A simple way to improve? Make use of resources, lists, and free time. That means don’t procrastinate (I’m preaching to myself here).

Here is a nifty resource I found online just yesterday. A list of words that can be used to describe a character’s voice (yes, yes I know I'm awesome).

First, the ADJECTIVES:

1. Adenoidal:

If someone’s voice is adenoidal, some of the sound seems to come through their nose.

2. Appealing:

Appealing look, voice etc shows that you want help, approval, or agreement.

3. Breathy:

Loud breathing noises.

4. Brittle:

If you speak in a brittle voice, you sound as if you are about to cry.

5. Croaky:

If someone’s voice sounds croaky, they speak in a low rough voice that sounds as if they have a sore throat.

6. Dead: 

If someone’s eyes are dead, or if their voice is dead, they feel or show no emotion.

7. Disembodied:

A disembodied voice comes from someone who you cannot see.

8. Flat:

Spoken in a voice that does not go up and down. This word is often used for describing the speech of people from a particular region.

9. Fruity:

A fruity voice or laugh is deep and strong in a pleasant way.

10. Grating:

A grating voice, laugh, or sound is unpleasant and annoying.

11. Gravelly:

A gravelly voice sounds low and rough.

12. Gruff:

A gruff voice has a rough low sound.

13. Guttural:

A guttural sound is deep and made at the back of your throat.

14. High-pitched:

A high-pitched voice or sound is very high.

15. Hoarse:

Someone who is hoarse or has a hoarse voice speaks in a low rough voice, usually because their throat is sore.

16. Honeyed:

Honeyed words or a honeyed voice sound very nice but you cannot trust the person who is speaking.

17. Husky:

A husky voice is deep and sounds hoarse (as if you have a sore throat), often in an attractive way; low in a deep voice, or with a deep sound.

18. Low:

A low voice or sound is quiet and difficult to hear. Used for describing a deep voice or a sound that has a long wavelength.

19. Matter-of-fact:

Used about someone’s behaviour or voice.

20. Modulated:

A modulated voice is controlled and pleasant to listen to.

21. Monotonous:

A monotonous sound or voice is boring and unpleasant because it does not change in loudness or become higher or lower.

22. Nasal:

Someone with a nasal voice sounds as if they are speaking through their nose.

23. Orotund:

An orotund voice is loud and clear.

24. Penetrating:

Penetrating voice or sound is so high or loud that it makes you slightly uncomfortable.

25. Plummy:

A plummy voice or way of speaking is considered to be typical of an English person of a high social class. This word shows that you dislike people who speak like this.

26. Raucous:

A raucous voice or noise is loud and sounds rough.

27. Ringing:

A ringing sound or voice is very loud and clear.

28. Rough:

A rough voice is not soft and is unpleasant to listen to.

28. Shrill:

A shrill noise or voice is very loud, high, and unpleasant.

29. Silvery:

A silvery voice or sound is clear, light, and pleasant.

30 Singsong:

If you speak in a singsong voice, your voice rises and falls in a musical way.

31. Small:

A small voice or sound is quiet.

32. Smoky:

A smoky voice or smoky eyes are sexually attractive in a slightly mysterious way.

33. Sotto voice:

In a very quiet voice.

34. Stentorian:

A stentorian voice sounds very loud and severe.

35. Strangled / Strangulated:

A strangled sound is one that someone stops before they finish making it.

36. Strident:

A strident voice or sound is loud and unpleasant.

37. Taut:

Used about something such as a voice or expression that shows someone is nervous or angry.

38. Thick:

If your voice is thick with an emotion, it sounds less clear than usual because of the emotion.

40. Thin:

A thin voice or sound is high and unpleasant to listen to.

41. Throaty:

A throaty sound is low and seems to come from deep in your throat.

42. Tight:

A tight voice or expression shows that you are nervous or annoyed.

43. Toneless:

A toneless voice does not express any emotion.

44. Tremulous: If something such as your voice or smile is tremulous, it is not steady, for example because you are afraid or excited.

45. Wheezy:

A wheezy noise sounds as if it is made by someone who has difficulty breathing.

46. Wobbly:

If your voice is wobbly, it goes up and down, usually because you are frightened, not confident, or are going to cry.

47. Booming

next, the ADVERBS (the stepchildren we love to hate, but use anyway):

gratingly, hoarsely, huskily, thickly, quietly, monotonously, sotto voice, nasally, quavering, raucously, stridently, tonelessly, tremulously...

I'm sure the list of adverbs is endless.

lastly, a few PHRASES:

A voice like a foghorn:

A very loud voice.

in an undertone:

Using a quiet voice so that someone cannot hear you.

someone’s dulcet tones:

The sound of someone’s voice as they speak.