I want you...and your voice!

Tip of the Day: just wishing a very Happy Birthday to my husband today!

Voice is everything in your writing. It helps brand you as an author and helps your books come to life.

What would it be like if all of Sarah Dessen's books were written in Meg Cabot's voice?

They both use humor and focus on romance. But they have a very different voice. Cabot loves the funny one-liners and fast paced books, whereas Dessen focuses on secondary characters with quirky personalities to deliver her humor and her books usually move at a much slower pace so you get to enjoy the depth of the characters and marvel at her amazing writing ability even more.

If these authors stood on a stage and read their works to a backward facing audience--much like the contestants on The Voice--you’d be able to spot the differences in their books immediately. Yes, they are both awesome storytellers. But both have their own unique literary voice that is easy to tell from the moment you crack open the book and read page one.

And even though I love them both, I know several people that are Sarah Dessen fans that can't stand to read a Meg Cabot book (shock and horror, I know!).

So if someone doesn't get your voice, don’t get upset. Just like with writers, there are also a lot of singers on The Voice that half of the judges don't get. While the other half think they are brilliant.

But if you aren't unique and stay true to your own voice, then chances are pretty good you won't get noticed at all.

And who doesn't want at least one person to turn around in a chair that says "I Want You" on it?

--Emily, Miss Querylicious