April

1. Using Personal Voice in Writing
April Etzold
Florida Gulf Coast University
National Writing Project
aprilme@leeschools.net

2. What is voice?
“Voice is the writer’s music coming out through the
words, the sense that a real person is speaking to
you and cares about the message. It is the heart
and soul of the writing, the magic, the wit, the
feeling, the life and breath. It is flashes of spirit.
When the writer is engaged personally with the
topic, he or she imparts a personal flavor to the
piece that is unmistakably his or hers alone”
(Culham, 2003, p. 102).

3. So I have to know the author in order
to recognize the author’s voice?
No, but through the writer’s voice you may feel
as though you know him or her. Voice is
anything that creates an emotional response in
the reader. It could be whimsical, silly, or
frightening. It is the author’s attitude about the
subject that comes through in the writing
(Spandel, 2008).
.

4. Hey, isn’t that what emoticons are
for?
Happy = :)
Sad = :(
Laughing = :D
Winking = ;)
Unsure = :
These are a shorthand form of voice that are
perfectly acceptable for emails and text messages,
but when it comes to other forms of writing, a little
originality 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 Carroll
By Maureen L. White

7. How to Express Voice in Writing:
Choose words that communicate
emotions to the reader
Match 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 Voice
“The first time I saw her, I got a bad feeling inside. Not
like I was in danger or nothing. Just like she was somebody I
should stay clear of. To tell you the truth, she was a freak like
me. The kind of person folks can’t help but tease. That’s bad if
you’re a kid like me. It’s worse for a new teacher like her.
Miss Saunders is a different as they come. First off, she
got a man’s name, Michael. Now who ever heard of a woman
named that? She’s tall and fat like nobody’s business, and
she’s got the smallest feet I ever seen. Worse yet, she’s got a
giant white stain across her face like somebody tossed acid on
it or something.
I try not to stare the first day that amazon woman-
teacher heads my way. See, I got a way of attracting strange
characters. They draw to me like someone stuck a note on my
forehead saying, “losers wanted here.” Well, I spend a lot of
time trying to fit in here at McClenton Middle School. I ain’t
letting nobody ruin it for me, especially no teacher.”

9. Voice in Writing – Samples of Text with
Unique Voice
“My father started to cry then…This was one of those
tragedies that needed a family that knew what it was
doing. Like the Kennedys or the Queen of England and
her whole bunch. Not a family like ours that comes
unglued if someone doesn’t follow the morning
bathroom schedule.”
-Barbara Park, Mick Hart Was Here
“Ronald stared at the lines of shapes he longed to know
how to read; they seemed to him as magical as the
fairy-tale pictures in his book. Words and trees – and
knights and dragons – were what Ronald wanted.”
Anne E. Neimark, Myth Maker: J.R.R. Tolkein

10. Let’s Try It Out….
Your Assignment:
Read the following letter about a noise complaint in
your neighborhood. This letter is business-like and
neutral, and it lacks personal voice. After reading
the letter, write a letter with the same message, but
with personal voice. Choose a slip of paper from
the bag that your teacher is passing around. On
that paper is a tone that you must express in your
letter.

11. Sample Letter
Dear neighbors:
Welcome to our neighborhood. You have chosen to live in
a 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 you
are on a college campus.
Last night, you kept at least 5 families, including 10 young
children and 15 adults, awake until 2 a.m. As outlined in
the attached City of Cape Coral noise ordinance (passed
in 2004), you have an obligation to be sensitive to noise
levels that are acceptable in a residential neighborhood.
The pages attached are excerpts from that ordinance that
describes noise limitations and the penalties for violating
it. You, as tenants, come under the ordinance, as does
your landlord.

12. We want to be good neighbors and understand that
you need to have some fun. Please do so in a way
that results in your being considered good
neighbors as well. Primarily, this means taking
yourselves and your guests indoors by 11:00 p.m.
on weekends (10 p.m. during the week), and
making sure that they are quiet when they leave.
We would much rather work with you than call the
police, but we will do what is necessary if we are
pushed.
Sincerely,
Your neighbors

13. Let’s share…
Let’s 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 Earnest
Sarcastic Self- Snobby
Curt deprecating Funny
Passionate Timid Naïve
Frightened Introspective Ridiculous
Detached Gracious Smug
Critical Clever Revealing
Childlike Rude

14. Sources for Other Activities on Voice
Creating Young Writers: Using
6 + 1 Traits of Writing the Six Traits to Enrich Writing
Process in Primary
By Ruth Culham Classrooms
By Vicki Spandel

15. Next Generation Sunshine State
Standards
 LA.910.4.1.1 The student will write in a variety of
expressive and reflective forms that use a range
of appropriate strategies and specific narrative
techniques, employ literary devices, and sensory
description
 LA.910.4.1.2 The student will incorporate
figurative language, emotions, gestures, rhythm,
dialogue, characterization, plot, and appropriate
format.

16. References
Culham, R. (2003). 6 + 1 Traits of writing: The
complete guide grades 3 and up. New York:
Scholastic.
Spandel, V. (2008). Creating young writers: Using Six
traits to enrich writing process in primary
classrooms. Boston: Pearson.