The Ever Elusive Voice

Recently I read Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I'd read a lot good reviews about it, so I was excited to read it. From page one, I was hooked. It made me wonder, what made it so fantastic? I reread the first page and realized it was one important thing: the voice.

In the past year, I've been to several writing conferences. Time and again, agents and authors mention the importance of having a good voice. Yet they admit that they can't define voice; they just know it when they see it. I agree. It's the books with an awesome voice that keep me reading into the wee hours of the morning. 

But as a writer, the term "voice" terrifies me. I want my characters' voices to shine on the page. I want them to be original. I want people to care about them. Yet I fear that I can't do it. I'm not sure that voice can be taught. But what if it can't be learned either?

What do you think? Can voice be learned? How? Does the term "voice" keep you up late at night like it does to me?

Oh, and don't forget to sign up for my $15 Amazon gift card giveaway here. It ends on Friday, January 21, at 10pm EST.