I think voice is a very difficult subject, and I often find myself questioning what voice means exactly. Sometimes, I feel like I am the only one with questions or the topic should already be understood so I do not want to ask questions. The fact Peter Elbow says, “ ‘Voice’ is too vague a metaphor to be useful. It means so many things to so many people that it leads to confusion and undermines clear thinking about texts” makes me feel better and not alone (182).

When I previously thought about voice, I think my mind went to uniqueness or difference. My understanding was it is “used to point to a feature that’s found only in some writing —yet it’s also commonly used to point to a feature found in all writing” (Elbow 182). In fact, Peter Elbow’s article “Reconsiderations: Voice in Writing Again: Embracing Contraries” actually made me think of a topic discussed in my other class which was diversity. In terms of diversity in writing, how much is contributed to voice? In addition, this article also made me reflect on my own experience. I wish I could remember how I use to write back in grammar school. I think it would be interesting to see the changes in my writing.

            In conclusion, I like the position Peter Elbow takes in this article. He shows that in some cases choosing a side is not always necessary. He fully articulates both sides. Readers basically got to see how other scholars view or define voice, the benefits of voice, and the negative side of voice. We think about our own writing and our own voice. We think about what we as readers focus on when we read. Readers also think about how important voice is. Moreover, we think about the books that inspired us. What were the elements within the book that made it our favorite? Did voice serve as a big factor in making it your favorite?

 

 Final Project

I’m fine with the ideas proposed last class about our final project. I would still like to do a poem on either “Why I Write” or “That Writing Moment.”  In terms of “Digital Writing Month” maybe we can post our drafts for the piece we are working on for our final project.