A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.
~ Richard Bach
Write in the Active Voice
Use the active rather than the passive voice and you will automatically make your writing more interesting to read. It results in a more direct, energetic copy that makes the reader feel more ‘in the moment.’ Unfortunately, many writers employ the passive voice in the belief that it makes their writing sound more intelligent when in fact, it makes their writing sound boring or simply dull.
Remember, the active voice is when the subject of the sentence “acts,” while the passive voice is when the subject is acted upon.
Passive: It was concluded by the professor that the methods used were…
Active: The professors concluded that the methods used were…
The subject in this example is “the professors” and the “act” they are carrying out is “concluding.” As you can see in this example, the active voice almost always results in neater and more elegant phrasing, which is more concise and enjoyable to read.
Sentences written in the active voice are also less wordy than those in the passive voice – and cutting unnecessary words always improves a piece of writing, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, which will keep your reader turning the pages!
If you have any doubts about whether you’re writing in an active voice, this could help.
Choose a piece of your writing and go through it determining if each sentence is in the active or the passive voice. One clue to look out for when searching for sentences in the passive voice is the use of “was:”
Note: Not all sentences using “was” are passive: “I was studying my course” is active. “My course was being studied” is passive.
Once you’ve identified the passive sentences in your work, try rewriting each in the active voice. Do you think it makes a difference? If you’ve changed a lot of the sentences, read the whole piece through from start to finish. Has the overall feel or tone changed? Take a word count of the original and the new version. How many words have you been able to cut?
If you’re not confident about your writing, using an active voice can be an easy way to improve a dull or lifeless piece of prose. Try it!
And . . . . Enjoy the process.
