1. Voice: Finding the Golden Thread 6 + 1 Writing Traits

2. Let’s listen to some music!  I am going to play two songs by two different artists  Can you hear the difference?  Ray Charles Ray Charles  Michael Buble Michael Buble  Although the songs are the same, each artist has put their own style into the song to make it work for them  Writing is like that! Even though we all might be working on a similar task, we all put our own spin on it!

3. Let us know it’s you!  The purpose of voice is to say what you think and/or feel  The voice, tone, style, whatever you want to call it is what draws in your reader or audience  You’re writing is a reflection of you – emotions, thoughts, ideas, etc.

4. How can you show voice?  Speak directly to the reader  Take risks to reveal yourself in your words  Work with what you know – humor, emotion, facts, etc.  Add detail to show what you are thinking about  Experiment with word choice