Have you ever received an email from a friend that made you think your friend was angry with you, but when you asked her if she was, she was shocked that you thought so? This is probably due to the voice and tone of the email she sent you. Like your speaking voice, your writing voice changes depending on your mood, situation, and audience. If you are writing to your boss, for instance, your voice would be more formal and professional than if you are writing to your best friend.
According to "The College Writer," voice refers to the between-the-lines messages your readers get, whether intentional or unintentional. If, for example, you write a note to a grieving friend, you would choose formal, sympathetic words, rather than cold or playful words. If you lose control of your voice, however, you could accidentally offend your friend. To prevent this, it helps to imagine your writing as voice-over narration, or to read your writing out loud before publishing it to check for tone.
Active voice refers to writing in which verbs are active, such as, "the cat ate her food." To write in the passive voice, use a form of the verb "to be" to separate the subject and the action: "the food was eaten by the cat." Active voice is used to express clarity, confidence, and to emphasize performing an action, whereas passive voice is used to emphasize the action being performed or to express research.
Imitating writers who have a strong or compelling voice is an important step in the development of your own writing voice, but the process should not stop there. Engaging in writing exercises will help your original voice, the personality of your words and what you choose to focus on. In addition, reading your writing out loud can help you to hear the voice or tone you are using. Many writers use voice-recognition software or mini-recorders just for this purpose. Reading your work after it's written and pretending it belongs to a stranger can help you identify and alter your voice, as well.