The Sound On The Page
Style and Voice in Writing  
By Ben Yagoda

What exactly is style?

     That is the question that Ben Yagoda examines in his new book, The Sound On The Page, a bright and insightful look into the craft of writing.

      Most books on writing focus on the “how-to” rather than voice or style. Yagoda instead sets his sights on how writers go about creating a distinctive style as they put their words down on paper. It is a refreshing look at an often ignored part of writing.

      Yagoda uses interviews with over forty authors to help flesh out his points. From Elmore Leonard to Dave Barry to Bill Bryson to Camille Paglia, Yagoda coaxes from these authors things that will inspire most aspiring writers.

        Two sections of the book are particularly fascinating. When Yagoda gets the writers to talk about which writers influenced them as writers, some of the names and opinions that get thrown out are surprising. Paglia cites Carroll’s one liners in Alice in Wonderland, Jamaica Kincaid talks about the Bible and Shakespeare and Cynthia Ozick tells us about who she doesn’t like – “I hate Hemingway. I absolutely despise Hemingway.”

       The Blindfold Test is equally intriguing. Yagoda invites several friends over and has them attempt to identify several writers just by reading some of their work. It is a very interesting exercise and illustrates how much style can be carried over onto the page if a writer is careful with their words. More often than not, just like with music or art, we can identify a writer simply by the words they use and the way they put them together.

      Yagoda has put together a tremendous writing resource for those interested not only in the craft of writing but also in how powerful the medium can be.