Voice isn't something I create in the manner that many feel It might be. It is created through many errors until the tone, and style are correct. Errors are the hallmark of a good writer, those who work through this will eventually create thier success. It is not through talent, although that is a great part of it, it is the act of writing.

Voice is made after many attempts. There is a maturation in voice, and the first draft is only the beginning of this journey. The seoncd draft develops it to fuller state, and after this it is the essence of the writer to make it better to the reader.

How does one define voice then? It is intangiable, and problematic, and yet many people will say your voice is what you write with. Change the voice, and change the style. Then, there are people who say to create your voice. As if your voice was not there at the beginning.

At the same time, if a writer is determined to be a publsihed author, there are many steps that they must followbefore this can take place. Writers must establish their voice, The voice part is simple enough.

The next Steps are far more difficult.  It is part voice and part marketing, and a bit of writer's magic put in.

Now, You ask, how can I build this voice to be heard?

Start a blog. (www.blogger.com, www.wordpress.com) and write in it everyday, it does not need to be long simply written in everyday. Your " Blog" voice will develop this way. You will have people who are followers and people who comment and people just stopping by. Either way this is a must for any writer.  Your voice will not be the same from day to day, but many writers notice that over time, they gain a wonderful tone, and the most observant ones will see that their followers will respond to certain tones and focuses.

Get Books. (www.chapters.ca, www.amazon.com) some that are on my personal bookshelf are The Elements of Style, On Writing (Stephen King) Sometimes the Magic Works (Terry Brooks) and The First Five Pages (Noah Lukeman). It vital to get a library of some sort going. It needed by any writer. Any writer can give a favorite list, of which The Elements of Style will certainly be in them.

Desk, Computer, Paper and Pens. Any writer needs a place to write, but also a place to store their writing. This helps to have a place they can write, and create. With creation comes a voice. This voice is unique to eachwriter.  It is made better with practice and time.   Write using both pen and paper, and by typing on the computer.  Many writers find that it is easier to complete a first draft on a different medium than their final drafts. This is teh "excercise" version of creating voice, the everyday event.

The most important aspect is writing.  Voice is created with passion and determination.  It is matured to the point of becoming a publishable work.  When this point is reached there is a next step, and a question to be answered.

The question then becomes: How does voice help create a published book?

Simple, the main query letter.  Of course, should the writer decide otherwise, such as self-publishing, the query letter might be an afterthought.  It should not be.  Even if the book is self-published, the voice needs to be strong and grab the reader.  It is as vital to writing as the manuscripts that are created.

Voice is vital to every aspect of writing: from first draft to published manuscript to query letter to marketing plan.  each writer creates their voice when they write, and each writer has the power to develop this voice, making it more mature or more vibrant.  It is up to the writer.

Voice is created, and as writers we create voices that the readers will hear and understand and remember.  This is your voice.