SCBWI Houston: Writing Strong Voice: How to Recognize It and How to Achieve It
Aug 22, 2026
Online event
Voice is a tricky thing, perhaps one of the slipperiest elements to develop in our writing—easy for readers to identify, but tough for writers to develop. Any editor will tell you that she knows a distinct writer’s voice when she hears it, especially when it draws her into a story and keeps her there. Be ready to actively participate in the discussion. We will also do some writing practice, so have pencil and paper or laptop.
Voice
In the simplest terms, voice is the distinctive quality in your writing that connects your words to your readers. Word choice, sentence structure, pacing, details, description, your ability to understand and stick authentically to your character’s world view—all of these contribute to creating voice. In this workshop we will use published works to guide and develop a conversation about voice in writing and how to achieve it. We will read, study, discuss, and practice technique as we find our writer’s voices and learn how to hone them. Be ready to actively participate in the discussion. We will also do some writing practice, so have pencil and paper or laptop.
Joy Preble
lives in Houston and is the author of a medium-long list of young adult novels, including the Dreaming Anastasia trilogy, some creepy horror short stories for grown-ups, and two recent picture books, Happy Passover, Edie Rose! and Lost and Found Hanukkah. She is fond of clever conversation, Chicago hot dogs, and people who make her laugh, and when she is not writing, she freelance edits and also tutors writing at Lone Star College.