What techniques help you capture a character's unique voice in your writing?

Traits are key. At least four, with one always over-the-top. Always remember in the powerful writing process your higher mind is always working something out. Stay open. And always be willing to write off-page. Take your character away from the story and write about an awkward break -up still stuck in her craw. Or a supervisor that she admired but could never perform at the level expected of her by said supervisor. Always be willing to take your character out of their integrity and listen for your gut's response. It is beyond your internal sensor you connect with your Divine and internal Mentor. If you don't come to the page willing to lay your fictitious character's soul bare, what hope is there that your fiction will ever reach me?

Consider what the character avoids both internally and externally throughout daily life. What a character desires to keep covered or unaddressed allows you to know what limitations your characters have in both speech and action. Then putting them in situations in which they are threatened to uncover them, consider how they deal with this conflict. What words or actions would they use?

People-watching is a tried-and-tested way to help create unique but realistic characters. As writers, our eyes and ears are always open when we go to places. We watch interesting people, and we eavesdrop on how they speak. This is why being observant is the most important trait of a fiction writer. More often than not, we base our characters on ordinary, everyday people. We create some sort of parallel universe for them in our heads, then translate it to paper. In this way, we are able to describe our characters better and give them their own voice. We make them come alive in our stories with their own personalities.

To write the truth, immerse yourself in an environment similar to your character. Pay attention to speech patterns, grammar and pronunciation. This world-class research enhances your writing and helps you create a unique voice that resonates with readers. Learn the subtleties of speech to showcase your characters' communication and ensure their voices leave a lasting impression on your readers' minds.

Depending on the character you've created, their personalities and the way they speak differ from one another. For example, a poor protagonist from the slums should have a different voice from the rich antagonist living in a mansion. Their words and manners are totally opposite. From the dialogue alone, a reader should be able to distinguish who is who based on the words in the story.

The character's words reveal their background, education, and personality. A student spoke differently than a teenager who knew the street. The words and phrases chosen reveal a sense of relationship, values, personal views and expectations. Less educated characters use simpler words and shorter sentences, while others may prefer long, flowery ones.

Capturing a character's unique voice involves paying attention to how they speak, think, and feel. To add emotional layers, think about their past experiences, desires, fears, and relationships. Show their emotions through their actions, dialogue, and inner thoughts. Use descriptive language and metaphors that reflect their personality. Remember, every character is different, so understanding their individual traits is key to making their voice stand out.

Instead of explicitly describing a character's personality, let their voice and actions reveal who they are. Show how they interact with other characters, how they respond to different situations, and what they choose to say or not say

When writing dialogue stick with "said" and maybe "asked" - Don't use dialogue tags like "she stammered" - make her stammer in the dialogue. Also ( a personal pet peeve) avoid "he lied" "she lied" - the reader usually knows the character is lying - you don't have to tell the reader. Have the character tell the lie followed by "he said." The word 'said' just disappears for the reader. Don't get fancy with the dialogue tags - put your energy in the actual dialogue.

Internal monologue is important for character development; It reveals inner insights such as thoughts, feelings, hopes, and fears that dialogue cannot reveal. This inner voice is intertwined with the spoken dialogue to create a distinct, coherent experience that provides deeper understanding and authenticity.

I always include a character's inner thoughts in my stories. They're usually in a separate paragraph written in italics. They are important to include because, realistically, we always have that voice inside our heads. Also, it helps the readers know the characters better. It makes them understand what goes on in a character's mind. Sometimes, the inner thoughts explain why the character acts a certain way. The inner voice adds more life to the characters and the story itself.