I’m a newbie. I have written for money all my life, but have just “finished” my first novel. It’s now in its sixth edit/proofing cycle (three trips to Kinko's) and in the hands of a group of trusted friends. So, while I’m waiting, I’m learning about the agent/ publisher business. I have read a number of agents’ web sites. Many (most?) say they are looking for a “new voice”. What is that? Does it have to do with a writer’s style, with the dominant issues in a story, with the attitude of the characters? What?
When people say voice, they mean how your words sound on the page. Voice is a combination of a number of elements, including the tone, the word choice, your characters' personality, and your descriptions. With such a variety of factors you'd think that no two voices would sound the same, but unfortunately that's just not the case. I suspect this is at least partially a result of people reading and emulating the same published authors, whether knowingly or not.
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