{"id":315511,"date":"2025-11-24T11:53:22","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T11:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/find-your-voice-and-tone-here-at-we-%e2%9d%a4-health-literacy-by-communicatehealth-wehearthealthliteracy\/"},"modified":"2025-11-24T11:53:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T11:53:22","slug":"find-your-voice-and-tone-here-at-we-%e2%9d%a4-health-literacy-by-communicatehealth-wehearthealthliteracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=315511","title":{"rendered":"Find Your Voice (and Tone). Here at We \u2764 Health Literacy\u2026 | by CommunicateHealth | wehearthealthliteracy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Alt: A doctor doodle is talking to a patient with dog leg. The doctor doodle frowns and says, \u201cYou won\u2019t need a dog-leg-ectomy after all.\u201d The patient doodle says, \u201cWhy do you sound so sad about it?\u201d The doctor doodle says, \u201cWhoops. Wrong tone.\u201d In the next frame, the doctor doodle smiles and says, \u201cYou won\u2019t need a dog-leg-ectomy after all!\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Here at We \u2764 Health Literacy Headquarters<\/a>, we\u2019re always looking for ways to build stronger connections with our audiences. And using the right voice and tone is one way to forge that connection! So this week, we\u2019re sharing tips to help you identify a clear voice and tone in your health writing.<\/p>\n

First, a little refresher on what voice and tone mean. Voice<\/strong> is constant. It\u2019s a key part of your identity \u2014 an expression of personality that comes out through your writing. In the corporate world, it\u2019s often called \u201cbrand voice,\u201d but it\u2019s not just for the Apples and Fords. Whether you work for a Fortune 500 company, a government agency, or a community nonprofit, you need a consistent voice.<\/p>\n

But what is<\/em> voice, exactly? Think about how you can recognize your favorite singer even if you\u2019ve never heard the song before \u2014 that\u2019s because their voice is distinctive across different songs (or in our case, health materials!).<\/p>\n

Tone<\/strong>, on the other hand, is situational. It varies based on the specific topic, the context, and your audience\u2019s likely emotional state. So while voice stays the same across a website or campaign, tone may change slightly from page to page or tweet to tweet.<\/p>\n

Clear as mud? Think of it this way: no matter who you\u2019re talking to, you\u2019re still yourself \u2014 that\u2019s your voice<\/em>. But you wouldn\u2019t talk to your best friend the same way you\u2019d talk to your boss, or your sworn enemy, or the teller at your bank \u2014 you vary your tone <\/em>based on who you\u2019re talking to and what the conversation is about.<\/p>\n

So, how do you figure out the right voice and tone to use? We often define voice and tone as a series of adjectives \u2014 like \u201cfriendly, compassionate, and sincere.\u201d And to really bring out the nuance, it can be helpful to think about what your voice or tone is and<\/em> what it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

For example, you might describe your health communication campaign\u2019s voice as:<\/p>\n

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  • Optimistic, but not naive<\/li>\n
  • Friendly, but not overly familiar<\/li>\n
  • Informational, but not dry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    When it comes to tone, we\u2019ll need to get more specific. What\u2019s the health topic at hand? What is the audience likely thinking or feeling while reading about it?<\/p>\n

    For example, a playful, quirky tone might be perfect for sharing general healthy eating tips, but it wouldn\u2019t be a good fit in nutrition tips for people starting chemotherapy. In that case, the tone might be:<\/p>\n

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    • Motivating, but not overly upbeat<\/li>\n
    • Comforting, but not patronizing<\/li>\n
    • Serious, but not dire<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The bottom line:<\/strong> To build a stronger connection with your audiences, think through the voice and tone of your health materials before<\/em> you write.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Tweet about it:<\/strong> Want to make your #HealthLit writing sound just right? Being intentional about voice and tone can help. @CommunicateHlth\u2019s got tips: https:\/\/bit.ly\/3d1ksNJ #HealthComm<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n