The Uncanny Valley of Voice: Preparing Authenticity

Nearly every piece of writing that truly embodies my voice was formed from the same process, a process that has become increasingly incompatible with procrastination. Procrastination was my first love. I say this only half-jokingly because I was a chronic procrastinator. For most of my life, I relied on the deadline, transforming the adage “If you only have an hour, then it will only take an hour”, into a holy scripture that guided my writing. It was only recently that I realized the damage that procrastination had caused to my progression as a writer, and to my confidence in my written voice.

Rereading my most egregious examples of procrastination—the unedited writing I submitted right before the deadlines—would almost always evoke a unique feeling in me. I liken it to a researched phenomenon dubbed “uncanny valley”. This psychological phenomenon is an eerie feeling that humans experience “in response to not-quite-human figures like humanoid robots and lifelike computer-generated characters” (IEEE 1). This was a feeling that became increasingly common as I developed as a writer but continued to struggle with my voice. I realized that I needed a new process to feel authentic, and this is what I created.

The process that I implemented to project a genuine voice in my writing was like the arrangement of a complex bank heist (though admittedly with far lower stakes). The most neglected part of my writing had always been the planning. With no roadmap, outline, or structure, I struggled to write authentically. I afforded myself no time to experiment, plan, and scheme, the characteristics that make your writing uniquely your own. Consequently, my new strategy heavily emphasizes the planning phase.

Now when I begin writing, my bank heist will be weeks away. Long before I place pen to paper, I will simply stop to think. As I walk through life I will let questions float around me, attached to me throughout the day with tiny strands of invisible string; How should I arrange my essay? Can I introduce my quotes more effectively? What am I really getting at? Things I rarely asked myself, but I now realize are essential for confidence in my writing.

While my voice will undoubtedly need to change based on the genre that I write in, time, reflection, and planning have proved to be essential components of the pieces that most accurately reflect my voice. Much like a successful bank heist, a truly authentic piece of writing cannot be carried out in one day. It is only through deliberate reflection that you can create a piece that is wholeheartedly you. A true reflection of yourself rather than a robot trying its best to imitate humanity.