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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/39444
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

The secret to voice in writing is that **what you write needs to be matched to a) you, b) your audience, and c) the specific usage.** There is no objective _fact of the matter_ as to whether a given sentence is "too complicated." If it doesn't match you, your audience or the specific usage, it should be rewritten.

- Audience is perhaps the easiest to understand. In the case of a school assignment, your audience is your teachers. What is appropriate writing in this case is _whatever your teachers want._ You just have to assume they have good reasons for their prescriptions --or even if not, you still must please them. **In general, no sentence is good if it is a miss for its intended audience.** Often --but not always! --that means making your writing more simple and direct.

- Specific usage is also fairly straightforward. **If you are writing poetry you'll write in a different manner than if you are writing a technical manual.** You aren't producing good writing if your style doesn't match the setting. 

- That leaves the question of your own personal voice, which is generally just something that takes time to find or develop. But keep in mind that personal voice is no excuse for not matching audience and usage. In addition, **a common issue for young or new writers is what is called an "affected voice,"** which basically means trying too hard to sound grown-up, or elegant, or sophisticated (or conversely, trying too hard to sound young, or primal or raw). With that said, it's perfectly ok as a new writer to try on different voices --eventually you'll find one that doesn't sound like trying too hard to be someone else.

In sum, my advice would be to focus now on writing clearly, simply and directly, without a lot of elaboration. As you advance as a writer and as a speaker of English, your style will shift to reflect your increased facility naturally.

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