My work relies heavily on the use of one’s voice. And yesterday evening I lost mine. In a physical sense. It decided to go away and is yet to return. So not just for work, but in everyday situations I am slightly inconvenienced. Last time this happened, some years ago, I was shortly after diagnosed with pneumonia, so I quite fervently wish it is not the case this time.
This predicament I find myself in got me thinking…
How important is our voice?
Physically we rely a lot in our voice. For instance, how can you contact the emergency services if you are mute? I know that some areas around the world have actually implemented a system that allows voiceless contact as well – and this is brilliant.
We use our voices when it comes to shopping, greeting other people, and working, just to name a few instances. And when you have no voice, what happens. Do you become a pariah of society just because one of the five senses is taken away from you?
But should we think of our voice only as a physical thing? I think not.
Thanks to a person who many years ago said “I liked you more when you didn’t have opinions”, I realised how important it is to find your own voice and own it. Not all of us do find it and if they are anything like I was before, they are quite unhappy without realising it. Only after I found my voice (and opinions) I became more of a person who realised they can actually do something about things.
Now, that I have been told by my wifey to rest and keep my mouth shut, it is a good time to write. I actually considered procrastinating by playing games on my PS4, but opted instead to pick up the imaginary pen and write this blog text for you all to see.
It is quite odd, but I have always found more solace in writing than in speaking. Ever since I was about 10 years old, I have written short stories. Later, with Internet, I discovered blogging, and been doing it off and on ever since.
But what has writing to do with a voice?
Voltaire said it beautifully. I cannot paint or draw, but I can use my words, my voice, to summon dragons and hordes of undead from your imagination, I can make your heart beat just a bit faster when you read about a city you know and see the two young lovers under that same tree where you sat with your beloved some years ago, on a warm summer’s evening, gazing into the calm waters of the bay.
But it is not just that, at least for me. Having a voice in writing is also, and maybe more importantly, the style of writing so that you don’t end up copying your favourite author’s sentence construction. I did that and my then editor actually pointed it out to me and I had to change. I dare say that my writing got much better because of it, just because I found my voice.
Have I published a book?!
No. Not yet. I want to, but it will take time and courage, and resilience for disappointments as there are people who do not think that my books are simply the next harrypotters or fifty shades of anything.
But, like I said, I love writing short stories. Recently I published a story here in my blog, inspired by our recent visit to the ruined city of Pompei. You know the Roman city that was destroyed in AD 79 by the massive eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. You can start reading the story by clicking here. It will open the link in a new window in case you were wondering.
Like I said, it is my wish that I would become a published author, but I have a few dilemmas that I need to solve first. The longest story I have written this far is in Finnish language and I am afraid that there isn’t enough market in it. So, should I translate the story in English? And if I do, will I lose the personal voice that I have created for the story. My wifey thinks that it will not happen as I know the characters, I know the places, and, most importantly, I know the story. Would you, dear reader, want to read a book in English that was happening in Helsinki, Finland?
But now, I will leave you with that question, and I urge you to find your voice (if you haven’t already). Also, if you see my voice somewhere, please send it back to me. I need to work tomorrow.
Travelling Thoughts... 