Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Voice

I had to stay after school today to give a make-up test to a kid who'd been sick on the test day. I write all my own tests--we rarely even use the textbooks.

Anyway, about halfway through the test, the kid looks up at me, all frustrated.

Kid: Mrs. Revis, I'm mad at you!

Me: (surprised) Why?

Kid: Because every time I read these test questions, I can hear you!

Me: What?!

Kid: I can just tell you wrote these questions! They sound like you! And it's driving me crazy! Get out of my head!

Me: *suppressed laughter*

This kid was basically saying that the test I wrote for the class had my own personal "voice" to it--that elusive thing that authors struggle to achieve and editors tend to give speeches on. And while he didn't know it, that kid had just made my day. I may painstakingly try to figure out how to inject an entertaining voice into my fiction writing, but at least this kid can see it in question 42.

6 comments:

C.R. Evers said...

Hey Beth! head on over to my blog. I've tagged you in a meme. :0) tag. You're it!

Christy

Unknown said...

Cool! Thanks!

Keri Mikulski said...

Great stuff.. Students are so honest. :)

Tabitha said...

That's awesome!!! I remember taking tests that had the teacher's Voice in the question. It drove me crazy, too, but I wasn't exactly appreciating the writing skills it took to pull that off. :)

Unknown said...

Keri--Trust me, I know! They're brutal sometimes :)

Tabitha--I had never thought of it before! It really surprised me; it was something I'd never expected.

Susan-- Thanks :)

PJ Hoover said...

This is perfect! What every author wants! To have a voice!