Stories and novels are largely shaped by concrete elements such as plot, theme, subject matter, and point of view. Another important characteristic of a piece of writing is its tone—the mood evoked by the author’s language or how the prose makes readers feel.
Novice writers sometimes make the mistake of conflating tone and voice. An author’s writing voice reflects who they are as well as their unique character and personality that imbues everything they write. Tone is the attitude with which they write it.
In a nutshell, voice is what is said, and tone is how it is said.
Types of Tone
Writers can employ a variety of tones as they identify and finetune their own in the process. The following are some of the most common tones used in writing.
1. Formal
This tone is commonly used in academic and professional writing. The formal tone is direct and thorough, though never disrespectful or casual. It involves structured language, factual information, and higher reading skills. Grammatical correctness is emphasized and contractions are avoided.
- Example:
- According to the data presented, fog increases the likelihood of occurrence of accidents.
2. Informal
As the name suggests, the informal tone is more conversational in nature and may involve slang, colloquialisms, and contractions. It allows writers more freedom to express their emotions and personal opinions, with short, sometimes choppy sentences or long, chatty ones.
- Example:
- Hey, how are you? Want to meet up for coffee tomorrow?
3. Optimistic
An optimistic tone conveys a sense of hope and a positive outlook. It expresses the belief that things will get better even if they may be challenging at present.
- Example:
- Despite the massive floods that ravaged the city last year, the residents have rebuilt their lives with extraordinary resilience.
4. Pessimistic
A pessimistic tone portrays a negative outlook on a situation or the belief that things will not improve. An author may try to pass off pessimism as realism, but the two are, of course, not to be conflated.
- Example:
- With the way things are going, the US is unlikely to avoid a recession in the coming years.
5. Tense
A tense tone makes readers apprehensive and unsure of what’s coming next. This type of tone is often employed in mysteries and thrillers and changes when there is a resolution.
- Example:
- She frantically searched for Tom who, she was sure, had gone in the direction of the lake. Running almost blindly, she was consumed by the thought that she must stop him before it was too late.
6. Uplifting
An uplifting tone expresses support and understanding, usually in order to assure the reader that challenging situations can be overcome and to encourage them to take positive action. This tone is commonly employed by motivational speakers and self-help authors.
- Example:
- Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.
7. Informative
An informative tone seeks to inform readers about a specific topic or subject. Educational materials and manuals often feature an informative tone.
- Example:
- Human beings’ sense of smell is far less acute than their sight.
8. Assertive
An assertive tone shows the writer’s confidence and authority. Insistent and straightforward, the assertive tone helps persuade readers, leaving little or no room for argument.
- Example:
- It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
A writer can choose the most appropriate tone for a piece depending on what they intend to convey through it. They can even use varying tones and finetune the tones as they deem fit in order to engage readers.
