I Used To Write In Passive Voice, But Now I Am The Words I Write
I was infuriated at Grammarly the other day from how much “passive voice” it accused me of using.
It reminded me of that time I got called a doormat. So, I cussed them out and cancelled my subscription.
However, after getting over myself, I decided that Grammarly was not the enemy, and perhaps I should look at it as feedback instead of an insult.
The app was right; it could sense my hesitation; worse, it told ME how I was feeling.
Angry apparently.
How Grammarly knew my Five Guys delivery arrived without the fries, will remain a mystery. But to accuse me of being passive after all the damn work I put into myself? Hell no, I had to dig deeper.
I started by googling: Are Five Guys fat-shaming me? Where are my fries? I demand answers! It turns out I forgot to order the damn fries.
Then I moved to: Is Grammarly sexist? Just to make sure I wasn’t gas-lit for the thousandth time.
Finally, I got to, what is passive voice?
And you won’t believe what I found.
Me. I found myself there. Literally, a picture of me, but in words
Passive- voice: A book is currently being written by me, kind of, sort of, don’t judge me.
Active -voice: I am writing a book *hair flick*
Seeing “passive vs. active” laid out for me like that was enlightening. I spent my whole life speaking in passive terms, only for everyone to agree that I was passive.
So, I made a conscious effort to start viewing myself as a thought leader and shift my mindset. To speak in active terms and become the words I write.
I dare Grammarly to accuse me of being passive. One. More. Time.
I can’t believe how this simple trick—speaking in active—elevated me to a seemingly credible person. A respected member of the Grammarly Community. How thou doing?
Grammarly called me a Kween instead of the usual doormat on my latest post. Yes, with a K; I think the app was flirting with me.
I started using thought leadership as a life-hack in other areas of my life too. Now, I introduce myself as a writer. A feminist writer. Not someone who likes to write or does it as a hobby, but a writer with a message. Someone who spits truth bombs and is unapologetic while doing it. An assertive, female writer.
I’ve become so emboldened; I walked into a room full of strangers the other day and announced: I’m gorgeous! And they all believed me. I gave them no chance to debate it anyway.
My therapy sessions with Grammarly truly helped turn me into the woman I am today. It has been a whole week, but I’ve blossomed into a sophisticated lady. Someone who knows how to punctuate and charm an audience.
A few tips for upcoming writers and your life in general:
Just start writing: Write, write, write. It’s about practice.
Most writers hate looking back at their old posts, because they probably installed Grammarly and got better every time. I cringe when I see my passive voice in my earlier days.
Keywords: I’m a writer. I’m a feminist. I love my fries.
Get comfortable with yourself and take ownership of it; this is what thought leadership is about.
Develop thick skin
Don’t cancel your career because it called you passive.
Practice being unbothered about everyone’s opinion; except your niche and Grammarly, those guys mean well. Constructive criticism they call it.
Don’t be ashamed to tell your story
Because we want to hear it!
Practice writing in an assertive voice to gain the respect of your reader. Convince them that you are credible on the topic or turn them off completely.
Good luck on your thought leadership journey, and remember what a wise woman once said: You’re a dragon, be a dragon.
A gorgeous, feminist writer.