Writing True

Chapter 5--Finding Voice
Voice is crucial to good writing. Readers don't want to read something that a robot or stereotype wrote. They want to hear stories from real people. Fiction or nonfiction, the writing will only be real if the voice is real. To find the right voice for the piece, just keep writing. Don't try to force the voice, don't try to sound too smart; just keep it real. As you keep writing, the right voice will emerge. In creative nonfiction, we must remember that we aren't necessarily aiming for universal Truth, we are just trying to present the reader with our version of the truth.

Some questions:
1. How do we find the right balance between using our voice and telling the reader everything we were thinking at the time?
2. How much should you challenge yourself in a piece? (how much is too much OPV)


Chapter 6--Workshopping a Draft
The most useful bit of info in this chapter is to remember that you're trying to help the writer with his/her piece, not rewrite it the way you want it to be or tell them how the writing applies to your own life. There are lots of good tips in this chapter, all focusing on how to give constructive criticism. There is a wrong and a right way to critique people's work. It's important to word your responses in a non-threatening and helpful way without pushing your ideas about what the piece should be onto the writer. Don't tell the writer what to do; make suggestions. Workshopping can help us as writers and responders to look at writing and our works in new ways and help us see new potential.

Some questions:
1. Is it better to have at least one really experienced writer in a workshop group, or does it not matter?
2. Is there an optimum number of people to have in a workshop group?
3. Where's the best place to workshop?