It was back in the summer of 1997, in a Pennsylvania Writing and Literature Project (PAWLP*) class, when I first heard the term "voice" used in connection with writing. Teacher as Writer, that was the class, and it was also the first time I viewed myself as an actual writer. I remember the ten-or-so teachers in the class with me discussing and struggling to define what voice is and how to explain it to our students. It's quite elusive. In true PAWLP style, the teacher suggest

I'm 3/4 of the way through reading a book. I'm liking it...I'm actually liking the main character. He is snarky and brilliant and endearing and really funny. But I am not ripping through the book in my normal fashion, as a matter of fact it's been over a week since I started and for me that's unheard of. It got me thinking. Why wasn't I finishing this book? I loved the MC. I loved everything about him. As I read another loooooooong inner dialogue part from this MC, it hit me.