Editing Tips: What’s the Difference Between Tone and Voice?

Tone and voice are terms related to writing style and are often used together. Unfortunately, this means they’re frequently confused with one another.

So, what exactly is the difference between tone and voice? Here’s everything you need to know about these two terms, as well as what to do about them when editing.

What Is Tone?

Tone in writing is the way the author conveys an emotional attitude toward the subject matter.

We generally describe tone using adjectives. For example, the tone of a piece of writing might be formal, apologetic, and distant:

We apologize for any inconvenience this setback may have caused our customers. 

Or it could be informal, passionate, and annoyed:

I can’t believe the number of problems I’ve been having with this company! I’ve just about had enough.

There are as many tones out there as there are emotions. But whatever the tone may be, authors usually rely on these tools to establish it:

• Word choice and vocabulary.
• Punctuation.
• Point of view.
• Syntax and structure.
• Devices such as rhetoric and imagery.

The tone of a piece of writing should be specific to the context in which it is written. For example, while it would be suitable to use a light-hearted, enthusiastic tone for a piece of children’s fiction, the same wouldn’t be true for a professional letter of resignation.

I whizzed through the air on the dragon’s back. It was amazing! ✔

Hi boss, I’m leaving this job for something way more fun. See you around! ✘

What Is Voice?

Voice in writing is the specific way the author (or brand) expresses themselves.

An author’s voice will consist of certain repeated traits that are present regardless of the nature of the piece of writing.

These traits might include:

• Word choice or words avoided.
• Particular turns of phrase, metaphors, or idioms.
• The way individual sentences are structured.
• How the plot or structure progresses in a longer work.
• The amount of description.
• Which subjects the author focuses on. (For example, do they devote more time to describing their setting than their characters? Do they tell a story through dialogue rather than action? Do they approach technical subjects from a human angle?)
• Any other aspects of writing that are hard to pin down but are specific to that author.

Authors might write in their own voice, or they might adopt a voice for a client. Brands, for example, often request that a specific voice or style be used in marketing and business copy.

Tone vs. Voice

Now that you know what tone and voice are, we can summarize the key difference between the two as this: Voice is a constant; tone is adaptable.

An author’s voice is present throughout their written work. While a writer may adjust their voice slightly to match a specific tone, it should still be possible to recognize their particular traits in whatever they write.

Tone, on the other hand, will vary from document to document depending on the intended audience, subject matter, and format.

Finally, the voice is what identifies a piece of writing as being by that author or that brand. The tone is what sets the emotional mood for an individual piece.

What to Do About Tone and Voice When Editing

Voice and tone can be tricky when it comes to editing.

For the most part, a good editor should aim to preserve the author’s voice. This means avoiding making any changes that detract from the author’s unique writing style or imposing your own voice onto your client’s work.

However, you should ensure the voice is consistent throughout a document. And if your client has specifically requested help with refining their voice, you may be able to make suggestions here and there.

When it comes to editing tone, you can be a bit more flexible with what you change. 

For example, if your client has used expletives in a professional report or starts every paragraph of an objective academic essay with “I think” or “I feel,” then these are clear errors in tone that should be corrected.

And, as with editing voice, you’ll need to check that the tone remains consistent throughout a piece of writing.

However, it’s still important to avoid over-editing here.

Becoming an Editor

Want to learn more about voice, tone, and how to edit them? Try out our Becoming An Editor course for free.