Writing in a Foreign Language: How a English Gave Me My Voice
The article discusses the author's journey of finding their writing voice through learning English. Initially struggling with their native language, the author discovered a passion for English, which allowed for clearer and more concise expression. This transformation led to a deeper appreciation for language and writing, ultimately inspiring the author to share their work publicly.
- ▪The author initially struggled with reading and writing in German due to a minor reading disability.
- ▪Learning English opened up new opportunities for the author, allowing them to explore a wider range of literature and ideas.
- ▪The author now thinks and writes primarily in English, finding it more approachable and precise than their native Swiss German.
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Second Brain Search Search IconIcon to open search Light Mode Dark Mode Blog Vault Newsletter Writing in a Foreign Language: How a English Gave Me My Voice Last updatedUpdated: May 29, 2026 by Simon Späti · CreatedCreated: Sep 19, 2025 Table of Contents The Time in Copenhagen Before that What Thinking in a Foreign Language Taught Me Further Reads This is how I found My Writing Voice and style. I initially read a lot of English books because I didn’t know the language well when I was in CPH and was learning it. Only after I learned that I enjoy the English Language a lot, even more so for writing. Also, Haruki Murakami refined and actually found his voice when writing in English, with a very limited vocabulary, and then translated it back into Japanese.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Simon Späti's Second Brain.
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