Write From The Head

When you "write from the head" or in the "head voice", you do not name or state emotions but rather "show" them through actions.  This is the voice that just recounts facts, shows what happened.  It is the same objective voice of real reporting.  The emotions come more from the way the reader responds to what he or she is reading. No figurative language is used.  This is the opposite of "writing from the heart ".  

Sample 1

I walked into Starbuck’s and waited on line.  After the woman behind the counter asked me what I wanted, I ordered a cup of hot water and a cup of nonfat foam.  I waited for my hot water and when it came, I took it over to the milk bar and put it down.  Then I opened my purse and took out a packet of cocoa.  I ripped it open, and then poured it into the water.  I stirred it with a spoon and then placed the cover over it.  Then I walked over to the coffee bar and the barista said, “Here’s your foam, Hannah.”  I took the foam, which was white and fluffy looking.  I walked over to the milk bar again and put the two cups down. Then I opened the cup with the hot cocoa and scooped out some foamed milk from the other cup.  I then sprinkled on some chocolate sprinkles.  I carried the rest of the foam and the hot cocoa over to my table.

    I put the two drinks down next to my computer, which was turned on.  Then I sat down and took a sip of the hot cocoa and foam and chocolate sprinkles.  A man came and sat behind me and began to clear his throat.  He did this approximately 20 times in the next three minutes.  I slid my mouse around on the table so the cursor went to iTunes.  Then I pulled my ear buds out of my bag.  The iTunes store screen came up, and I scrolled it to find the search bar.  I typed in “The Sound of Silence”.  When the song came up, I clicked the purchase button.  Then a screen came up that said my credit card had been declined.  I remembered that I had to change my Chase credit card because an unidentifiable person had made some charges.  So, I moved the cursor onto on the “account” button to change my credit card.  I entered the new information and then put my cursor on the “done” button.  The next screen that came up read, “Access denied.  Please start from the beginning.

    Behind me the man cleared his throat and coughed.  I slammed my computer shut and gathered my things together and walked out.  I did not take my hot cocoa and foam.”