Voice in Writing In writing, voice is the quality that keeps readers reading. Your ideas are what you have to say; your voice is how you say it.

In writing, Voice is a blend of … Word choice Enthusiasm for the topic Knowledge about the topic Attention to the audience

Your writing ‘voice’ is as individual as your speaking voice. Your writing ‘voice’ is as individual as your speaking voice. Anyone who knows you and reads your work should be able to tell that you wrote it. Anyone who knows you and reads your work should be able to tell that you wrote it. ‘Voiceless’ writing is boring and tired. ‘Voiceless’ writing is boring and tired.

Know your audience Writing with ‘voice’ means knowing your audience. You don’t talk the same way to your friends as you do to a baby or to your grandma. You use different words with different people.

Know your audience Knowing your audience means changing your tone and style to make your writing suitable for your audience and purpose.

How to add voice? Write honestly and from the heart Write honestly and from the heart Connect with the reader Connect with the reader Share your feelings about the topic Share your feelings about the topic Speak directly to the reader (without using YOU) Speak directly to the reader (without using YOU)

How to add voice? Use language that brings the topic to life for the reader Use language that brings the topic to life for the reader Care about what you write Care about what you write Write to be read (not just to finish an assignment) Write to be read (not just to finish an assignment) Give the reader a sense of the person behind the words Give the reader a sense of the person behind the words

Can you hear the voice? Now, let’s look at an example of a poem with lots of “voice” Now, let’s look at an example of a poem with lots of “voice” Pay attention; you will be writing your own version of this poem Pay attention; you will be writing your own version of this poem

Time Somebody Told Me That I am lovely, good and real That I am beautiful inside If they only knew How that would make me feel. Time Somebody Told Me That my mind is quick, sharp And full of wit That I should keep on trying And never quit. Time Somebody Told Me How they loved and needed me How my smile is filled with hope And my spirit sets them free How my eyes shine, full of light How good they feel when they hug me tight. Time Somebody Told Me So, I had a talk with myself Just me, nobody else ‘cause it was time Somebody Told Me From: Hello to Me with Love: Poems of Self-Discovery by C. Tillery Banks. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1980 Time Somebody Told Me

Discussion about this poem What can we tell about the author of this poem? What can we tell about the author of this poem? Is the author a male or female? Is the author a male or female? (Hint: the author uses the word ‘lovely’) (Hint: the author uses the word ‘lovely’) How old do you think the author is? How old do you think the author is? Does the author like herself? Does the author like herself?

NPD. Label paper: Time Somebody Told Me NPD. Label paper: Time Somebody Told Me For 3 minutes, write as quickly as you can all that this poem brings to mind for you. For 3 minutes, write as quickly as you can all that this poem brings to mind for you. Borrow the line “Time Somebody Told Me...” and write about all that you wish someone did tell you. Borrow the line “Time Somebody Told Me...” and write about all that you wish someone did tell you.

NPD. Label paper: Time Somebody Told Me This assignment is due Wednesday. This assignment is due Wednesday. Use your Quick Write and the original poem to help write your poem. Use your Quick Write and the original poem to help write your poem. Use the line from the poem “Time Somebody Told Me...” and write what you wish someone did tell you. Use the line from the poem “Time Somebody Told Me...” and write what you wish someone did tell you.

Model the poem by writing 4 stanzas. A stanza is a number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem. This poem has 4 stanzas. The final one is the conclusion. Model the poem by writing 4 stanzas. A stanza is a number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem. This poem has 4 stanzas. The final one is the conclusion. The stanzas in your poem must have the same number of lines as the original: The stanzas in your poem must have the same number of lines as the original: (1) 5 lines (1) 5 lines (2) 5 lines (2) 5 lines (3) 6 lines (3) 6 lines (4)5 lines (4)5 lines

Your poem will be presented on the ELMO. Be honest, but write only what you are willing to share with the class. Your poem will be presented on the ELMO. Be honest, but write only what you are willing to share with the class. Use your dictionary and thesaurus. Use your dictionary and thesaurus. Edit for conventions. Edit for conventions.

Remember this is an assignment that is focused on voice. Remember this is an assignment that is focused on voice. Write honestly. Write honestly. Make the poem lively, energetic, and hard to put down. Make the poem lively, energetic, and hard to put down.