Stephen King calls it "telepathy" -- the miraculous ability of a good writer to beam a full-blown message into a reader's mind.

Ohio State University professor Michael McLeod calls it voice.

But voice doesn't simply materialize out of the air. It's crafted out of habits, strategies, principles and attitudes.

"Voice is the sum of strategies that creates the illusion that the writer is speaking from the page," McLeod said Friday at the 2006 American Association of Sunday Feature Editors conference in Fort Worth, Texas.

During his workshop, titled "Voice Lessons," McLeod shared the following ways writers could lure readers in their stories:

Inclusion. Draw readers close, including them in the communication. Use "we" or "us," but do not be inauthentic. Assume that there is no need to be heavy-handed on situations that everyone can respond to - moments of loss, joy, beauty.

Rhythm. Voice thrives on well-controlled, rhythmic progressions. Understand the strength a series of short sentences can make. This method works best for complex ideas and profound emotions.

Attitude. Voice expresses itself in technique. Most of the writers who develop a voice fashion it from a place of discipline, humility and service, with a depth of commitment to creating an experience in a reader. "Voice comes from writers who want to communicate with their reader," McLeod said.

Objectivity. Voice and opinion are two different things. Sometimes the most powerful voice is the one of detachment.

Emotional pathways. Pay attention to your own emotions as you pursue a story. Use them as a parallel pathway. Let them lead you in structuring your story.

Humor. Your sense of humor is as distinctive as your fingerprints. Use it when appropriate. "It's a way to get people thinking that's your voice," McLeod said.

Love the paint. Be passionate about the words you use.

Show a little faith. The most difficult things to write are the pathways to voice. Calling yourself a writer means knowing there is always a way to describe.

Wrap it up. A writer with a voice understands that beginnings are compelling and endings are evocative. Save your evocative for last.

In our time. Writers of our time must adapt to the reality of the Internet, and how it has changed reading habits.