouds smothered the sun as another thunderstorm hovered over the tiny town. Grace lugged her book bag on her back and shifted her eyes from left to right, keeping a look-out for strangers like her mother always told her to do. Without the sun it was darker as she journeyed through the wooded forest behind her trailer park. She was scared of being alone and hated walking home from school. A murder of black crows squawked and flew above gnarled pine trees, startling her with a gasp.
She glanced up as the birds disappeared in the distance and continued walking. Thunder rumbled through the darkness and mingled with her pounding little heart. Fear was her companion. Ever since her classmate Tammy was found dead in the lake, she started having nightmares of getting kidnapped by someone.
Grace gulped and clenched her library book. Feeling as if she was followed, she blinked and squinted through the misty fog from whence she came.
An unknown man's shadow loomed toward her. It was the killer--it had to be him.
Adrenaline pumped through Grace's veins as she rushed down the pathway to her home.
In this example, I show Grace's fear and the serious mood of murder and kidnapping through the setting's environment.
EXAMPLE OF DIALOGUE
Below is a passage from my Christian and Urban fiction novel, "Wisdom" of my characters Robyn Savage and her eldest daughter Clara-Marie and youngest, teenage daughter Phoebe while they're in the process of spring-cleaning the Savage family home.
Clara-Marie placed her hands on her lower back. She frowned. “Good grief, Phoebe. Why are you out of breath?”
Phoebe bugged her eyes with attitude. “Well, I did have to carry that old heavy vacuum upstairs and downstairs, shoot.” She massaged her bronze, sleek arms. “Man, my arms are so sore, they feel like they’re gonna fall off.”
Clara-Marie giggled at her little sister’s witty joke. “Sounds like y’all need a new vacuum, Mom.”
Robyn chuckled. “Maybe so, but right now we need to clean out that attic. I ain’t been up there in months. There’s no telling what surprises we might find.”
“Surprises? Does that mean snakes? I don’t like snakes,” Phoebe said.
“Don’t worry, Phoebe. I’m sure there’s none of those up there. But there could be termites.” Robyn entered into the house.
“Oh, no. That might be worse than the snakes.” Clara-Marie followed her mother into the living room and closed the door.
“Yeah,” Robyn said, “this morning I noticed some tiny marks on the kitchen cabinets. Like mice had been gnawing on them.”
“Mice!” Phoebe said even more terrified.
Clara-Marie laughed at her little sister. “Don’t freak out, Phoebe, jeez. Last thing we need is an ambulance coming here because you passed out.”
Ava giggled. “Good one, Mom.” She was sitting on her legs on the floor, working on her English homework. Her textbook was opened on the living room table and beside her was a small wastebasket filled with crumbled up balls of paper.
As you can see, the characters' personalities shine through from their dialogue, giving a sense to readers the types of people they are to the readers, such as Robyn's easygoing, Southern nature, Clara-Marie's wittiness, and Phoebe's teenage moodiness and fear of snakes and mice.
CLOSING REMARKS
Word choice, tone, mood, and dialogue are four of the best ways for writers to add voice to their short stories or novels, creating memorable narratives, distinctions between characters, and volumes of verbal communication through the written word. While writing your work, test out and exercise use of these literary devices. They will hook and entertain your readers in ways you may not have thought possible. For more writing videos or tutorials, subscribe to my writing channel Journey of a Christian Writer series. All right, that's it for this post. If you liked it and found it helpful, please, give it a (heart❤️), take part in the poll 🤔, and share your thoughts or comments 💬 below.)
🤔Hey, writers, which of the two literary devices is your favorite to add voice to your writing?
✍🏽Word Choice
🗨️Dialogue
Commentaires