A writer’s voice may be the most vital part of style—and the most mysterious. In this workshop, we’ll explore the formal building blocks of voice (syntax, diction, point of view) and aspects that are more nebulous (tone, implication, patterns of thinking). We’ll consider questions such as: How can your memoir sound more like you? How can characters in your fiction sound less like one another? How can a poem suggest an expressive performance or an intimate exchange? We’ll also consider writers who have sought to “find their voice” by “finding their voices,” that is, by multiplying the distinct vocal registers in their work. And we’ll consider how voice can be an engine of story and thought, as we follow the voices in our writing to places we couldn’t expect.

The workshop welcomes writers who are working in any genre, at any stage. It will include activities focused on generative writing, discussion of participants’ work (both work generated during our workshop and older work you’d like to share), analysis of examples, and conversation, all in a supportive environment. Participants will gain new insights into how voice works in their writing and plenty of ideas for the next chapters of their writing lives. We’ll take inspiration from one another as we listen closely to the many voices that writing calls forth, and we’ll work to honor how writing can preserve, extend, and create voices that stay with us far beyond the page.

In this workshop, we will generate new writing through guided exercises and prompts; offer feedback/first impressions on writing you produce in our week together; workshop writing you bring from home.