21.10: The Cold Open- Voice

21.10: 冷开场 - 语音

Writing Excuses

2026-03-08

24 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

A cold open can hook a reader with nothing more than voice. In this episode, our hosts explore what makes a voice-driven opening work — cadence, rhythm, authority, and a clear reason to care. We break down how aesthetic voice differs from mechanical POV, how to avoid purple prose, and why strong openings often act as both filter and lens for the right reader. From epic poetry to pop songs, from audiobook accents to grocery-store monologues, we share practical ways to hear your prose more clearly. Voice, used with intention, can pull readers in before a single thing explodes. Homework: Choose three distinct voices you know well — for example, a celebrity with a strong cadence, someone in your life who tells great stories, and another recognizable personality. Write a simple scene (like going to the grocery store to buy eggs) in each voice. Notice what changes in rhythm, word choice, focus, and emotional framing. Final WXR Cruise!  Our final WXR cruise sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—get your tickets here! Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Erin Roberts, DongWon Song, and Mary Robinette Kowal. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson. Join Our Writing Community!  Writing Retreats Newsletter Patreon Instagram Threads Bluesky TikTok YouTube Facebook Our Sponsors: * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
更多

单集文稿 ...

  • This summer, experience one of the greatest stories ever told.

  • Homer's The Odyssey.

  • A new audiobook narrated in the voice of Sir Michael Caine, only on Eleven Reader.

  • Long before the world had maps, the greatest warriors of Greece sailed across the sea to a city called Troy.

  • This is the story of one of those soldiers.

  • His name is Odysseus, king of a small rocky island called Ithaca.

  • When our story begins, he has been gone from home for nearly 20 years.

  • His wife, Penelope, waits in their palace, surrounded by suitors.

  • His son, Telemachus, born just before the war, has grown into a young man who has never met his father.

  • And the captive Odysseus longs only to see his home again.

  • With that, we present Homer's The Odyssey.

  • Before you see the film, hear the full audiobook available for free, exclusively on 11 Reader.

  • Get the 11 Reader app today.

  • Hey, it's Gemma Spegg from the Psychology of Your Twenties.

  • In a very special episode brought to you by Alliant University,

  • I ask Dr. Sandra Espinoza, what does therapy actually do?

  • From the science behind therapeutic change to how clinicians approach

  • the work to why therapy can feel so difficult to access or even stigmatized in some families

  • and communities, we pull back the curtain on the therapeutic process and explore what meaningful growth.

  • Actually looks like.