"Today sucks!" 

Two words that automatically have readers asking questions. Not a bad way to start a chapter or novel. You, as a reader, can surmise that something negative happened to this particular character. 

But what if the line read more like this:

"Today can eat my brother's sneaker and choke on the athlete's foot."

Well now, suddenly our character has some "voice." Not only is this a form of humor for us to chomp down on, but there's a distinct connotation (the way a word makes us "feel" both physically and mentally) to the choice of words that hint at the gender and personality of this character that weren't there before. 

I could've just as easily written, "Today can eat a shoe and get sick." Not nearly as great. Using a word like "choke" catches attention. Also, using more specifics words like "athlete's foot" verse "sick" paints a better mental picture for a reader as well as highlights specifics about what a character has experienced. Verbs especially have the grand power to make a bland sentence "pop." 

Which is better? "I feel sick" or "The chili dog I just ate is about to bark." What gave that second dialogue its power? Besides a great verb like "bark?"

Figurative language. (Specific techniques of using those choice words for a desired connotation.) 

"Huh?"

Alright, fine. The seven types of figurative language: Simile, Hyperbole, Personification, Metaphor, Onomatopoeia, Alliteration, and Idiom. 

I'll even be a doll and briefly describe the types as I use them in the guide. (See? I told you this will be painless.)

So what did I use in the second dialogue above? I used personification (giving human characteristics to an inanimate object), but I also used idiom (a phrase that has a different meaning than the individual words). A chili dog is food, so it will never bark like a real dog, and even if it did bark like a dog, the way I chose to order the words imply I'm gonna vomit instead of food making uncharacteristic sounds. 

Don't get me wrong, the first dialogue example has its own power and placement in a story. Not every word has to be overdone and shouting, "Hey, look at me!" The quieter moments we choose through our words can have just as much impact with or without figurative language. 

Take this conversation between friends for example: (Only dialogue.)

"Look, I'm sorry you feel neglected. Work is crazy."

"It's not about the long hours. It's . . ."

"What? What's up with you--"

"I love you."

Three simple words with huge connotations behind it. Without using any inner thought or body language, you get a sense of both characters and their difference in confidence and awareness. 

Word choice is essential for establishing "voice" because words hold feeling, understanding, personality.  From the books we read to the shows we watch, we each use different words to ultimately say the same things. A proper Victorian gentleman wouldn't say, "Ain't no rub 'ccept the stink" just like a rough sailor from the same period wouldn't say, "The circumstances of your birth lend to the unfortunate pungency of your odor."

A word of caution: Words are powerful. Each one should "work" for you and what feeling or information you want to convey. Wordiness or "clutter" writing is a big no-no. 

*Helpful Hint: To identify "clutter" writing, watch for repetitive language and words like "that", "very", "try to", and their ilk. 

These words are indicators of a weak verb or vague writing. 

Example: I stood standing in the field of wildflowers and try to imagine the smell of my mom's small flower garden that I helped plant when I was very small.

Some of you are asking, "What's wrong with it?" Others of you are cringing, as you should, at how vague this actually is. (Both reactions are fine. This is a guide. If you're reading this and don't learn anything, it's all pointless.)

How I would tackle this particular sentence:

First, "stood" and "standing" mean the same thing. Also, the word "small" is repeated in this single sentence. These are both examples of "repetitive language" both in meaning and word choice. What this does is add unnecessary words and turns off editors who think a writer can't focus on clean thoughts and ideas.

Second, if this character helped plant a garden as a kid, that smell is ingrained in the memory, as well as, at least, the color of the flowers. The example sentence is "telling" us the character is standing in a field in a passive way. Using the proper word choice  and adding specifics--like in the first example about athlete's foot--can "show" us how the character actually feels with "voice."

Simple Revised Example: I stand in the field of wildflowers and remember the sweet smell of the flower garden I helped plant with my mom as a child. 

Definitely a cleaner version. Choosing the word "sweet" as the smell also adds the tiniest warmth of feeling to the memory. Let's go a step beyond and push the words.

Better Revised Example: I sway with the breeze, and the wild smell of flowers transports me back to being a smiling kid, elbow deep in dirt, and my mom handing me the next bulb to plant.

We got some imagery now! "Elbow deep in dirt," "smiling kid," I'm feeling a bit of whimsy and joy. I didn't use all the details from the first example. We aren't told the flowers are in a field or the character is planting a garden, but all the information is there with context, and better yet, a sense of nostalgic voice!

To close off this first element's show:

Character's are the conduits that showcase voice. Theme is the underlying motivation that drives our characters and changes their voice. Humor is a staple for helping readers relate and forgive a story's voice, even if opinions differ. And word choice is the basic tool to which all voice related parts must adhere. Take any one of these away and "voice" loses something vital.