- 1. Using Personal Voice in WritingApril Etzold Florida Gulf
Coast UniversityNational Writing Project
[email protected]
2. What is voice?Voice is the writers music coming out through
thewords, the sense that a real person is speaking toyou and cares
about the message. It is the heartand soul of the writing, the
magic, the wit, thefeeling, the life and breath. It is flashes of
spirit.When the writer is engaged personally with thetopic, he or
she imparts a personal flavor to thepiece that is unmistakably his
or hers alone(Culham, 2003, p. 102). 3. So I have to know the
author in orderto recognize the authors voice?No, but through the
writers voice you may feelas though you know him or her. Voice
isanything that creates an emotional response inthe reader. It
could be whimsical, silly, orfrightening. It is the authors
attitude about thesubject that comes through in the
writing(Spandel, 2008).. 4. Hey, isnt that what emoticons
arefor?Happy = :)Sad = :(Laughing = :DWinking = ;)Unsure = :These
are a shorthand form of voice that areperfectly acceptable for
emails and text messages,but when it comes to other forms of
writing, a littleoriginality and imagination might be required 5.
Voice in art How does each artists interpretation of the same
subject differ? Describe the mood each artist creates.1. 2. By
Doris Jean Silva By Silvia Vassileva 6. Voice in art How does each
artists interpretation of the same subject differ? Describe the
mood each artist creates.3. 4. By Chris Hotham CarrollBy Maureen L.
White 7. How to Express Voice in Writing:Choose words that
communicate emotions to the readerMatch style to your writing
purpose and audience (experiment!)Expose the individual behind the
words(Culham, 2003, p. 124) 8. Voice in Writing Samples of Text
with Unique VoiceThe first time I saw her, I got a bad feeling
inside. Notlike I was in danger or nothing. Just like she was
somebody Ishould stay clear of. To tell you the truth, she was a
freak likeme. The kind of person folks cant help but tease. Thats
bad ifyoure a kid like me. Its worse for a new teacher like
her.Miss Saunders is a different as they come. First off, shegot a
mans name, Michael. Now who ever heard of a womannamed that? Shes
tall and fat like nobodys business, andshes got the smallest feet I
ever seen. Worse yet, shes got agiant white stain across her face
like somebody tossed acid onit or something.I try not to stare the
first day that amazon woman-teacher heads my way. See, I got a way
of attracting strangecharacters. They draw to me like someone stuck
a note on myforehead saying, losers wanted here. Well, I spend a
lot oftime trying to fit in here at McClenton Middle School. I
aintletting nobody ruin it for me, especially no teacher. 9. Voice
in Writing Samples of Text with Unique VoiceMy father started to
cry thenThis was one of thosetragedies that needed a family that
knew what it wasdoing. Like the Kennedys or the Queen of England
andher whole bunch. Not a family like ours that comesunglued if
someone doesnt follow the morningbathroom schedule.-Barbara Park,
Mick Hart Was HereRonald stared at the lines of shapes he longed to
knowhow to read; they seemed to him as magical as thefairy-tale
pictures in his book. Words and trees andknights and dragons were
what Ronald wanted.Anne E. Neimark, Myth Maker: J.R.R. Tolkein 10.
Lets Try It Out.Your Assignment:Read the following letter about a
noise complaint inyour neighborhood. This letter is business-like
andneutral, and it lacks personal voice. After readingthe letter,
write a letter with the same message, butwith personal voice.
Choose a slip of paper fromthe bag that your teacher is passing
around. Onthat paper is a tone that you must express in yourletter.
11. Sample LetterDear neighbors:Welcome to our neighborhood. You
have chosen to live ina residential neighborhood filled with young
children,people who go to work in the morning and retired people.We
request that you live like neighbors and not as if youare on a
college campus.Last night, you kept at least 5 families, including
10 youngchildren and 15 adults, awake until 2 a.m. As outlined
inthe attached City of Cape Coral noise ordinance (passedin 2004),
you have an obligation to be sensitive to noiselevels that are
acceptable in a residential neighborhood.The pages attached are
excerpts from that ordinance thatdescribes noise limitations and
the penalties for violatingit. You, as tenants, come under the
ordinance, as doesyour landlord. 12. We want to be good neighbors
and understand thatyou need to have some fun. Please do so in a
waythat results in your being considered goodneighbors as well.
Primarily, this means takingyourselves and your guests indoors by
11:00 p.m.on weekends (10 p.m. during the week), andmaking sure
that they are quiet when they leave.We would much rather work with
you than call thepolice, but we will do what is necessary if we
arepushed.Sincerely,Your neighbors 13. Lets share Lets see if your
classmates can guess which tone you were expressing in your letter.
These are the tones that the class had to chose from:Concerned
Scholarly EarnestSarcastic Self- SnobbyCurtdeprecating
FunnyPassionateTimid NaveFrightenedIntrospective
RidiculousDetachedGraciousSmugCriticalCleverRevealingChildlike Rude
14. Sources for Other Activities on VoiceCreating Young Writers:
Using6 + 1 Traits of Writing the Six Traits to Enrich
WritingProcess in PrimaryBy Ruth CulhamClassroomsBy Vicki Spandel
15. Next Generation Sunshine StateStandards LA.910.4.1.1 The
student will write in a variety ofexpressive and reflective forms
that use a rangeof appropriate strategies and specific
narrativetechniques, employ literary devices, and
sensorydescription LA.910.4.1.2 The student will
incorporatefigurative language, emotions, gestures,
rhythm,dialogue, characterization, plot, and appropriateformat. 16.
ReferencesCulham, R. (2003). 6 + 1 Traits of writing: The complete
guide grades 3 and up. New York: Scholastic.Spandel, V. (2008).
Creating young writers: Using Sixtraits to enrich writing process
in primaryclassrooms. Boston: Pearson.
