1. V OICE & S TYLE

2. The literary term used to describe the individual writing style of an author. One author may have a voice that is light and fast paced while another may have a dark, cynical voice. The manner in which a writer addresses a matter. A style reveals the writer's personality or voice. Some authors write lyrically, using figures of speech, like metaphor, and symbolism, while others write in a very straightforward manner. VoiceStyle

3. C OMPONENTS OF V OICE & S TYLE Diction - word choice elevated, informal, colloquial, slang, jargon Syntax - order & placement of words A loose sentence begins with the main point (an independent clause), followed by one or more subordinate clauses. For example: The cat sat on the mat, purring softly, having licked his paws. A periodic sentence places the main point in the middle or at the end of the sentence. For example: “Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison” (Thoreau).

4. Rhythm/Sentence Structure Sentence Length- longer, wordier sentences vs. shorter, more direct sentences. Sentence Types- Simple (IC) Compound (2 ICs joined by a coordinator) Complex (1 IC joined by 1 or more DCs) Specific techniques to alter rhythm: Using a sentence fragment for emphasis: “I didn’t get just one parking ticket today, I got three. Three. What luck.” Anaphora- repeating a sequence of words at the beginnings of neighboring clauses: “We shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans…” (Winston Churchill).

5. Punctuation- While most punctuation is fairly standard (periods, commas, semicolons, question marks), some writers use punctuation stylistically: Exclamation: I can’t wait to see your new car! I’m so excited! Dashes: The boy—the one with the curly hair Parenthesis: He wanted to marry her (she was amazing after all) the second he met her. Ellipsis: Maybe we can meet up for lunch if you’re in the mood…or not. Tone- author’s feelings/attitude humorous, inspirational, sarcastic, disgruntled, informational…

6. T HINGS THAT MIGHT INFLUENCE STYLE : Audience- who are you writing for? children, a group of lawyers, your best friend, avid fiction readers… Purpose- What is the point of your writing? to inform, entertain, persuade… Mode of Communication formal essay, e-mail, letter, short story…