I’ve never liked the sound of my voice. Something about the tone bothers me, but it’s not that I’m annoyed while talking — I’m just never satisfied after hearing it recorded. That’s probably why I became a graphic designer. With type, I can communicate in whatever visual tone of voice I choose. 

In, On Writing Well, author William Zinsser suggests that writers shouldn’t alter the tone of their voice to fit the intended audience. (Zinsser, 2006, pg. 231) We should write in our own style, he argues, no matter where the final piece will be published or who will read it. As a designer looking to make an impression, I see his point. As an empathetic consumer of content, though, I find it difficult to agree with. At the very least, shouldn’t the audience be considered? It seems fitting to adjust personal style based on the reader’s attention you’re trying to connect with.

Finding Flexibility

Scrolling through the Instagram feed for Map Agency, my design studio, I notice a few common decisions. There’s nothing overly complicated — clean, simple, and straightforward solutions tend to rule. Interestingly, these are the same tenets of writing for the ear, commonly referred to as the “ABCs:” Accuracy, Brevity, and Clarity. (King, 2005, para. 3) Turns out, writing for the ear has a different set of rules than writing for print. Doesn’t that grant us, as creators of content, the flexibility to change our tone of voice based on context? I hope so. Even though I’ve found a style that I’m comfortable with, I like the freedom to alter it for different messages and mediums.

Listen to the Pros

When readers pick up a magazine, there’s a general topic they are looking to learn about or be entertained by. The topic — whether it’s fashion or politics — is usually written in a particular tone of voice. There’s going to be more dry humor in The Onion, for example, than there will be in The Washington Post. The visuals, too, have a particular look and feel to them. It’s the reason we can immediately differentiate The New Yorker from Time, or Sports Illustrated from ESPN. Publications tend to know their audience well, and speak to them appropriately. 

What’s more important, the context or the audience? It’s a balancing act, for sure. In the struggle to answer this question, you’ll often discover a tone of voice that works best for you. Go with it. There’s nothing worse than having to live with a voice you aren’t satisfied with.