2026-23: The Voice

One of the quickest ways to tank your manuscript is by making a poor choice in voice.

You can create the most compelling story in the coolest setting with the deepest lore, the craziest climaxes, the most heartfelt revelations, and the most satisfying arc, but if you fail to present it in a way that’s readable, compelling, and consistent, well…you just undid all that hard work.

This, in particular, is a place where the feedback of beta readers and professional editors is worth its weight in gold. As writers, we love the craft, and we love to challenge ourselves, and it’s really easy to fall right into the flow of a piece when the words seem like they’re just spilling out onto the page. But that means we’re too close to it; we simply don’t have the perspective or the distance to fully evaluate the presentation we’ve created. What may seem clear or fun or readable may only look that way because we already know what we’re trying to say.

And sometimes, we get wrapped up in the challenge. Can we write in that particular voice we haven’t tried before? Is it going to be as quirky and interesting and different as we think, but still clear and engaging? Maybe, but we need to make sure.

Just as important is matching a character’s point-of-view to their role in the story. If the big bad villain all the protagonists and the reader are supposed to be terrified of comes across as anything but, you risk nuking your stakes from orbit—unless you’ve got another driver of tension and a very strong narrative reason for the character to function that way.

Regardless, the voice to use is one of the most intentional, impactful choices a writer can make. Think it through carefully—and make sure to test it on a few readers.

What else is going on?

I’m still basking in the glory of the majestic triple I hit at softball last night.

And with the BAA 10K just a few weeks away, my pace is looking better than ever. I’m very confident I can finally finish that race in under an hour—perhaps comfortably.

Work on Giant Sword Publishing continues. I’ve got two excellent pairs of eyes lined up to work on the next Deviant Magic novel, and I’m continuing to set up the pieces and parts I need to turn this into a functional business.

The Red Sox stink, but I’m happy with the Patriots’ acquisition of AJ Brown.

Til next week!