September's writing voice exercise

Happy September, Reader!

It doesn't matter how long I've been away from school calendars (a long time), or that the schools near me open their doors in early August—September always feels like a restart, a refresh, a return.

Do you feel it, too? What will this new season bring to your writing life?

Maybe this month's voice exercise will inspire you to explore.

September's exercise: Playing with presence

We cannot talk about writing voice without accounting for "presence" — how much do you show up in the writing?

For example, I'm really "present" in this email, using the first-person pronouns "I" and "we" and sharing a personal anecdote at the start.

I could have started by sharing stories of kids returning to school, or statistics, or any number of other approaches. But, because I am writing an email to you, I want it to feel personal. So, here I am.

Conversely, I could go on for paragraphs about Septembers from my past and my nuanced feelings about this particular year. Those might make interesting fodder for my journal, perhaps, but do you need it in an email about writing? Maybe not.

This month's exercise challenges you to play with extremes of presence or absence in your writing. It may reveal new depths or possibilities.

For a version with even more of my presence (physical presence), watch the video on YouTube.

Want to write a workbook?

If you're interested in creating a nonfiction workbook (for adults), check out my Workbook Workshop. I've just opened up registration for the October session. Registration is limited, so it feels like small-group coaching. If there's a lot of interest, I'll offer more sessions, so you can join a wait list for the future.

​Learn more and register here.​

Until next time, happy writing!

Anne

PS - Thank you for the book reviews ❤️

Big thanks to everyone who said they'd leave a review for The Writer's Voice or The Curious Reader's Field Guide to Nonfiction. Way to flex your power as a reader — and help authors and others! You have my deep gratitude.

​

​​​​

PO Box 66285 Scotts Valley, CA 95067

​
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​