Voice First
A Writer's Manifesto
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Though it is foundational to the craft of writing, the concept of voice is a mystery to many authors, and teachers of writing do not have a good working definition of it for use in the classroom. Written to address the vague and problematic advice given to writers to “find their voice,” Voice First: A Writer’s Manifesto recasts the term in the plural to give writers options, movement, and a way to understand the development of voice over time.
By redefining “voice,” Sonya Huber offers writers an opportunity not only to engage their voices but to understand and experience how developing their range of voices strengthens their writing. Weaving together in-depth discussions of various concepts of voice and stories from the author’s writing life, Voice First offers a personal view of struggles with voice as influenced and shaped by gender, place of origin, privilege, race, ethnicity, and other factors, reframing and updating the conversation for the twenty-first century. Each chapter includes writing prompts and explores a different element of voice, helping writers at all levels stretch their concept of voice and develop a repertoire of voices to summon.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"I've decided to reclaim the term voice, give it a plural, and use it as a tool in the service of writing," asserts essayist Huber (Supremely Tiny Acts: A Memoir of a Day) in this solid guide. The core of her approach is that rather than perfecting one "authentic" voice, one must be open to shifts "as the writer's life spurs change and perspectives evolve." In "Mind Is the Source of Voice," Huber makes a case that it can be powerful when a narrator changes their mind midway through a story, writing that "our thoughts and even our beliefs are complex and sometimes contradictory, which is good news." "Detail Is the Seed of Voice" looks at how one's perspective comes out in choosing what to home in on while writing descriptions, and "Voices with Fire" makes a case that "writing about things that make us angry... can help change the world." Alongside Huber's sharp personal reflections come prompts for readers looking to get the pen moving: "Describe the environment inside your head right now. If it were a setting and we could see it, what would it look like?" It adds up to a great resource—writers of all strokes will appreciate this spirited look at the craft.
