How to Keep Your Personal Voice Alive When You Write for Work
Author Nicole S. Palmer shares five ways for writers to keep their personal voice alive when they are also expected to write for work.
When you write for work, whether as a journalist, copywriter, or technical writer, you can start to feel like your personal voice is being increasingly buried by deadlines, client expectations, or style guidelines. But your unique perspective and style don't have to disappear just because you write for a living. The caveat is that you may have to actively find ways to preserve your personal voice. However, this can make you a stronger writer, no matter the assignment.
With that in mind, here are five ways to keep your creative spark alive while still meeting professional demands.
1. Recognize the difference between your writing roles
Not every piece you write will reflect your personal style, and that’s okay. The key is recognizing the difference between writing as a professional and writing as an artist. When you write for work, your main goal is to serve an audience, fulfill a request, or convey information clearly. Your creative voice may take a backseat, but it doesn't have to disappear.
I’ll expand on how you can find ways to use your creative voice while working on assignments (see no. 3), but first, it's important to embrace the flexibility that different writing roles require. Just as actors take on different roles but still bring their essence to every performance, you can bring your signature clarity, rhythm, or insight to any piece, even when working within strict guidelines.
So instead of viewing professional writing as a limitation, see it as a skill. Because being able to adapt your tone, style, and approach depending on the purpose of the piece is definitely an indication of someone who’s sharpened their skills as a writer.
2. Make time for personal writing
One of the best ways to keep your voice strong is to nurture it outside of work:
- Prioritize personal writing time: Set aside time regularly, whether daily or weekly, to write just for yourself. Treat this time as essential, just like a meeting or deadline.
- Keep a journal: Use it to jot down thoughts, ideas, or observations without worrying about structure. You can reflect on your experiences, dreams, or even just write random musings. There are no rules here, the goal is just to keep your voice authentic.
- Experiment with different forms: Try poetry, personal essays, or even fiction to explore new ways of expression. Play with styles you don’t normally use in your professional writing to stretch your creativity.
- Engage in free-writing: Dedicate 10 minutes a day to writing without stopping or editing. Write about anything, stream-of-consciousness, a scene, or a thought-provoking question.
- Write without an audience in mind: Let go of external expectations. This writing is for you, not for publication. Focus on joy, curiosity, and exploration rather than perfection.
Making time for personal writing not only strengthens your creative voice but also helps prevent burnout and allows you to bring fresh energy to your professional work.
3. Infuse your work writing with small traces of your voice
Even within the constraints of formal or structured writing, you can find ways to incorporate your personality and unique style:
- Be intentional with word choice: Swap out generic phrases for ones that feel more natural to you while still following voice and tone guidelines. Use language that reflects your personality—whether that’s a touch of warmth, humor, or directness—without straying from the purpose of the piece.
- Incorporate your natural cadence: Pay attention to the way you speak and let some of that rhythm appear in your writing. Read your work aloud and if it sounds stiff or unnatural, adjust it to feel more like you.
- Add a signature element: If appropriate, infuse a bit of your personality with a consistent stylistic touch, this could be a well-placed metaphor, a catchphrase, or a concise, impactful sentence that feels distinctly you. It could become a recognizable part of your writing style, even in professional settings.
- Use thoughtful transitions and openings: Instead of starting with template-like openings, craft introductions that subtly reflect your voice while staying on-topic. And replace overly formal transitions with language that mimics the way you naturally communicate to make the writing more engaging.
Know your audience and adjust accordingly, some settings allow for more creative freedom than others. Strike a balance between meeting project standards and expressing yourself authentically so that your writing feels both polished and personal.
4. Read writing that inspires you
It’s hard to maintain a strong personal voice if you aren’t exposing yourself to writing that moves you, so keep exposing yourself to thought-provoking work:
- Read beyond your industry: While it’s important to stay informed about your professional field, don’t limit yourself to industry-related writing.
- Find writers who challenge and excite you: Look for authors whose voices are strong, unique, and fearless—writers who inspire you to think differently. Writer’s Digest regularly features authors and writers, or you can scroll through BookTok or BookThreads to find writers who might not normally be in your feed. Seek out perspectives outside of your own background to expand your worldview and influence your writing depth.
- Switch up genres and styles: If you typically read nonfiction, try diving into poetry or short stories. Challenge yourself with literary styles you’re unfamiliar with to expand your creative toolbox.
- Revisit old favorites: Reread books or essays that once inspired you, sometimes they take on new meaning as your writing evolves. Pay attention to how your interpretation of a piece changes over time.
By consistently reading diverse, well-crafted writing, you not only feed your creativity but also refine your ability to shape your own voice in fresh and compelling ways.
5. Set boundaries between work and personal writing
Writing all day for others can leave little mental energy for your own projects, which is why setting boundaries between work writing and personal writing is important. Firstly, give yourself permission to let work writing be just that, work. You don’t have to inject your personality into your work unless you want to, which means that you’ll no longer expect it to fulfill your creative needs.
At the same time, when switching to personal writing, let this time be a space where you experiment, play with language, and express ideas without pressure. To reinforce this boundary:
- Designate a separate time for personal writing: See no. 2, and note that this is time for focusing exclusively on creative projects, separate from work obligations.
- Use different tools or spaces: Write work assignments on your computer but handwrite personal projects in a notebook to create a tangible distinction. If possible, separate work and creative writing physically by using different locations—one for work, another for passion projects.
- Create transition rituals: Signal to yourself when you’re switching between work and personal writing by taking a break, changing your environment, or engaging in a small creative exercise before diving in.
- Avoid self-censorship in personal writing: Unlike work writing, your personal projects don’t need to be polished or perfect. Let them be raw, experimental, and truly yours.
By maintaining these boundaries, you can ensure that writing remains an enjoyable and fulfilling practice, both professionally and personally.
Trust that your voice is still there
Keep in mind that your creativity doesn’t disappear just because you’re following guidelines. Your personal style isn’t just in what you write but in how you think, the connections you make, and the perspective you bring.
If you ever feel disconnected from your writing, remind yourself that your voice is not lost, it may just need space to breathe. So stay intentional about nurturing it and you’ll find that no amount of structured writing can take away what makes your words uniquely yours.
Nicole S. Palmer is a best-selling author, founding partner of independent publishing company Delnic Media, and host of 5-star rated podcast Black Womaning in Corporate America™. When she isn’t writing, she’s speaking, and she’s usually talking about race, identity, and equity.
