Voice

Definition

The Voice is the writer coming through the words, the sense that a real person is speaking to us and cares about the message. It is the heart and soul of the writing, the magic, the wit, the feeling, the life and breath. When the writer is engaged personally with the topic, he/she imparts a personal tone and flavor to the piece that is unmistakably his/hers alone. And it is that individual somethingdifferent from the mark of all other writersthat we call voice.

Questions to ask when trying to improve Voice…

How can I . . .

• Strengthen my own personal identity in these words and sentences so the reader will hear my strong feelings and beliefs?
• Modify the words so that my passion and caring both shine through with conviction and strength?
• Change the piece so that I anticipate the questions, needs and concerns a reader might have?
• Write with fresh and original insights which I have built and discovered myself without simply borrowing the ideas of others?