This is an online workshop that takes place via Zoom

This workshop is open for K-12 educators and staff. Up to 12 CPE hours are available for this workshop by request. 

What is Voice in Fiction?

As educators, we encounter a wide range of voices and perspectives every day. But how can we draw from our lived experiences and interactions to craft dynamic narrators in fiction? In this workshop, we’ll explore that question by reading and analyzing texts with distinctive voices and points of view. We’ll examine what draws us into—or turns us away from—certain narrative voices. We will use these insights to better understand character and voice. We’ll also consider how voice contributes to narrative momentum, and how we might channel that energy into our own writing.

Each week, we’ll closely read 1–2 texts by authors known for their singular narrative styles—such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Karen Joy Fowler, Julie Otsuka, George Saunders, and Shirley Jackson. Class will open with group discussion and analysis, followed by an in-class imitation exercise inspired by the reading. The second half of each session will be dedicated to workshop, with 1–2 participants sharing work for feedback. Through close reading, writing, and discussion, we’ll work toward developing our own distinct narrators and voices in fiction. All readings will be provided by the instructor.