I Hear Voices

As usual, Spandel had a lot of really great things to say. I think her book is probably my favorite for this class. It was a timely reading for me. As we went over our drafts in class on Monday, I was conscious that my writing did not sound like me. Without knowing what the readings were about this week, I intuitively knew that my piece needed a better rhythm and a stronger sense of me.
I think though that instructors often suppress voice. I think we have all heard that we should not use personal pronouns when writing. Bill Walsh’s illustration, of the absurdity of this is hilarious, and I am glad Spandel addressed it. Only professional writers seem allowed to get away with this. In some classes I have even been given essays and journal articles that have strong personal voice and they are hailed by the instructors as being wonderfully written but when it came time for students to write similar essays or papers, personal voice (especially the use of personal pronouns) was expressly forbidden.
As a former Psychology/ Human Development student, I found Smith’s discussion of the infant’s invention of language fascinating. I think the section on engagement was particularly helpful to his idea of learning not how to write, but to be a writer.
I think the Romano piece was included in this weeks reading because it illustrated the power of voice. I am almost certain that a traditional research paper, no matter how factual, no matter how accurate, no mater how well written, would not have had the same effect as his daughter’s fictional piece did.