Writing Exercise: The Voice That Betrays You

Writing Exercise: The Voice That Betrays You

Key Writing Practice Techniques

Voice as Story: Tone, diction, rhythm, and syntax aren’t decorative—they are how the story is told and how meaning emerges. Unreliable Narration via Style: When voice reveals gaps between what’s said and what’s felt, it creates complexity and emotional tension. Rhythmic Precision: Sentences that sound natural and alive carry subconscious patterns—the kind readers remember not for what was said but for how.

Writing Prompt (500 words)

Write a monologue from a character who insists nothing meaningful happened during a specific moment in their life—but whose voice proves otherwise. The telling must reveal cracks in that insistence. Let their word choices, sentence rhythms, and emotional detours subtly expose what they won’t admit.

Use a single block of monologue, uninterrupted by dialogue or exposition. The story should not rely on external action or backstory but on how the character’s way of speaking gradually tells us who they are.

Choose a situation where stakes are high, but the speaker downplays them:

A brother recalls “just a quick visit” to the hospital the day before someone died A former friend describes the last conversation before a falling-out A spouse brushes past a critical decision in their marriage

Write as if the voice is the only thing keeping the truth contained—and also the only thing letting it escape.

Evaluation Criteria

Strong responses will:

Create a voice that feels specific, lived-in, and emotionally charged Reveal psychological depth through syntax, diction, and tone Maintain consistent yet layered voice throughout the monologue Build subtext that contradicts or undermines the character’s declared position Use rhythm and pacing to build emotional momentum

Weak responses will:

Rely on summary or exposition over tonal texture Lack a distinctive or recognizable voice Tell the reader how to feel rather than letting voice imply it Flatten emotional stakes with bland or generic language

Follow-Up Questions for Workshopping/Revision

Where does the voice reveal more than the speaker intends? What’s the emotional tempo of the piece? Does it shift naturally? Could this voice belong to anyone else? If so, how can it be sharpened? What assumptions does the character want the reader to make—and how does the voice resist or enforce that? Where does rhythm, repetition, or silence do the emotional heavy lifting?

Recommended Reading

“Why Don’t You Dance?” by Raymond Carver — A seemingly minimal voice that conceals—and reveals—a rupture in a life through rhythm, understatement, and emotional misdirection.

Strong vs. Weak Example (Excerpt Only)

Strong:

“Anyway, it was just a dinner. One of those nights where you forget to put your phone down and the wine isn’t cold enough and you both laugh at the wrong moment. I said I liked the pasta. She said I always say that when I’m trying not to argue. That was funny, right? Just funny.”

Weak:

“Nothing important happened. We had dinner, talked about some things, and then I went home. I guess maybe I felt a little off, but not in a big way. Just normal stuff couples go through.”

The strong voice dances around its own truth, revealing it in its hesitations and detours. The weak voice reports rather than performs, flattening emotional potential.

AI Disclosure Statement:

This writing prompt was created in collaboration with ChatGPT, an AI model by OpenAI, to support creative practice. ChatGPT assisted with idea generation and drafting; the final text was edited by the author. The illustration was created using Google Gemini.