No doubt while slogging away at your latest masterpiece, you’ve asked yourself ‘What do publishers want?’

I know I have. And the simple answer is usually a variation of, ‘A fresh voice.’

But the truth is, editors and publishers really don’t know what they want until they read it. It could be that your unique take on a traditional romance or mystery might be ‘the next big thing’ they discover.

But how do you go about writing with a fresh voice or an original style?

Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula for writing a story that others will connect with and there’s no magic formula for getting published. Just as there’s no magic formula for living a happy life or fitting into size ten jeans – you have to work at it and make it happen!

But here are a few tips to get you started and on your way:

Once you’re in possession of the basics—a desk or bench, computer, or pen and paper —sit down and write. As the saying goes, you can’t edit a blank page. Easier said than done? Let’s see.

1Commitment: Some people would say they have a ‘holy calling’ to write. I’m not that fanatical but you do have to have a yearning to write. You have to love the craft and a burning desire to write, because one of the most difficult promises you’ll make to yourself is the promise to commit to write. You’re not going to get very far if you are writing for others and second-guessing what they would like to read. Your interest will wane (mainly because you are writing for someone you don’t know) and other priorities will get in the way. There’s always something or someone vying for your attention whether it’s hungry cats, crying children, or shoe shopping.

Make a commitment to the craft. Ask yourself why you need to write this story? What’s in it for you? You need to have the passion to want to see your project through to the end, knowing that some days writing will flow more freely than others. Write romances, short stories and poems because you love creating interesting characters and plot twists, not because you think it’s what other people may want to read.

If you’re not passionate, you won’t sustain the motivation needed to finish. The more you write, the more you will develop your unique voice.

2 Discipline: Do you love writing but hate getting started? Schedule your writing.

Commit to writing two hours a day. If that’s too hard, set aside one hour and see how you go. Adjust your daily schedule accordingly and treat writing your manuscript like you would a job. When I’m writing, I like consistency so that I don’t lose track of my plot line. I generally give myself a daily word limit of 2000 words. Sometimes I don’t quite achieve that and other times I write 3000, (and feel like I’m writing utter garbage). But I try not to edit as I go.

Don’t worry about spelling and grammar. Concentrate on getting the words down and the story written. You’ll have plenty of time for editing later.

3 Be Yourself: We can’t all be Shakespeare or Jane Austen but the more you write, the more

naturally your voice will develop. You are trying to find your unique style. No one else thinks or writes like you do. Some people like writing humour or tragedy. Others are brilliant at dialogue.

But until you start writing consistently, you’re not going to know what your unique talent is. You have to have a lot of self belief and trust that what you are writing is worthwhile—not necessarily from a publishing point of view—but because you enjoy the process and love creating characters and stories.

Once you trust yourself, your voice will develop and the more you write, the more consistent that voice will be. Let yourself go. Don’t worry so much about what you are writing; let your instinct take over.

4 Don’t force your voice. The difference between a great writer and a mediocre one is that the great writer’s writing appears effortless. Even though you and I know the author has written twenty drafts over three long years to achieve that naturalness, her twentieth is seamless. A forced voice happens when the author is trying too hard to be something that they’re not, like the next Mary Jo Putney.

Be brave. You have to trust yourself.

5 Practice: It’s all very well to say ‘trust yourself’ but the truth is, you have to practise writing a lot to begin to trust your voice. If the idea of writing a 60 or 80,000 word novel is too daunting, start with short stories. Or keep a journal and experiment by writing down your thoughts and observations. A journal’s the place you can exercise your writing muscles. Take notes from conversations – your own and others you’ve overheard.

Do you want to write romance, mystery, comedy or science fiction? Historical or contemporary?

Try using different narratives. First person, third person.

Vary sentence length and sentence construction.

Are you a plotter? Do you plan all your characters, their personalities and motives, and write the entire plot in your head before you’ve turned on the computer?

Or does your story develop organically as you write?

Do you prefer to write about whatever pops into your head?

Or do you have absolutely no idea about any of the above?

Practise writing using a variety of techniques in order to find what you’re comfortable with and what flows naturally with you. Write because you enjoy the process. Play around and have fun.

6 Write Passionately: In other words, write about what you know, because your natural

enthusiasm will sparkle and you’ll have fun – most of the time.

If you’re writing romance, draw on all the fantasies you’ve ever had, the memory of your first love and first heart break. If your passion is medieval society, gardening, kick-boxing, shoes – use that expert knowledge when creating your fictional world because your enthusiasm for your passion will shine and also give your writing a natural flow and credibility.

7 Write Widely: Write about anything and everything. Take a break when you feel yourself stumbling. Walk outside with your notebook (or write in your head if you’re sick of physically writing or typing). Write about the first thing you see: the dog digging up your prized azaleas, the noise of the neighbour’s lawn mower, the cute guy jogging down the street. Use the image to kick start your imagination and see where it leads you. Try not to censor yourself.

In time, your personality will stand out and your writing will develop its own distinct character as it matures. Your voice will present itself in the words you choose, the grammar you use and the characters you create.

8 Strengthen your writing: By practising different writing forms and writing widely, you’ll

discover your strengths. By fleshing out characters, narrative, and creating fictional snapshots, you’ll find where your strengths as a writer lie.

Be guided by how you feel and how the words sound inside your head because that’s the closest gauge of your true voice. You might be brilliant at dialogue. But it’s only by letting yourself go and writing freely that you’ll discover this. You may find you’re a whiz at writing erotica. How would you know until you try? Always be open-minded.

9 Rewrite: Finished your first draft? Congratulations! Take a breath and step back. Then take

another look at your draft. Remember the author whose writing appears flawless? You’re probably reading her twentieth draft or at least her fifth. While your story may have great dialogue, it might lack strong narrative. More than likely, you’ll need to rewrite and refine your voice in the second draft because, chances are, parts of your manuscript may not quite be working.

Good writing is about rewriting, editing and taking the time and patience to work ideas through. However, there is such a thing as over-editing. Be careful not to edit the life out of your writing.

There is no such thing as a bad first draft. We all have to start somewhere. Let your words flow. Make mistakes, you can fix them later. But in letting yourself go, and allowing your creative side to take over, you’ll come up with scenes that surprise you.

But above all, WRITE. Finish that romance, mystery or memoir, because your manuscript may just be the next ‘fresh voice’ publishers are looking for.