Some people read for story. Not me. I read for voice. I have lots of favorite “voices” including Didion, Capote, Hemmingway, Marquez, McPhee, Smiley, Ondaatje, Brookner, T.C. Boyle and Richard Ford to name a few. Because they use their own real voice, they speak with such power and conviction. They can me tell me anything and I believe it. They can take me anywhere and I’m there. Maybe it’s their unique sentence pattern, word choice, or attitude that sets them apart; I’m not sure what it is, but I know it when I read it. Usually, I can tell if a voice speaks to me after reading just a few paragraphs, so naturally I find my best reads by browsing, preferably in a quiet library or bookstore. (WHY DO BOOKSTORES PLAY MUSIC!) When I find an author with a voice that engages me, I inevitably read his/her entire body of work and pray for that next book. Until then, I continue to search for that next voice.
—Chris
Read it or Weep 
The voice is really important. You can take the same fantasy story with a quest and a group of characters and bore someone to tears or you can ensnare them and take them on a fantastic journey that they won’t ever forget. Thanks for this post and sharing your thoughts.
That’s so true. It’s nice to know someone else feels as strongly as I do about voice. Thanks for commenting. Chris
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