Haven’t you heard? Agents are looking for writers with a strong voice. As I shop and submit my work through the usual wickets, I keep reading statements like that and have to wonder whether we’re hearing — and reading — voices in all the wrong places.

Why do I say that? One simple statement guides my thinking in this area: characters have voices; authors should not impose theirs. Oh, sure, writers have voices. You might be hearing mine right now; hopefully it won’t annoy you too much. When I’m telling a story, however, I want my readers to get to know the characters. Through their internal and external dialog, I capture and reveal their voices.

Someone might say at this point that their voices are mine, but that’s sounding like I need a little psychiatric treatment, isn’t it? Hopefully, if I can claim to have a voice, it’s “voice” singular. My characters, the ones that live in and drive my stories have their own. These may be voices I have heard or altogether created. But they’re not my voice. Both because of the single vs. plural disconnect, and because, well, they don’t sound like me.

Ultimately, however, this discussion for me comes down to this: my fiction isn’t about me. As such, it shouldn’t feature me, or highlight me, not even “my voice.” No, my fiction should highlight my story, and at its core, the characters that make it possible in the first place and drive it to fruition. Net, net, I don’t know how others go about it, but when I’m looking for a strong voice for one of my stories, I pray and go searching for strong characters.