20 Days of Writing In Your Authentic Voice
Sometimes it can be really nerve-wracking to post something the exact way you think it, but what if I was to tell you that your voice is desperately needed. Not everyone is on my frequency, my rhythm, my rhyme to get what I’m talking about but some people are. Not everyone will understand why I think what I think or resonate with my perspective on my personal experiences - but they don’t have to. My job is to show up and share what I know about life according to me, according to my experiences, and according to all the things I’ve learned. And you are no different. Your stories are important. Your voice is important. What you think about is important!
I was reading Gloria Steinem’s book Self Esteem and in there she talks about how writing can help us find our authentic selves which is why I wanted to establish this little challenge. Whether you are writing for yourself, your blog, your social media or otherwise, this challenge will give you prompts & exercises to help you nail down what you want to say and in a way that YOU can say it.
I also want to remind you that everyone writes differently. Some people love to use a new notebook and pen while others prefer the tippy tap of the keyboard (and some of us love the notes app on our phones!) There is no wrong way to do it. After 20 days, you should find yourself more confident with your writing, more connected to your inner voice and perspective, and more in tune with YOU!
Day 1: The Letter to Yourself – Write a letter to your younger self and one to your future self. Notice the tone, language, and themes that emerge in both.
Day 2: The Words I Live By – Make a list of words or phrases you naturally use when speaking or writing. How do they reflect your values, personality, and worldview?
Day 3: What I’m Afraid to Say – Write about a truth you hesitate to share. What makes it hard to say? What would change if you wrote freely about it?
Day 4: Soundtrack of My Life – Choose five songs that define different moments in your life. Write about what they reveal about your perspective and experiences.
Day 5: Unfiltered Freewriting – Set a timer for 10 minutes and write without stopping. Don’t edit, censor, or judge. Read it back—what patterns, rhythms, or emotions emerge?
Day 6: My Writing, But More Me – Rewrite a past piece in a way that feels even more true to your voice. Where can you add more of your natural cadence, humor, or honesty?
Day 7: Borrow a Voice – Write a scene in the style of your favorite writer, then rewrite it in your own voice. What feels different?
Day 8: The Contrarian Exercise – Write a short piece arguing against something you deeply believe in. How does it challenge your usual way of expressing ideas?
Day 9: Sensory Storytelling – Describe a recent experience using only the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch). How does this approach affect your voice?
Day 10: If My Writing Were a Person – Imagine your writing as a person. How would they talk? What words would they use? How would they move through the world?
Day 11: Write Like You Speak – Record yourself talking about a subject you love. Then, transcribe it word for word. Compare it to your usual writing—how can you bring more of your spoken voice onto the page?
Day 12: The Story Only I Can Tell – Write about an experience that shaped you in a way no one else could fully understand. Let your raw emotions lead the way.
Day 13: Turn Up the Volume – Take a piece of your writing and exaggerate its voice. If it’s poetic, make it more lyrical. If it’s humorous, make it funnier. What happens when you amplify your natural tendencies?
Day 14: Write to Someone Who Gets You – Choose a person who makes you feel completely yourself. Write as if you’re talking directly to them. How does your voice shift?
Day 15: The Things I Will Always Write About – Identify recurring themes in your writing. Why do these topics matter to you?
Day 16: The One-Sentence Story – Tell an entire story in one long sentence. How does it stretch your rhythm and word choice?
Day 17: Write in Dialect or Slang – Experiment with a casual, informal, or regional way of speaking. How does it change the way your writing feels?
Day 18: Mashup Style – Take two completely different tones (e.g., academic and playful, poetic and journalistic) and combine them in a single piece. What emerges?
Day 19: The "Wrong" Format – Write something in a format that doesn’t match the content (e.g., a break-up letter about leaving a bad habit, a fairytale about your childhood).
Day 20: Write It Terribly – Give yourself permission to write a piece as badly as possible. Free yourself from perfectionism and see what shines through.
