The Elements of Voice First Style

Chapter 1. Why Voice First

Notwithstanding the massive adoption of laptops and smartphones, and the ubiquity of screens—whether gargantuan billboards or tiny ones on smartwatches—voice remains by far the medium that humans use the most to communicate with one another. We speak far more often than we type or touch. This even applies to a typical member of the Digital Generation. Watch gamers and note how much they verbalize their thoughts and feelings as they play; and note that those who watch them attend the sessions to listen to them talk as well as watch them play.

There are several reasons why voice is the predominant mode of communication. Here’s a list of the key ones.

Eyes-Free

Unlike reading, listening does not require your eyes to be focused on anything to receive the information. We can have a conversation with our eyes closed. This opens up a world of possibilities. Communications can take place while doing any of the following: being in dark rooms; driving; watching TV; reading; taking a walk with someone else; potting a plant; admiring a landscape, typing; lying on the grass with hands crossed behind your head, side-by-side with a dear friend, staring at the sky; and so on.

Hands-Free

Similarly, unlike writing or typing, speaking does not require us to use our hands. We can hold a conversation with our hands occupied doing something: holding a book, typing on a laptop, preparing food, folding laundry, potting flowers, putting on our shoes, combing our hair, cutting ...