The Issue of Tone

I had a situation recently where I texted someone an important bit of news. This news would have been better received had I delivered it by phone or in person, but due to extenuating circumstances at the time, a text was necessary.

This reminded me of the aspects of modern communication that I dislike. With texts, email, and social media you can't always interpret the sender's tone. It's difficult to judge inflection and genuine sentiment. A message might sound aloof, unkind, or impatient, even though that isn't the author's intent. 

It also, of course, causes me to consider the role tone plays in our writing. What is tone? One definition says it is how it feels, sounds, and/or is interpreted. Tone can take shape through word choice, sentence structure, and a writer's attitude and style. A writer’s tone can be sarcastic, serious, funny, sad, and so on. I believe that tone also plays a role in a writer’s voice. 

  
Writing gives us an opportunity to employ an appropriate, reader friendly tone. We may not always directly consider tone during the process, but it does factor into the mix. Our words, whether informal conversation or published work, send an impression to others. The revision process can help us assume the correct tone.

With that in mind, I do the following before submitting:

• Consider the audience and publication.
• Get input from from critique partners.
• Read it aloud. The ear is a great editor, catching things the eyes miss.

 

Regarding texts, emails, and social media, it is impossible to convey our intended tone 100% of the time, no matter how many emojis we use. So I've adopted an informal policy, "tone insurance", if you will. Some of the same points above apply.

 

• I don't respond to emotional questions or issues in haste. If it potentially stirs my emotions, I wait and pray until I'm sure to respond rationally.
• I read my response aloud because I want to hear how it might sound to the recipient. It also slows down the process which allows me grace and space as I consider my reply. 
• I get a second opinion from someone who offers an outside and fresh perspective.
  

 
While not foolproof, these simple steps have polished my work and helped keep my foot out of my mouth. Can anyone relate?  :)

What steps do you take to ensure proper writing tone? How do you think others perceive your writing tone?

Happy writing,
Karen

Watch Your Tone

One issue I have with email and texting is that you can't always interpret the sender's tone. It's usually difficult to judge inflection and emotion unless the sender adds emoticons or a longer explanation. Have you ever received an email or text that seemed aloof or impatient? While email and texts serve their purpose, they aren't always the best way to communicate. 

Writing on the other hand, can provide a better avenue for us to employ an appropriate, reader friendly tone. One definition for tone is how our writing feels, sounds, and is interpreted. It may form through word choice, sentence structure, and a writer's attitude and style. The writer’s tone can be sarcastic, serious, humorous, sad, or a combination of these and other qualities. I believe that tone factors into a writer’s voice.

When discussing tone with my teen writing students, I have them consider an exercise where they imagine two actors trying out for a part. Each actor’s only line is to say the other actor’s name two times. 

"Patrick?"

"Clarabelle?"

"Patrick!"

"Clarabelle!" 

Then I have them repeat the exercise and ask what it would sound like if Patrick and Clarabelle were afraid or surprised, angry, confused, or happy. I ask students then to consider how the characters communicated each emotion.  

We may not always directly consider tone during the process, but it does factor into the mix. The revision process can help us assume the correct tone for our writing.

When in doubt regarding tone (and other details) before I submit, I rely on:

• Considering the audience and publication
• A second opinion from critique partners
• Reading my work aloud to better hear how it is "heard"

Do you consider tone as you write? How do you think others view your writing tone?

Happy writing,

Karen


Photo credit: Stock Exchange

The Tone Dilemma

One issue I have with email is that you can't always interpret the sender's tone. It's often difficult to judge inflection and emotion, is it not? I received an email this week that came off as aloof and impatient. I'm not acquainted with the sender, so that might not be their intent at all.

I wasn't upset, just thoughtful. How do my missives sound to others? Those who know me know I wouldn't purposely be brusque or set out to offend. 

How does tone relate to writing? I've heard tone defined as how it feels or sounds and is interpreted. Tone can take shape through word choice, sentence structure, and a writer's attitude and style. A writer’s tone can be sarcastic, serious, funny, sad, or a combination, don't you think? I believe that tone plays a role in a writer’s voice.

To illustrate tone, I encourage my teen writing students to consider the following exercise.

Imagine two actors trying out for a part. Each actor’s only line is to say the other actor’s name several times. 

"John?"

"Marsha?"

"John!"

"Marsha!" 

What would they sound like if they were afraid? Surprised? Angry? Confused? Happy? How did they communicate the meaning for each emotion?  

Years ago, I adopted an informal email policy. You might call it "tone insurance".

1) With few exceptions, I don't answer an email in haste. If it's an issue that stirs my emotions, I wait and pray until I'm sure to respond rationally. 

2) I read my response aloud before sending. This slows things down as I consider my reply. I employ this method with my writing too; the ear is a great editor, catching things missed otherwise. The extra bonus - it helps prevent typos. Not always, but often.

3) I get a second opinion. My in house editor, aka my 20-something daughter, often acts as a second set of eyes. If she's not available, I'll ask a friend

Simple points? Yes, but they act as great speed bumps to avoid mishaps.  :)

How do you handle the tone dilemma? How do you think others perceive your writing tone and style?

Happy writing,

Karen

Photo credit: Stock Exchange 

Text content copyright Karen Lange. No part shall be used without prior written permission.