Capturing a character's voice is a vital skill for any writer who is aiming to create vivid and compelling stories. Just as unique as their appearance or actions, a character's voice encompasses their tone, accent, choice of words, and rhythm of speech. All of these distinct elements will add depth and authenticity to their personality and ultimately make them more realistic to readers. So if you need practical tips and tricks for describing a character's voice, continue reading!
Define Their Age + Gender
Defining the age and gender of a character when describing their voice is crucial for making their voice realistic. The timbre, pitch, and flow of a person's voice are all heavily influenced by their age and gender. This shapes not only how they sound but also how they are perceived by others. For instance, a young girl's voice will probably have a high pitch and be light and airy, while an older man's voice might be deeper and more rough. These distinctions not only help readers imagine the character more vividly but also provide insights into their personality, background, and experiences. In general, before describing a character's voice make sure that you take the time to consider their age and gender. Accurately portraying their age and gender through the description of their voice contributes to the overall believability of your characters and their world.
Consider Their Backstory
Relating to the previous point, you must consider the backstory of your characters when describing their voices. While your voice is partially determined by genetics, your environment and backstory also have a huge impact on your voice. As a result, the backstories of your characters should also influence the way they speak. For example, if your character grew up moving around several countries, their voice may be a mix of many accents. Or if your character was a general who served in the military, their voice might carry a certain authority. As you describe your character's voice, make sure to keep in mind their backgrounds, such as birthplace, familial history, socio-economic status, education level, and profession. Lastly, in some cases, traumatic experiences or significant life events can also shape a character's voice. They can affect factors such as tone, rhythm, and volume. Therefore, make sure that you consider their entire history to accurately develop their voice.
Determine Their Accent
There are tons of accents in the world, so it is crucial that you determine the accents of your characters. Do they have a British accent? Australian? Mexican? South African? By considering their backstory and later determining their accent, you add more realism and consistency to your story. For example, if a character was born in England and both their parents were English, it would be strange if they didn't have an English accent. Therefore, when describing a character's voice make sure that you determine their accent and explain why there might be some discrepancies in their accent and what readers would naturally imagine.
Utilize Adjectives
Lastly, a good way to describe a character's voice is by using adjectives. Adjectives are words that describe other words and they are great to use when explaining a character's voice. They allow you to convey specific qualities and nuances that help your readers form a vivid image (or sound) in their minds of a character's voice. For example, instead of simply stating that a character has a "soft" voice, you could use adjectives like "gentle," "melodious," or "soothing" to paint a more detailed picture. Similarly, adjectives such as "gruff," "raspy," or "husky" can evoke different ideas of a character's voice, revealing aspects of their personality. By choosing adjectives carefully, you can capture the essence of a character's voice and bring them to life on the page. Listed below are 10 common words used to describe voices:
Appealing
Booming
Breathy
Croaky
Flat
Guttural
Hoarse
Low
Singsong
Shrill
Think of Pitch
Pitch is a central part of someone's voice. Pitch not only conveys the tone and mood of someone's speech but it typically also reflects their inner state and intentions. A high-pitched voice might indicate excitement, anxiety, or youthfulness, while a low-pitched voice can suggest authority, seriousness, or even intimidation. By incorporating pitch into the description of a character's voice, you can create a richer and more immersive experience for readers, allowing them to better understand the character and their motivations and feelings.
There are so many different elements that make up a character and their voice is one of them. By considering their age, gender, backstory, and personality, you can develop a voice that perfectly fits your character. Perhaps they have a British accent and a low voice. Perhaps their voice is shrill and squeaky. There isn't really a "wrong" way to describe or choose a character's voice, as long as their voice logically fits their personality and history. No matter what their voice is by following the tips listed above you are sure to describe their voice in a way that jumps off the page.