Voice Lessons

“Today you are You, that is truer than true “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” “Your Majesty. Please… I don’t like to complain. But down here below, we are feeling great pain.” "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!" Who wrote this?

How did you know?

It makes reading interesting. It keeps us involved. It makes us recognize certain authors such as Dr. Seuss It is the expression of personality or the fingerprint of creativity. It’s their style. Have you ever heard the first few notes of a song and already know who it is? What is voice?

Voice is created through conscious choices. The writer, musician, or writer purposefully chooses his or her “tools” (words, music, colors) and uses them in ways to create a certain effect. Ask yourself these questions. 1. What is he/she (or the work) saying? (What does it mean?) 2. How do you know? (What evidence from the work?) 3. How does he/she do that? (What tools does he/ she use to create meaning, and how does he/she use these tools?) Voice is created through conscious choices.

1. What is Van Gogh saying about himself 1. What is Van Gogh saying about himself? Complete the statement as if you were the Van Gogh in the picture. I am/I feel… How do you know what Van Gogh is saying about himself? What evidence can you find in the picture that supports your statements. Now, you try. Do the same with Marc Chagall, another famous artist.

Elements of Voice 1. Diction: the author’s choice of words. It is the foundation of all good writing. 2. Detail: the facts, observations, and incidents that develop a topic. Writing is flat and boring without detail. 3. Figurative language: the use of words in an unusual way to reveal new meaning, meaning that is not literal (metaphors, similes, hyperbole, personification, etc.) Elements of Voice

4. Imagery: The use of words to capture a sensory experience ( what you hear, see, taste, touch, and smell). Imagery brings life to what you write and makes it seem real. 5. Syntax: This includes sentence structure, word order, and punctuation. 6. Tone: This is the expression of attitude in writing. Writers express tone through the use of diction, detail, imagery, figurative language, and syntax. Elements of Voice cont.

Denotation: the literal meaning of a word Odor & Aroma: smells Connotation: the meaning suggested by a word, the feeling evoked by a word Odor – a bad smell Aroma – a good smell Now think of two words that have the same denotation but a different connotation. Elements of Voice cont.

Read the simple sentence below: The little pink fish swam upstream and died. How does this sentence make you feel? Why or why not?

What specific characteristics in the sentence made you feel that way? --These are the tools writers have to choose from as they create voice. Write a sad version of the sentence, “The little pink fish swam upstream and died.” What did you do to make it sad? What conscious choices did you make?

Diction: The author’s choice of words The perfect word is clear, concrete, and exact. It perfectly expresses the feeling and ideas you want to get across. Some words are forbidden; they have lost their freshness and impact. Eliminate the following forbidden words from your vocabulary: Good, nice, pretty, beautiful, fine, bad, thing, really, very, terrible, wonderful, and a lot. Diction: The author’s choice of words

Audience and Purpose are Vital Write the opening lines to a letter to the principal asking him to eliminate the dress code. Who’s your audience? What’s your purpose? Write a brief texting conversation between two pre-teen girls. What did you do differently? Words can be formal or informal, depending on the writer’s audience and purpose