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I tend to think of a book as a guided tour in which a character interprets everything for me. Between the pages, I’m in new, uncharted territory and I’m relying on the POV person to convey the setting, the plot, the action, and the characterization of the story.
The character’s voice is everything for me.
Sometimes that voice takes me on an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind trip.
The voice in SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR by Matthew Quick was so powerful, I didn’t want to leave the protagonist’s world.
I snagged an ARC of this one at TLA convention last April. Lucky me for me, an editor pointed it out. Check out the book’s opening lines, in which protagonist Amber Appleton makes her remarkable first appearance:
Lying down, shivering on the last seat of school bus 161, pinned by his teensy doggie gaze, which is completely 100% cute—I’m such a girl, I know—I say, “You won’t believe the bull I had to endure today.”
My legs are propped up against the window, toes pointing toward the roof so that the poodle skirt I made in Life Skills class settles around my midsection. Yeah, it’s the twenty-first century and I wear poodle skirts. I like dogs, I’m a freak. So what? And before anybody reading along gets too jazzed up thinking about my skirt flipped up around my waist, my lovely getaway sticks exposed, allow me to say there’s no teenage flesh to be seen here.
Amber is one heck of a tour guide, huh? Her voice hooked me right away. This character is so quirky, insightful, complicated and…warm. I was drawn to Amber in a way I can’t adequately express.
In short, reading this book was a singular experience for me. All because of one character’s voice.
I spent half the book laughing out loud and the other half with a big, fat lump in my throat. I RARELY cry actual tears while reading a book, but this one made me bawl like a baby. I’m not even kidding.
Amber Appleton’s voice moved me.
I wanna know, what voices move you?
Hungry for more? Try this recipe for Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. It’s almost as warm and sweet as this book.
Tweets that mention Writing Voice: SORTA LIKE A RO said, on 9/16/2010 11:53:00 AM
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Pam Mc and Matthew Quick, Jenny Martin. Jenny Martin said: Writing Voice: SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR http://bit.ly/bKJbny [...]
Scott Humfeld said, on 9/17/2010 4:43:00 AM
Amber’s voice is as captivating as her journey is inspirational. This is an outstanding novel that is hard to put down and impossible to forget. Kudos to Mr. Quick.
jmartinlibrary said, on 9/17/2010 7:44:00 AM
Scott: I agree whole-heartedly. Thanks for elaborating.
Well, here it is folks. Hope you've enjoyed my little experiment as much as I have. Don't forget to come back on Thursday for another chance to win something very cool!
12 Comments on Last Character/Voice Vlog of the Series, last added: 9/13/2010
Thanks for the tips about looking externally as well as internally when developing a character. I do do that. I have four kids and plenty of kid/teen props. lol. It really does help. What I hadn't thought of though, was using this technique to get deeper or pull me out of a funk with that character.
Thanks for the reminder. I'll have to backtrack and view your other vlogs on voice. I'm currently switching my 2nd YA novel from 3rd to 1st POV and the voice is so strikingly different. I definitely would like to hear what you have to say. Thanks.
SA- I'm glad it was useful to you! I figure, if that is my strong point, I should share some insights. I personally love first person, hope that works for you!
Oh man, actually go out to a PUBLIC PLACE and act out your character? Blushes bright red. I actually got bamboozled into doing that exact thing at the last writer's conference I went to. Making a fool of myself in front of sixty other writers? Yikes. But as far as getting into character? It. Worked. Got to act out a ditzy housewife visiting a pyschologist for help with her marriage.
Not sure if I will ever be brave enough to try it again though.
Wow Margo! That's awesome. And it sounds like it was actually a lot of fun. I'm sure you did a great job. Glad to hear a story where something like that worked out. :D
There was an exercise that we had to do for this workshop… the card I pulled was the nurse in romeo and juliet… the facilitator wanted us find an example of what fruit or vegetable the character represented… I came up with an eggplant - I bought an eggplant and practiced it's stature and emerged with this physical 'waddle' of the character that made the character real for me.
Psychologically the deep purple hues of a deepened ripe-ness along with the soft inner texture gave my character depth, wisdom and humor - "I am an eggplant, after all!".. that I needed to be convincing for my fellow actors, while inviting the audience into the believability as well.
Leah - I'm so glad you took the time to visit! Love it, and love the whole eggplant thing. Ha! I'll have to add that to the character questionnaire - what vegetable do you most resemble? LOL
Okay, this is too funny. Two weeks ago, I bought some clothes that the teen mc of my new wip would wear. You're right. I did feel like I was in character. My kids thought it was strange that I was buying the graphic t-shirts because they aren't my style.
On WriteOnCon there was a vlog in which an author made a collage for each of her characters (the major ones). She cut up magazines with pictures and words that represented her characters. I tried that this weekend. It was amazing. It was like my characters were there in my house. Like flesh and blood. I could even hear their voices in my head. ;)
Stina - that is very cool. For the first time this past week I made a powerpoint presentation using pics from google images that I thought looked like my characters. Not only was it really nerdy fun, I think it helped make it feel more real as well. You never know until you try.
And I wonder if I could get into character and pass for a middle schooler tomorrow? I'll just slide into some stretch pants a flowery longish shirt. No prob.
How many times have you been at a writer’s conference where an editor says, “I’m looking for books with voice”? The editor might use the phrase distinctive narrative voice or authentic voice. Then, when pressed to explain what distinctive narrative voice is, the editor sheepishly shrugs and says, “It’s hard to explain, but I know it when I see it.”
Sometimes, it feels like there is an entire sense of secrecy built up around the concept of voice. You hear about it all the time, but no one seems to agree on what it is or how to get it. Here is a quotation I found in one of my writing books:
A strong, distinctive, authoritative writing voice is something most fiction writers want—and something no editor or teacher can impart. (p. 128, Self-editing for Fiction Writers)
Well, when I read Jennifer Holm’s book Turtle in Paradise, I thought to myself, “Here is a clear example of a distinctive and authentic narrative voice. I see it!” But what is that voice? How did Holms create it? Turns out, those editors weren’t lying. It is hard to explain.
Let’s start with a description of voice (note, I did not use the word definition). Author K. L. Going compares narrative voice to people’s actual voices:
Our word choices and speech patterns reveal who we are, where we’re from, and what we’re thinking…. The same is true for narrative voice. Your narrator can be revealed by what he chooses to say and how he says it. (p. 113, Writing and Selling the YA Novel)
A way of seeing
Eleven-year-old Turtle, who narrates the story, “sees things for what they are,” and she has no qualms speaking her mind. Take this commentary at the beginning of chapter twelve:
Everyone’s always saying that hard times bring out the best in people, but as far as I can tell, the only thing that hard times brings out is plain meanness. I left my shoes outside on the front porch last night, and some rotten kid stole them (p. 113).
She has her own perspective on the world, one that’s informed by her experiences, and she has no problem disagreeing with what “everyone says.”
Favorite phrases
The example above includes a couple of Turtle’s favorite phrases of speech, notably “as far as I can tell” and “rotten kids.” She also likes to say “it’s a fact,” “from where I’m sitting,” and “in my opinion.” Turtle has lots of opinions, and she shares them with authority and confidence. Returning to G
1 Comments on NARRATIVE VOICE: Turtle in Paradise (Post #2), last added: 9/12/2010
You're clear and specific examples really do help elucidate what is meant by "voice" and how we as writers can pay attention to the kinds of details in our work that will make our voice ring with authenticity--thanks!
I usually write first person and my narrators tend to talk like regular people. Which means sometimes they say "kinda" and "gonna" instead of the more proper "kind of" and "going to".
In my mind, when I write first person, everything in the book is being "said" by my character, whether it's dialogue or internal thought/narration. Which means that everything should be said the way they speak. But I know others feel differently. Some writers/readers feel that anything that's not actual dialogue should be written in "proper" English. I can sort of see where they're coming from and can see times where this idea of separating narration from dialogue works better than others.
For example, a character who always says "ain't", and is surrounded by people who also, always say "ain't", would sound weird to me if when narrating or describing something, they used "isn't" instead.
So I'm asking for your thoughts on this. Which do you personally prefer? Keeping your characters narration in line with their dialogue, or separating them? Why?
5 Comments on Voice - A Question of When, last added: 9/1/2010
It's a fine line because a reader could get annoyed if they think it's too much, but I'm beta reading an ms now where it throws me when the narrative is in proper English because the character doesn't speak or think like that. Her thoughts would be in the same style as her dialogue so it seems strange when there's an 'isn't' instead of 'ain't.' That's just my opinion--and I've never written anything where that was an issue. So not sure how helpful my comment is...:)
I agree with you when it comes to first person PoV. It totally depends on the writer, and your reasons are valid. As a reader, if you've ever read Mark Twain, his narrative was always consistent with his dialog. I'm a stickler for SPaG (spelling, punctuation and grammar) though; I would only tolerate this if the MC is the narrator, and there is a noticeable twang or dialect in the dialog that tells the reader that the character always uses improper English, not just now and then. Hope this helps.
Hmmm... I agree with Kristi that it's a fine line. I will use some words that my character wouldn't use in dialogue. But at the same time, I make sure to include lots of her words in the non-dialogues sections. So, yup, that's my politician's answer for you. :)
Be sure to stop by on Thursday for an interview of epic proportions. Thanks to author Kiersten White, whose bookPARANORMALCYdebut's this week.I am interviewing her MC, Evie, right here on Paranormal Point of View! Not only that, but OF COURSE there will be a contest wherein you can win a copy of the super fabulous amazing book.
Now, back to character and voice.
12 Comments on Vlog #2 Or Don't Go! I Have Homework For You!, last added: 8/31/2010
Yeah, I already did my homework before I even knew it was assigned! Great minds think alike - I picked apart some great voicy characters in "Dragon of Trelian" in my last post. Can't wait to see what you treat us with in your selections.
Bekah - LOL! No!! I'm technologically challenged, so I always say 3 or 4 AM if I schedule a post so it will be up in the morning for all the East Coasters out there!
I’m at that fragile stage of the first draft when I’m not totally committed to this story. I’m still feeling my way and haven’t yet gained confidence that I will like the story, or that my readers will like it. I’m walking on eggshells.
What can I do to GET committed?
Play with voice.
The main thing I’m doing is to continue to play with voice, making sure that I’m not tied into one way of telling this story yet. I’m doing first person, third person, omniscient. Different narrators are popping up. I’m trying a loose collection of short scenes and trying longer, more connected things. Playing.
Keep writing.
Though it feels like I’m swimming upstream against a heavy curtain, I’m still writing. Just bits and pieces each day, but pages are starting to accumulate so that I can start to see the shape of things. I’m writing.
Embrace uncertainty.
Hardest for me personally is to embrace the uncertainty of this stage of a first draft of a novel. I’m liking the main event and the characters and even most of the plot (so far). But I’ve found that there are two things I need to know. First, what is the story that I want to tell. Second, what is the best way to tell that story.
I’ve found the story, at least I’ve caught it and am wrestling with it. What this draft will tell me is whether I’ve found the best way to tell that story.
by T.S. Tate Writing is no different than any number of dreams. Becoming a successful writer— whether the ultimate goal is millions of your books in print or simply the satisfaction that comes with knowing you’ve developed your craft— is no different than the singer wanting to see their name on a marquee or the artist [...]
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0 Comments on Find Your Voice with T.S. Tate as of 1/1/1900
by T.S. Tate Writing is no different than any number of dreams. Becoming a successful writer— whether the ultimate goal is millions of your books in print or simply the satisfaction that comes with knowing you’ve developed your craft— is no different than the singer wanting to see their name on a marquee or the artist [...]
No related posts.
0 Comments on TOPIC: Find Your Voice with T.S. Tate as of 1/1/1900
Don't forget Tomorrow is the last chance for entering my amazing contest courtesy of Lisa Desrochers! Check the link for details.
Now, to quote Monty Python, for something completely different.
In place of Monday Madness (for a short time at least) I've decided to grace you humble viewers with a series of vlogs. What about? VOICE. CHARACTER. It seems to be my strong point and I want to share with you why I believe that is and how you can use that information.
So, here's VLOG #1, in which I introduce my theory:
13 Comments on VLOG - I'm Stepping Out There!, last added: 8/25/2010
We’ve all talked about voice hundreds of times and have an understanding of what it means when we hear “an author’s voice,” but while reading a book the other day I had a thought: Do agents have a voice?
Let me explain. I was reading this book recently and throughout the entire book I kept thinking to myself, “this sounds exactly like something I’d represent.” The book sounded somehow familiar to me, as if it had come off my own bookshelf. As if it was written by one of my own clients. Now, granted, there are a lot of different voices among my shelves and certainly no two are alike, but if you look at an agent’s client list will you start to see a certain voice or similarity in voice shine through?
I have no idea if there’s an answer to this question, but it is something that has me thinking.
Jessica
33 Comments on Do Agents Have a Voice?, last added: 8/5/2010
I think it only makes sense that an agent would prefer novels that resonate with the way the agent already thinks.
If agents are demanding that they "fall in love" with a project before representing it, then that similarity would seem to be mandatory, at least in terms of the novel's core beliefs and approach to the world.
I think we all as readers are drawn to certain types of author voices. I read across several genres, but I still find myself drawn to authors who present things in a certain way. They might be writing about completely different topics, but something about how they put together a string of words draws me.
On the other hand, there are bestselling authors out there that I can read, and only say "Yep, it's pretty good, but it's missing something."
Yes, yes, and yes, what was the question? I know exactly what you mean.
I don't usually have a marathon reading opportunity but this weekend I started and finished a wonderful book. When I googled the author's agent the descriptions of what she handled sounded EXACTLY like how I would describe my novel. I mean, totally.
Is my book exactly like the book I just finished, no, but the voice and the feel of the writing was enjoyably familier. Could this agent be the one?
I'm rewriting my 'killer' query and hoping for a little serendipity. I know, serendipity has nothing to do with it...it's the writing stupid. But a smile from the writing Gods wouldn't hurt.
Well Jessica, you have a voice in your writing. I can determine that from your Blog, so, it would make sense that you as an agent would have a voice also. Therefore it would be reasonable to say that all agents have a voice.
My memoir has a unique voice and now I'm wondering if that would translate into my finding an agent that has a similar voice? Or just one that enjoys mine?
I've read lots of books my agent represents, and I've definitely noticed a consistent kind of voice. You can also pick out a consistent voice preference at certain imprints.
My (now) best writing friend and I met because we'd just sold books to the same imprint- when we traded manuscripts to read, we were both nodding our heads, "Oh yeah, I can see why we're both here." :)
Kim Lionetti said, on 8/3/2010 6:07:00 AM
There's an irony not lost on me today that Christie Craig posted some photos of us singing karaoke at the same time you're wondering if we have a voice. Here's proof that we do...it just might not be pretty....
Thats why we look at your list before we query. One thing always worries me...I see someone on your list that kind of matches what I write so I think you'll like my stuff too, but does this mean you already have a writer like me so you won't need another? How many thriller writers do you have and would you consider another? Or are you full up?
Anonymous said, on 8/3/2010 6:52:00 AM
I hadn't given it much thought, but it seems to me absolutely, positively, that agents have a 'voice'. It is that voice that an agent possesses that determines whether that particular agent 'gets' a particular writer. It is what determines a 'fit' or not. Their 'voices' speak to each other--not in Babel but in intimate conversation.
Kim--I was unable to upload video of you and Jessica singing so I gave my thumb drive with the video to Jessica. It was sort of like throwing it into the black hole...a mistake to hand over my only evidence? It appears so...
Kim Lionetti said, on 8/3/2010 7:04:00 AM
Kate:
Mwah ha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaa...
Anonymous said, on 8/3/2010 7:11:00 AM
This worries me. Our agents do encourage us to write a certain way, presumably the way they like.
A few days ago I bought a book for a child. After I got home I flipped through it and thought it seemed like a really unpleasant book. I took it back to the bookstore.
Then I found out that this book was, in fact, sold by my agent.
First, I'm laughing because I have a friend who is an agent and his voice...his speaking voice...is one of a kind.
Second, I do think all agents have voices. Their lists show it.
Anonymous said, on 8/3/2010 8:27:00 AM
Yes, it seems many agents like to over-edit or encourage their clients to conform to a certain standard. Hence, the novels all start to sound alike, especially in romance and genre fiction. I think it's a problem when an agent tries too hard to control and dictate a project, forcing it to fit into a cookie-cutter mold in order to sell.
How will authors ever discover their voice if their agents are so heavy-handed? One more reason to go directly to editors.
It would seem reasonable that you only chose, consciously or subconsciously, work that has a voice you can relate to. I know I have that tendency as an editor, which is why we have several editors. So the journal doesn't all sound like something I would have written. :)
That's a very interesting question. 'Voice' is such an ambiguous thing to define to begin with it could probably have any answer, but it is still an interesting question. I think yes. You could probably even say that all reader have a 'voice' if you look at their bookshelves.
The whole bookshelf bit makes perfect sense to me. There are certainly books out there that speak to me more than others, and if I were an agent, I'd want them on my "shelf"/client list.
It's how you present yourself and your clients. It's not genre specific, it's when part of yourself comes through in any form of communication, though it's easier to identify in the written word.
I think you're grossly underestimating authors. By the time they reach the point of an offer of representation, most authors have already found their voice. That's what makes them stand out from the rest of the pack.
Do we offer editorial suggestions to our clients? Sure. If those revisions feel right to the author, then they employ them. If they think the changes would somehow sacrifice their creative integrity, then they don't.
Certainly we do want to make our client's work as marketable as possible. That's our job. But we take our cues from the publishers and editors who in turn take their cues from the book-buying public. Editors are just as concerned about marketability as agents. More so. So I'm not sure I understand your argument for cutting the agent out of the equation.
I believe the agent has his or her own voice. That's why some rejection letters come in the form of "this is a subjective business, I am not the right fit."
I know Kim and Jessica have voices. I heard them sing. LOL.
Kim has made some suggestions on adding more to a scene or tweaking a scene, but I don't think her "voice" leaves an imprint on my writing. (She's not nearly crazy enough. LOL) I guess that could happen if someone had an agent that did a heavy critique. However, a good agent is like a good editor, they should know the importance of voice and any suggested changes needs to be line with the writer's voice or it can hurt the overall work.
I've heard agents comment that they must have the same "taste" as other agents because they often requests the same authors. I can see that happening. I think a writer can learn a lot by reading an agent's client list. However, it's wise to remember that agents can have complex taste. I know Kim likes dark as well as really light.
One of the reasons I queried my agent was because her client's books had a similar voice to mine. Agents are readers, too, so it makes total sense that they'd have certain preferences that show up in what they take on.
I think it's similar to asking if readers have a voice, and I'd posit that yes, everyone has a certain type of voice toward which they gravitate. This is one of the things we have to evaluate when we look at your lists to see if we have a chance at being a good fit!
Fascinating post! Yes, I'm sure agents have a voice, or at least a voice they're drawn to and relate best to - a voice they are passionate about and, therefore, are better able to sell. Sorry for the run-on, but yes, this makes so much sense!
Interesting comments, especially after the panel I was on with Jessica, and authors Angie Fox and Sally MacKenzie at RWA last week. We discussed the author/agent relationship, and the one thing we all agreed on is that an agent should only edit when the author wants it. Jessica hasn't read any of my Wolf Tales since the first one, but she offered a lot of help--at my request--on my DemonSlayers series, because it was a new genre for me. An agent works for the author, not the other way around.
Though I am not an agent, I know from personal experience in other types of sales that I have to really believe in something to be able to sell it at all.
I have a summer job at a hardware store. I'm very good at paint, and I can usually sell a higher grade of paint than the customer had intended. It's not because I'm trying to boost sales numbers, but is instead because the cheaper paints usually won't do what the customer wants.
When it comes to painting accessories and doo-dads, I usually talk them OUT of them because they're mostly worthless except on very specific types of jobs.
I won't sell something I wouldn't use myself, so it seems entirely rational to me that an agent would have a similar idea in mind.
Sure you have a voice. And it can transcend genre. For instance, look at your iPod. Probably you have all sorts of songs downloaded on it. If you thought about it, you could probably come up with at least one thing they all have in common. My current playlist has everything from Queen to Lady Gaga to Justin Beiber (yep, I said it out loud). Point is, they do all have something in common: I would LOVE to hear Jessica sing karaoke to Every. Single. One.
It's very strange that you posted this, because I was just thinking the same thing. I recently picked up a book that was repped by an agent I'm hoping to query. I didn't pick it up because of the agent, but because I thought I'd like it. But when I found out who repped it, I got all nervous, wondering about the sensibility of the agent, etc. etc. Turns out the prose is actually not that different from mine--in fact, almost eerily similar. One of his other clients is too. On the one hand, this freaks me out a little, but on the other it's sort of exciting, because I think there may be a such thing as shared sensibilities.
And I get what wry wryter said--there's a familiarity there, almost as if we're all from the same family, or at least the same shelf.
I am surprised to see this question. You write. You write a lot. Why would you think that you didn't have a voice?
As with a bunch of other comments, I am always late to the show, I find myself reading things that resonate with me. And I have been completely turned off by certain types of voices.
I have a book in my possession that, for some reason, I can't let go. It was the first book I have ever read that I absolutely hated.
The book was a NYT Bestseller, and I detested it. The story was ok, the characters were ok, but the voice, the almighty VOICE destroyed it for me. This was before I knew what voice was. Before I dared to dream that I too, could be on the NYT list.
You read, a lot. You write, a lot. How in the hell could you NOT have a voice?
nightwriter said, on 8/3/2010 11:27:00 PM
Isn't voice your personality (or in the case of fiction, your characters) on the page?
Jennifer sold books at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Cincinnati before moving to New York to work at Scholastic Press, the literary imprint of Scholastic. She acquires picture books, middle grade fiction, and young adult fiction. She acquires based on personal love, and pushes something she really wants to work on (like, say THE HUNGER GAMES).
Jennifer's session is standing-room only, and for good reason. Scholastic Press has published many literary favorites, including RULES by Cynthia Lord, THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick. Their authors include M.T. Anderson and Jon Muth. And of course, there is Suzanne Collins's HUNGER GAMES, which Jennifer edited.
She's sharing an early draft of her talk to demonstrate some of the choices we make when we're working on voice. She's getting lots of laughs, but making a really helpful point.
What story are you going to tell?
How are you going to tell it?
What point do you hope to convey?
Your voice is the glue that holds these things together and makes your story powerful and unique. "Voice is the No. 1 thing I respond to in a piece of writing," she said.
She learned in her years as a bookseller people buy a book because of its first page. If they love it, they buy it. There are lots of deciding factors (age range, subject matter). But voice is overarching. "Give me an interesting voice--give me a good voice--and I'll read anything, regardless of subject matter," she said.
Voice is also the connective tissue and authorial stamp--it unites all the books that you write and enables you to publish more than one book.
"Your voice is you," Jennifer said. "Your writing is a reflection of you. No one will ever write the same story as you."
She's reading the first few paragraphs of THE HUNGER GAMES. Everyone is spellbound. (Except for the one person sneezing in the back. Haymitch!)
"When the HUNGER GAMES landed on my desk, we zipped through it--and we couldn't believe this was what she turned in."
She read it all day at work and left at 4:30 to pick up her two boys. She ended up missing two subways and a bus because she was reading the draft and nothing else existed. (Her husband had to drop everything and go pick up the boys.)
Elements of voice:
What does your character notice?
What do they say?
What they leave out is as important as what they notice.
Some additional observations:
When you're thinking about characters, as yourself this about your character: What is your character's surprise?
Voice sets mood and emotional climate of a story. A grim topic can often be treated with humor.
Voice changes as your audience changes. The way you'd tell your friends you're going to quit your job is not the way you'd tell your boss you're going to quit your job.
Avoid "teenspeak"--going into overdrive with jargon and slang and irritating expressions. It doesn't matter if your character is plugged into the latest lingo. Voice is believable only if it's something your character would say.
0 Comments on Jennifer Rees on Your Voice Is Your Voice: Keeping It Real as of 1/1/1900
Krista Marino is a Senior Editor at Delacorte Press (Random House Children's Books).
I'm peeking in on Day 3 (of 4) of her premium workshop Finding and Revising Your Protagonist's Voice in a Young Adult Novel.
The class was given pre-reading and movie watching assignments prior to the conference as well as homework during. Last night's homework: eavesdropping. (Now that's what I call homework!)
How about this one, coming from a teen overhead at a bookstore: "I think this is the supposed-to-be-a-good-book section."
The class is dishing on dialogue today.
Marino: A lot of people think voice means dialogue, but it doesn't.
Dialogue is more than just words. It has to feel real. But dialogue is not only what a character says, but it's also the character's internal monologue, which might be even more important.
Exercise: Krista reads an excerpt from Jennifer Donnelly's REVOLUTION (pre-reading homework). She then reads it again but removes the inner monologue to look at how it changes it. Without, the character becomes kind of one note.
0 Comments on A Peek in on Day 3 of Krista Marino's Premium Workshop as of 1/1/1900
Several people have asked me about "voice" lately. I'll barely be able to scratch the surface because it's a big topic, but let's get started.
What do we mean when we say we're looking for "new voices"? What do editors mean when they say it's the writer's voice that captures them—or doesn't?
Let's start by identifying a few things voice isn't. Voice is not style. It's not technique. It's not branding. It's not a decision to write in first or third person.
So what is it? To me, your writer's voice is the expression of YOU on the page. It's that simple—and that complicated. Your voice is all about honesty. It's the unfettered, non-derivative, unique conglomeration of your thoughts, feelings, passions, dreams, beliefs, fears and attitudes, coming through in every word you write.
Voice is all about your originality and having the courage to express it.
Sounds simple, right? Then why is voice so hard? One of the most common problems with fiction by new authors is the lack of a unique voice on the page. How is this possible? You are unique. You can't help it, you just are. You aren't exactly like anyone else. How, then, are you failing to express that on the page?
I think it's because most of us spend our lives presenting to the world anything and everything except who we really are. We present images of who we want to be. We show the world what we want them to see. We expend lots of energy upholding our facades, and in the process, we can lose touch with our true, unique selves. Many of us are afraid of real, total, gut wrenching honesty.
I also think one of our biggest problems is that we've been media consumers since the day we were born. When I read fiction that doesn't have a "voice" that captures me, it usually feels derivative, i.e. similar to other works of fiction rather than striking me as fresh and coming from life. Instead of truly creating stories and characters of your own, you may be unwittingly regurgitating stories and characters you've read and seen in thousands of hours of reading and TV/movie watching in your life. This means you are not being your unique self, but a composite of many other selves who are not you. Admittedly, it's a big hurdle for all of us to overcome.
So how do you find your voice? You can't learn it. You can't copy it. Voice isn't a matter of studying. You have to find it. And the only place to find it is within you. (Yikes, sounds like I'm going New Age here!)
It's a process of peeling away the layers of your false self, your trying-to-be-something-you're-not self, your copycat self, your trying-to-sound-a-certain-way self, your spent-my-life-watching-television self. It's like going to psychotherapy, delving deep and allowing the real you to emerge, only in this case you want it to find its way on to the page.
How, exactly do you do that? Take heart—there are lots of ways to excavate, uncover, discover and develop your writer's voice (and it doesn't necessarily involve years of therapy). Don't you think that will be a terrific topic for another post? Me too.
Today I want YOU to tell me: What are some ways to find your unique writer's voice?
(c) Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent
64 Comments on What is Writer's Voice?, last added: 8/2/2010
All I can say, Rachelle, is that I FELT your voice in this post. Absolutely beautiful words here. You are so right. My book was sold on my voice. I don't think I am am amazingly skilled writer with perfect grammar, but I do have a voice and it's a pretty strong one. I think writers forget how important it is to have this come through. A voice is often more important than anything else because it is so rare. Thanks for sharing!!!!
I think you can uncover your voice with lots of writing, and lots of thinking about what you want to write.
For instance, I have had a half-idea for a novel in my head for a couple of years now, since a scene in an episode of Torchwood got me thinking. And although I haven't started writing it yet, it has helped me refine my voice. When I think about what I want to do with that idea, how I want the main character to be, that's helping me to figure out what I really, really want to say. And because I haven't started the actual writing yet, it's still unpolluted by the 'What-will-my-dream-agent-think-of-this-scene?' type of woes.
I love reading your blog because your writing is succint, you sound committed to your profession, and most of all you touch on subjects other lit agents shy away from: the nitty gritty of a lit agent's role as more mediator and not necessarily divine right of placing books with a publisher.
One can sense your inner passion to assist aspiring writers to learn their craft yet retain individuality, and desire to bring forth "new voices"!
Hee hee, I've been told I have a "strong" writer voice, which may be good or bad: who knows?
Sy. said, on 7/30/2010 3:24:00 AM
Lose the idea. That is only an uninitiated plan. Become an actor in your own life. Step into the role and relive your own life in character. Step into the role of your character and live every movement every day every event. Step into the character and live every moment voice will appear like magic. Its free its on tap and its endless.
Finding my voice as a writer is all about writing that *crappy* first draft that Anne Lamott talks about in "Bird by Bird." The draft that nobody will ever see.
I write and write, and out it comes. Me. The real me.
And sometimes -- just sometimes -- it's not all crap. :-)
I simply need a good first line from which another line will follow, and just keep writing down whatever I've tapped into, until I come to an impasse. Then I go back and rewrite until I find a way through it. Sometimes I have to sleep on it. The main thing is that I'm writing from the subconscious and then thinking through what I'm trying to say. I need to discover what I have to say, rather than writing from the top of my head, which is normally nothing but white noise. I could no more do a book about ideas I am conscious of than flap my arms and fly.
The fact is that all writing is a composite of stuff the writer has read or watched before. The thing that makes voice unique is that we each have made different choices about what we read, watch and remember. We all have a somewhat unique voice, but for it to be unique enough to stand out comes from the attitude of the author. If you want a unique voice you’ve got to blow everyone else off and be a nonconformist.
Susan Bourgeois said, on 7/30/2010 5:59:00 AM
Rachelle, I know this may sound corny but they say God sends people your way to assist you with your goals in life. In some cases it may be a mentor. I feel you are helping out so many of us with every post you write. You are a blessing for all of us.
I feel my writing represents my voice in everything I write. My writing is a culmination of the person I've become through decades on this Earth. My writing represents the people I love and the people I have met throughout my life. I take a little bit here and there and make it a part of my stories.
I am now at the beginning stage of my new book on fiction.
I only know one way to use my voice when I write and that's to pull down deep from everything I've learned in life through situations I or one of my loved one's have experienced.
I would like to think I've already peeled away any layers of false self. I'm known for being quite open regarding my strengths (many)LOL as well as my (few) LOL weakenesses. I don't hold much back when it comes to being honest and it shows through in my writing.
I purposely avoid any strong similarities with anything I've seen on TV or the movies so that there won't be a direction comparison.
Anonymous said, on 7/30/2010 6:01:00 AM
I get to know my characters for a couple of months until my mind is bursting with them. Then I sit down and write. I don't worry about if I'm doing it right, if I'm breaking rules, etc. Just pure story and characters.
Then later I go back and think about craft.
I can't read or watch tv or movies during the months I write because I can't enjoy them until I see what happens next for the characters in my head.
In the beginning when I knew nothing about craft, I was told by those helping me learn that I had voice and hook down. And that they could see it all taking place in their minds when they read my work.
I so hope I have voice because there is nothing else I can picture myself doing for the next 20 + years.
Beautifully stated, Rachelle. I'm starting to 'get' what a writer's voice is. For a while I wasn't sure if I had a unique voice, and, to be honest, I'm not sure I have it everytime I write, still. But I'm starting to notice when others like my writing. As my husband or critique partner read my manuscript, I notice when they love certain chapters or sections of the story and when they don't love certain sections as much. And when I go back through those sections, I realize that those chapters sound like... well, me. This goes for blogging as well. I think the blog posts that are an honest portrayal of me and my passions, I hear my own voice. The trick, now, is to make sure that passion and self comes out in everything I write not just certain sections of it.
I'm still working on finding my voice. I find it occassionally...it pokes out its head and woo-hoo, there is it! Then it disappears for awhile and I'm left scratching my head.
I think, my biggest hurdle in letting my voice jump onto the page is I get so entrenched in the "rules" of writing and "writing tight" that I lose some of my voice.
I think the visual of peeling those false layers away is a good one. But I believe it's even more than that. During that process, during the peeling and self-discovery we gain courage and self-confidence. This strengthens that voice we're looking for. I'm by no means an expert, but every-so-often I'll find that voice rearing its head through a new character or a paragraph...and it's getting stronger. I believe the voice is an inner connection with the writer's true self. It really is therapy.
What are some ways to find your unique writer's voice?
Write. Everyday, all the time. Write about the weather, the funny man on the corner, your boss. Write about that idea where people's heads turn into eggplants. Write articles, diaries, fiction, poetry.
Write, and your voice will find you.
Anonymous said, on 7/30/2010 7:35:00 AM
Keep writing and editing, imagining what your characters would say and do. Your voice will come out.
Watching "America's Got Talent" teaches me about a writer's voice. At the risk of leaning too hard on the comparison, some artists try to "do" Faith Hill or Michael Jackson or Carole King or James Taylor. Talented as they may be, they don't win the contest because they're mimicking rather than using their own vocal cords (which may well produce a sound like James Taylor) in a unique way. My voice will be cramped and strained if I try to sound like a soprano (ANY soprano). My writing will either put people to sleep or grate on their nerves if I mimic someone else. I like Jane Austen but we already have one of those. So I'll attend to my vocal exercises and let my voice come out. Often it's not so much finding it as it is no longer resisting it. :) My women's fiction--THEY ALMOST ALWAYS COME HOME--is an angst-ridden wilderness adventure. The romantic comedy releasing in Sept--A DOOR COUNTY CHRISTMAS--is a completely different style of story. But I pray readers find the "voice" is the same. Sometimes I sing blues. Sometimes jazz.
Anonymous said, on 7/30/2010 7:52:00 AM
Thank you, Rachelle, for another great blog post! Voice is definitely a lack in my writing. As my husband puts it, I am the most guarded person he knows. I find it difficult--even just writing to myself--to let down those barriers and put myself on the page. I'm always wondering what people will think: will I come across too abrupt or rude or immature or . . . ??? I'm trying to get past this fear of opening myself up, so I am looking forward to your post about excavating and developing your writer's voice!
Rachelle will have incredible insights--she's the queen of brilliant insights! But if I could offer a word of encouragement, Anonymous When you said "I'm always wondering what people will think: will I come across too abrupt or rude or immature or . . . ???" you just tapped into part of your voice! Hoards of readers will identify with a guarded character, guarded language. You can use that to your readers' advantage. It will cost you, of course. All good writing does. :)
And perhaps that is why, despite the good intentions behind such advice, there can be too much reading. When voracious reading is done to match up to some impressive style or to try out a respected author's voice (Hemingway seems very popular in those respects), a writer may, in Oscar Wilde's words, "[know] the price of everything and the value of nothing".
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with all of us. I have been hearing about voice since entering the world of blog. I think my voice is quiet, gentle, but audible. My next read through my novel will be focused on listening for my voice.
I've noticed that I lug around the same feel and tone from manuscript to manuscript. I find the more I write the more I feel I know who I am as a writer.
This is a great post with lots to ponder. I think it is hard for me to put my voice into my work because I am so old school I fear new readers will not understand where I am coming from. As writers we are told to write what we know. But how do you manage that if new young readers don't understand where you are coming from?
When my husband and I decided to unplug our TV three or four years ago and stop visiting theaters on a regular basis, I had no idea I was helping my writing. I'm pleased to learn that's exactly what I was doing.
I haven't given a lot of thought to my voice as an author. The best thing I can recommend for authors looking for their voice is the same thing I tell artist friends who are looking for their style.
Just keep painting (writing for authors). The more I write and paint, the more clearly my voice and style emerges. It can't help it!
In short, keep doing what you do the best way you know how to do it and the voice will come.
Finding your voice is a lot...(a LOT) of really, really, really bad free-writing and first drafts.
It also means training yourself to see the influence of other writers in your work so you can make your style as cohesive as possible, and also going out of your way to avoid literary cliches.
We're surrounded by fresh stories and ideas all the time - the trick is to go out on a limb over a "weird" concept rather than taking the easy route, which is re-hashing what others have done before you.
Hi Rachelle!! It's so much easier for me to find my voice when I'm writing non-fiction than fiction (hence, why I tend to only write non-fiction!). Fiction is so hard because you're making up a story but having to integrate your voice into it. Thanks for another great post!
If I feel like I'm just cranking out words without much feeling, I take a break and type out a story from my childhood.
When I reach back to the unique events that defined me, my voice comes roaring back. Because I'm already so familiar with what happened, I can use this writing to push my voice to the forefront.
This allows me to go back to work with my voice all warmed up.
In addition to writing, I do stand up comedy. Both mediums require learning how to express your own "voice." It's hard not to imitate something that you know is working, or at least "change" it enough to make it yours.
But, writing from YOUR heart, about YOUR experience, and what YOU know can't be imitated. You can learn to communicate it better by practicing and perfecting the craft of writing, but the voice will ring loud if you stay true to your own point of view.
And it's double hard because my stand up voice doesn't always translate when "written out" for articles/books, and vice-versa, so the challenge to communicate my "voice" to two different audiences keeps me on my toes. But, I like it that way!
There are certain writers I follow on Twitter and their blogs, and their voice even comes through in the comments they make on my blog. I love it when I can recognize the person even when they've chosen to remain 'anonymous'.
And by the way, you do sound like you're treading on the 'new age' path a bit in this post - but I loved it. Not that I, of all people, would have anything against things new age-y :)
I think I find my voice when writing what I know. My characters are drawn from my childhood. When I surround my character with the atmosphere of where and when I grew up, I am there again, emotionally naked, in a place before I was introduced to books, movies, television, and Twitter.
I worked for a horse racing magazine for several years. My editor won awards every year for her editorials and some of her stories.
A professor in California uses her editorials about horse racing to teach...voice. Her writing is so distinct you can easily pick it out whether she's writing fiction, memoir or non-fiction.
One of the greatest things about her is when she edits stories for the magazines, she doesn't edit the person's style and voice. We all have a formula we adhere to, but she encourages individuality.
I agree with Llama Mama. When you write that first draft, just write. Don't worry about the rules or whether it's any good or not, let it pour out of you.
As Stephen King in his book on writing says (here I go, mentioning it again, then look over it and see what it is you're really writing about, keep that and discard the rest.
nightwriter said, on 7/30/2010 4:31:00 PM
Voice is very important but so is story. I find that many genre books have a similar voice and style--the thriller, the romance, the cozy mystery--and it's often hard to tell them apart. Then again, I don't want an obnoxious or in your face narrarator, especially for first person. So hard to get that balance right between intimate and too much info.
What I hear you saying is write your heart, what's inside you, your true authentic self. It's what I love to do. But I couldn't really write that until I began to ask God who I was and listen to what He said. I could not agree more with what you said about the facades. We put on the faces we think others want/expect of us. We wear our masks. Until we really understand grace we will continue to wear what we've always known. Grace takes away shame that takes away the masks.
I'm not sure if this is the way to go about it or not, but I don't try to write in "my voice." I try to write in the voice of the character. My first book's protagonists are a single mom in her 20's who grew up with lots of books, and a blue-collar guy in his 30's who hates to read. They don't think the same. Even if they had the same essential thought, the vocabulary would be different. But if I tried to write as myself, their thoughts would be worded the same. (I'm on Book 2's first draft now, and my protagonists are a teen girl and a male English teacher just shy of 40. Also completely different.)
Obviously, pieces of me will still leak through. I can't get out of my own head, even when in theirs, since their "heads" are all creations of mine. So is this what voice is? The whispers of me that I can't get rid of even if I try? Am I going about it backward to ignore myself and work toward individual character expression?
Long ago, when I was a child, I promised myself I would never lie. Since then, I've kept that promise but I do it in a variety of ways. The most common ways is to either not talk about it or to figure a diplomatic way to tell the truth without hurting feelings. In my writing I do the same. I try to write my story as if I were telling it to a stranger.
Anonymous said, on 7/30/2010 7:34:00 PM
Thanks, Cynthia, for your encouraging comment! Funny how I couldn't recognize hints of my voice until you pointed it out. I did wonder though what you meant by "It will cost you, of course. All good writing does." ?
This post gave me so much joy. If there is one thing I got down it's me. I've even been dare I say a even a little self absorbed because I am so confident in my identity. Needless to say those comments were evaluated but not damaging. So if I got me down then I should have voice down. There's one step.
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I think i have my voice, because i was told i have a unique way of writing in my essays at college and my personal statement for university was apparently quite unique. I dont like the constricted way were told to write essays and i deleberately went off on my own way of writing it and in the process made some good points other students hadn't and my tutor didn't really understand, (until i explained it) because it was unexpected. It seems to be reflected in the way i structure my songs, confuse then explain. I hope that my voice will show in my writing and what i learn as a student can help with my structure. This looks interesting and i will be reading more of your blog when i get the time :)
sharmon gazaway said, on 7/31/2010 8:42:00 AM
Voice is one of those things that if I stop to think about it, I'll flip out. I'll get so self-conscious I'll start writing in "See Spot run" sentences. I hold to the wisdom that the more you write the stronger your voice will naturally get; that said, the editing stage of a novel is where you hone and perfect it. I don't consciously think of my voice when I write, I slip under the skin and into the heart and mind of my POV character. It's when I get lazy that I start to write in "my" voice or a movie character's voice--I just constantly ask myself (yeah, sometimes out loud) would my MC say that? That way?
I highly recommend "Don't Sabotage Your Submission". Chris Roerden tells you exactly how to clear out all the "static" that clutters your voice. Your voice is there; just clear out the debris so it can shine.
This is why i've written 3 manuscripts and am on to the 4th. Not because the others didn't have something to say or weren't good, rather friends have "fought for" my true voice to come not the covered over "teacher" rather the vulnerable, in need "learner." Good luck everyone in submitting to the sanctifying/transformational journey of writing!
Anonymous said, on 7/31/2010 11:54:00 AM
I think what Fitzgerald says relating to style can also be applied to voice.
And not adhering to what he shares is one of the reasons why we have so many cookie-cutter books.
That, and readers. And publishers. And, oh well.
Here's the quote:
"A good style simply doesn’t form unless you absorb half a dozen top-flight authors every year. Or rather it forms but, instead of being a subconscious amalgam of all that you have admired, it is simply a reflection of the last writer you have read, a watered-down journalese."
Finding your voice means not being scared, and that is something I struggle with every time I sit down to write. That's why every writing session is "voice" practice. Because guess what? Voice changes over time, too, because we change over time.
For me, voice comes with writing and writing some more. It's how I as an individual use language, sentence structure, rhythm, syntax...etc. It's how I express my personality. And I do think a writer will know when they find it. My voice is there whether I write dark and serious or light and humorous. And it only comes with time. At least for me. Some people might be lucky enough to have it their first go around.
Voice is one of those tricky things to describe, but you did a great job. Elizabeth Lyons had a good summary of it in her Manuscript Makeover book.
One thing that helped me find the voice I didn't know I had was writing in a different tense. When I switched to present tense, what a difference! For other writers, it might be a change of genre that brings out their voice. I think it might be like using a different filter in photography. Sometimes the one you use the least can make the colors pop.
Voice is one of those tricky things to describe, but you did a great job. Elizabeth Lyons had a good summary of it in her Manuscript Makeover book.
One thing that helped me find the voice I didn't know I had was writing in a different tense. When I switched to present tense, what a difference! For other writers, it might be a change of genre that brings out their voice. I think it might be like using a different filter in photography. Sometimes the one you use the least can make the colors pop.
Love the blog. I personally think that every writer in the world needs some good dose of looking in the mirror finding who they are before writing. The market is sadly becoming like those "cookie cutter" houses that are seen in many towns. They all look the same and like they were just placed on a sheet, put in the often and baked at 300 degrees for ten minutes. I love to read, and if the book is the same as the last book I read, has no depth or more of the same, I won't finish it or even pass it on to someone else. It often winds up a place where it is a tragedy for any good book to be, the trash. We need more variety, and since there isn't much in the world that hasn't been written about yet, we need to see that variety in the author's voice. Give us something different, even if it is some of the same. What's different? Why the author, of course. God bless your post; awesome! One more thing, quickly - I'm a pastor, so I do tend to ramble - when I write, I don't merely see words of the page and their form, but the vision of the story unfolding in my mind as I write it. When I'm done, I go back and fix the form without erasing the vision. If we describe our mind's view in words, then we have found our voice.
There's a certain joy in finding a way to use your unique voice in a work of fiction. Trying to create a narrative in a certain genre, play by the rules in terms of adequate structure, while mixing the many other elements that take part in making your story feel real in a fictional world. Drafting my first novel, It's What You Leave Behind was the hardest thing I ever worked on in my life. It took a few drafts to find my voice and another couple of drafts to feel deserved of that voice. As I continued working through the drafting process I actually felt comfortable, I was able to detach from the self doubt that does exist among many writers and finish with a voice that may serve me well moving forward. I doubt i'll ever write anything as honest again in my life. The post could not have described what that means any better. Those words written are like poetry to many a writers ears and dreams. Thanks.
A woman in our writing class asked if she had a voice, and if so, what is it? Inevitably, we were all raising our hands, asking the same. It was a lot like getting our fortunes told. We were awed by the fact that so much of our personalities could pop off the page. She likened us all to painters, so if you can find a painter you gravitate toward, you are that much closer to uncovering your voice. It's the picture we create for the reader, the impression we leave. And the flip side of voice, it shows up as weaknesses in our writing. The very thing we are so good at, the thing that comes naturally to us, can bore the reader if it comes on too strong, if there's too much of it. You can't edit voice, or go window shopping for it, but you can change the writing style so that the voice is sprinkled through.
To find my voice, I jump back from my 'professional' writing and focus on my 'personal' writing. Every time I lose sight of my voice, I write and reread journal entries, words that are meant just for me, and they help put me back on track.
I'm a non-fiction writer, so it should follow that I'm not primarily the creator of fictional characters.
You are right though -- we so often create a false persona rather than chance the vulnerability of revealing ourselves.
Many of my stories fall in the outdoor adventure genre, where there is a certain history of presenting a stiff-upper lip to one's audience, glossing over weakness and fear.
I've been trying a different approach lately that attempts to reveal more of what I was really feeling and examining personal struggles that affected my experience.
Your post is a great reminder to reach for authenticity. Thanks. I look forward to your tips on connecting with the true voice.
Finding your unique voice comes through taking the time to write, write, and write some more. When writing to find your voice, you should probably write in multiple styles (i.e. academic, nonfiction, fiction, etc). Then, you have to take the time to read what you wrote, finding the common "sound" in all of the various writings. This is your voice.
Actually, much of why I write is because writing allows me to connect with that unique voice you mention. I agree that we can lose our identities to the barrage of media out there. It's complicated. On the one hand, I fully enjoy connecting with ME on the page when I write. On the other hand, I pay a lot of attention to other writers who connect with themselves on their pages. So I guess the trick is to be in the know of your entire genre and remain unique all the while. To what extent can we be both influenced and original? It's quite the conundrum.
Above all, you have to write with passion--passion for the language and for the story or subject. Fear and posturing will just get in your way. As others have said, finding your voice requires a lot practice, which means a lot of writing that may never earn you a penny or even leave your hard drive. Journals are great practice.
I realize that someone earning a living by writing may not always feel passion for their subject. Sometimes you have to write a piece simply for the paycheck. Just don't let that become the only reason you write.
This post came at just the right time for me. I'm trying to find the right voice. Hard, but needed. I think it helps to write like no one is watching, but God. What do you sound like? Then write like your family is watching, your friends are watching. Then the world. How does it change? What stays the same?
As a long-time writing teacher (and writer), I have a very different view of voice. While I agree with Rachelle that too much exposure to tv and movies is bad for writers, I completely disagree with the "voice comes from being totally honest" approach. Voice, in my view, is not about being more absorbed in your self. It's about two things: your vision of the world (that is, what's outside of you), and your ability to communicate that vision in language. You can find your vision of the world by doing a lot of writing, even more reading--and by thinking about how you see things. You can learn how to use language better by learning as much as you can about diction and syntax. The more you know, the more interesting your vision of the world will be. And the more you learn about the possibilities of writing sentences, the easier it will be for you to communicate your vision.
The NY Review of Books had an intriguing review by Wyatt Mason on a book written by David Lipsky,"Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace," published by Broadway, 320 pp. $16.99. The book encompasses a collection of conversations between Lipsky and Wallace.
Although Wallace's fiction has at times been cited as "excessive—not edited—arbitrary—self indulgent—mad—gibberish—nonsense", such criticism may have owed to his being "an avant-garde writer. He believed that one of fiction's main jobs was to challenge readers, and to find new ways of doing so." All well and good, and I may read some of his work to form my own assessments, but I was especially attracted in this review to a short section that analyzed a "spoken casualness that would become a characteristic quality of Wallace's prose. An excerpt from a Wallace story includes a suicidal-depressive narrator's description of his state of mind when he witnessed the driver of his bus get seriously injured:
I felt unbelievably sorry for him and of course the Bad Thing (an euphemism for his depression) very kindly filtered this sadness for me and made it a lot worse. It was weird and irrational but all of a sudden I felt really strongly as though the bus driver were really me. I really felt that way. So I felt just like he must have felt, and it was awful. I wasn't just sorry for him, I was sorry as him, or something like that.
The reviewer suggests: "The mix of registers here is typical of Wallace: intensifiers and qualifiers that ordinarily suggest sloppy writing and thinking ("unbelievably"; "really" used three times in the space of a dozen words; "something like that") coexisting with the correct use of the subjunctive mood ("as though the driver were"). The precision of the subjunctive—which literate people bother with less and less, the simple past tense increasingly and diminishingly being used in its place—is never arbitrary, and its presence suggests that if attention is being paid to a matter of higher-order usage, similar intention lurks behind the clutter of qualifiers. For although one could edit them out of the passage above to the end of producing leaner prose—
I felt sorry for him. It was irrational, but I felt as though the driver were me. I wasn't just sorry for him, I was sorry as him.
—the edit removes more than "flab": it discards the furniture of real speech, which includes the routine repetitions and qualifications that cushion conversation."
The paragraph by Wallace stands out as a unique "voice," that thing we're always being challenged to develop in our fiction writing, while at the same time being advised to tighten-up our prose, weed out all but the necessary adverbs and adjectives, "kill the little darlings," meaning our effusive metaphors, similes, and erudite words, and more often than not the use of any constructs like subjunctive moods (I wonder if Hemingway ever used them). Such tightening-up might not always be the best approach.
I think Mason has offered some nice insights for writers in his review. (As a postscript, I was also sad to read in the article that Wallace committed suicide in 2008.)
Is the advice “write what you know” valid? Yes, definitely. And no, not always.
It’s confusing advice!
Practical Knowledge
“Write what you know” makes sense when you’re ignorant in some area. For example, I know nothing about vampires, have never read a vampire book, can’t understand the whole vampire movie thing, and can’t for the life of me figure out why a blood-sucking boyfriend would be romantic. It’s just me.
This is the point though: I don’t know about vampires, and I have no business sitting down today to write a vampire novel. It would be so full of ridiculous ideas and mistakes that it would be laughable. I don’t care to look that foolish.
Use Yourself
On the other hand, says Ursula K. Le Guin in “Make your fiction truthful” (The Writer, July, 2010), “Write what you know doesn’t mean you have to know a lot. It just tells you to take what you have, take who you are, and use it. Don’t try to use secondhand feeling: use yourself.” So, does ”write what you know” mean “write exclusively about your personal experiences”?
No, I don’t think so. What you “know” can come from your personal experience–that’s true. But it also comes from other people’s experiences, from books you’ve read and movies that moved you, from research and travel–all blended together when you use your imagination.
The Best of Both Worlds
I believe in “write what you know,” but I’ve also had eleven mysteries published. I will swear to you that I’ve never stolen, kidnapped, set a place on fire, or blackmailed anyone, but I’ve written about it.
However, I made aspects of those stories familiar too. I set those mysteries in the midwest, where I lived all my life. Five are set in real places I’d visited many times. I used many people I knew for my characters. I developed themes that were coming true in my own life or my children’s lives. The character growth and change was real–and it was often me.
Get to Know Yourself
Le Guin says it this way: “If you take it in its deepest meaning, ‘write about what you know’ means write from your heart, from your own real being, your own thoughts and emotions…If you don’t know who you are and what you know, if you haven’t worked to find out what you yourself truly feel and think, then your work will probably be imitation work, borrowed from other writers.” (I hope you’ll get a copy of The Writerand read her entire article.)
You may not think you know much or have had enough interesting experiences, but you’d be wrong. If you have my Writer’s First Aidbook, read the chapter on “Getting to Know You…” Take the lengthy survey about your life and keep the information in a writer’s notebook.
The answers to that survey will unearth enough information about YOU to last you a writer’s lifetime.
Robin Mellom’s debut teen novel DITCHED—in which a girl finds herself lying in a ditch the morning after her prom with no memory of the last twelve hours, which includes a disappearing prom date, a Tinkerbell tattoo, and a dog-swapping escapade—will be published by Disney-Hyperion in March 2012.
I’m so excited to be over here today guest blogging! Except since I left my blog all alone I’m a little worried that it probably threw a raging party and there will be a big ol’ mess to clean up when I get back. Half-filled blog posts spilled everywhere…semi-dressed fonts running around…loopy comments that need a ride home. Naughty blog.
So I don’t consider myself an expert by any means on the topic of getting published, but I can speak about my experience. And the one piece of publishing advice I can offer is the same advice I learned about hair color…listen to the professionals.
Right after my son was born, I decided two things:
1.I want to be a middle grade writer.
2.I want to be blonde.
So I started writing during naptime and I paid a lot of money to get my hair dyed blonde. (Because Meg Ryan is so adorable, right?) But after a few years of that, I was suddenly confronted with a difficult situation: the opinion of a very passionate hair stylist.
“I can’t dye your hair blonde. I won’t do it.”
“Um…but I have money.”
“It’s not working. The color washes out your skin tone. And your eyes practically disappear! You are not a blonde.”
He literally refused to dye my hair. Didn’t he know about my dream to be blonde? My dream of having Meg Ryan hair!? I left the salon sad, wondering who I was if I wasn’t a blonde. I finally gave in and did it…I went dark. Like, Angelina Jolie dark. And remarkably my skin tone perked up and my eyes reappeared. And I started adopting babies! (Kidding.) But what I realized was: I am really a brunette! But a professional had to tell me that.Because I was too interested in being Meg Ryan, not me.
The same thing happened with my writing. I wrote middle grade novels for many years (I’ve written four of them, actually), and fortunately one of them landed me my agent, Jill Corcoran. We shopped a couple of my middle grades around, but no sale. There were some similar responses: love the voice, but it sounds older.
My agent then said to me, “I think you’re a teen writer. You need to write funny teen. That’s who you are.”
I was resistant at first. I had dreamed of being a middle grade author. I used to be a middle school teacher, and I love middle school kids. Love ‘em! But I had decided I want to write for them, not teach
What a great point you learned from your experience. True, we must be ourselves. My problem is that I seem to be constantly searching for myself. LOL. You're blessed to have had someone there willing to be honest with you and guide you.
I love this Robin! I've had my blond years and my teacher years too, and finally feel settled in writing and YA (I think. LOL. I want to try my hand at MG too).
Robin I loved it! You are so funny (I laughed at the adopting kids line out loud). And you are so right. You have to try what's new and stretch yourself to really find what you are best at. Also, I love Jill Corcoran! She's awesome so you must be awesome too! I'm good at this deduction stuff, huh?
This was great! I felt inspired by the fact that you wrote 4 middle grade novels that you couldn't sell before hitting your stride. I need to be reminded that just because I couldn't sell my first mg novel, it doesn't mean my subsequent novels won't sell. Thanks--just the pep talk I needed.
Great post Robin, and again, I'm so happy for you!
I, too, had to write some books before I figured out what kind of books I should be writing - which ones use my skills the best. I think authors should be open to playing around with genres, with formats, etc. because sometimes it takes awhile to figure out where your strengths lie.
You’ve often heard the phrase “you are your own worst enemy.” Does this apply to you when trying to create a writing life you love? It certainly applies to me!
How does this enemy within keep you from moving ahead with your writing dreams? By telling you lies. Some are bold-faced lies. Some are wrapped in soft wool. Some lies ridicule you, while others sound downright comforting. What do all these voices in your head have in common?
They’re instruments of self-sabotage. They convince you to give up.
Who’s Talking Now?
There are many voices inside your head. You must listen and decide who’s doing the talking at any particular moment. Some voices are easy to recognize; some are so subtle you’ll be shocked. First, you have the…
Voice of the Inner Critic
It whispers words like “What makes you think you have anything interesting to say?” “You’re no good.” “That junk will never sell.” “You’re actually going to show that story to somebody?” The Inner Critic beats you down with criticism. Sometimes this voice bears a remarkable similarity to that of your mother, your spouse, or your junior high English teacher.
As Julia Cameron says in The Artist’s Way at Work, creativity requires a sense of inner safety, something like a fortress. “In order to have one, you must disarm the snipers, traitors and enemies that may have infiltrated your psyche.”
I spent years fighting my Inner Critic’s voice with positive affirmations and gritted teeth. “Oh, yes, I can!” was my motto. In time, my Inner Critic was quieted, only speaking out when I got an unexpected rejection or bad review. Yet I still wasn’t creating the writing life I dreamed of. Something was holding me back. It took me a long time to realize I still had voices in my head, because the tone and words had changed.
Do any of the following voices live inside your head and keep you from fully pursuing your writing dreams? Listen and see.
Voice of Responsibility
This voice sounds so adult, so sensible. It tells you to grow up, to get your head out of the clouds and your feet back on the ground. “You’re neglecting your children (or your job),” says this voice. “Look at your messy kitchen (or yard or garage).” “You have no business hiring someone else to mow the lawn so you can write!” “You’d better walk the poor dog first.”
Guilt is piled on by this voice, and you crumble under its weight. You put your writing dream on the back burner until a time when you’re less burdened by responsibility.
Voice of Intimidation
This voice is snide and cryptic. It slaps your hand when you try to crawl out of the box that is your life and declare yourself a writer. “Who do you think you are?” this voice asks. “You’ll make a fool of yourself!”
Doubt and low self-worth take these statements as the truth, and that of course only serves to further lower your self-esteem. Cowering, you crawl back in the box and close the lid on your dreams.
(The rest of the article on self-sabotage(which also includes the voices of fear, compassion, and procrastination) is
When you revise your novel or story do you look at what you wrote before or start totally from scratch?
Revise Previous Text
Usually, I’ll work with the text that I already have written. The idea here is that I’m close, but it isn’t quite there yet. In this case, I’m refining the text and story as I go. The story gets minor improvements in specificity with more Show-don’t-Tell sensory details. Or, the pace is quickened or varied more. The text itself is revised to eliminate extraneous words, while listening carefully for the rhythms of the paragraphs, the exactness of word choice — in short, for voice.
Searching for Someone
Keep the Idea, but not the Words
The revision I’m doing currently is a drastic revision of a story. A reader liked my story line, but not the voice of the piece. I’m not sure I agree that the voice is in need of improvement. But I’m always willing to experiment.
In this case, I’ve written out one sentence for each major scene. Now I’ll put away the old draft and re-envision the story. I’ll start by writing ten different openings. Hopefully, number six or seven or eight or so will jump start a totally new voice. I also expect the story itself to change, because voice dictates so much about pacing and events in a story. But it’s a good place to start. I also expect to do a good many of the previous kind of revision before this story comes together with its new voice.
Of the two, I think the hardest revision is to keep the idea and search for a new voice, a new way of telling the story. But all writing is a risk. Who knows if this new approach will work? But ya gotta try.
Ever wonder if you’re good at characterization in your novel or story? A good way to evaluate your skill in characterization is the Page 5 Test.
Page 5 Test: Are you Good at Characterization?
Read the first five pages of your manuscript.
Turn over page 5 and on the back, write everything you know about the main character from those first 5 pages.
Things to record: name, age, location, family role and family details, likes, dislikes, fears, passions, ways of speaking, verbal tics, physical characteristics and tics.
No fair cheating and adding things that you KNOW about the character.
No fair looking back; the characterization must be sharp enough that the character starts to come to life and your reader doesn’t have to look up details.
Stop! Go do the Page 5 Test on your WIP Right NOW. Then come back
Good characterization or Poor Characterization?
Now it’s time to evaluate how well you did. Here are some things the Page 5 Test might reveal.
Lack of information. Often basic information is missing in the first five pages. Often in 1st person novels, the character’s name isn’t given until way after page 5. I know I’m in this character’s head and I know there are stupid and cliched ways to work in a person’s name. But I want to know the character’s name, please. At least by the end of page 5.
Boring. The character’s voice, whether the story is 1st or 3rd, is cliched and boring. Well, it’s hard to be honest about this! If you can’t be, hand the story to a friend or colleague. Lie, and tell them that this is a manuscript you’re reading for a friend; or tell them it’s a manuscript by whatever famous author you’d like to emulate. Ask your reader: after page 5, would you keep reading? Why or why not?
Shallow. Often, we know the character’s name, maybe their age, one or two things about family, their physical appearance (often in great detail) and. . .well, not much more. The characterization is shallow. We get a cartoon character like Betty Boop. We don’t know or care about this character yet. That translates into a reader shutting the book and not reading further!
Celebrate the Good, Fix the Needy Characterization
Not to worry. We all know that first drafts (and sometimes even 8th drafts are just . . . unspeakably bad. But that’s what the next draft is for.
First, NOTICE WHAT YOU DID WELL! I put that in caps, because otherwise, you’ll be like me and skip the good part. You did something well. Notice this! Celebrate.
But, also realize you have room for improvement. In the next draft, maybe you need to work on:
Voice. You may actually know this character inside and out, but just didn’t capture them on the page. In that case, you’ll need to experiment with voice for the character and narrative voice for your story.
Plot. While you’re doing experimenting for voice, you may need to try three or four different opening scenes, until you find one that allows for a rich development of both plot and character. Remember, we don’t need to have all the backstory up front; we don’t need to have all the character questions answered. Wh
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1. I miss my sister. Wah! She was here for a week to celebrate graduating with her Master's degree and my son's 8th birthday. We called her Master Kim 4.0 to in deference to her GPA. I'm lucky to have a sister who is a forever friend. Unlucky that she lives a nomadic life with her military husband so I don't see her much. Sniff.
2. The town pool opens this weekend. Yahoo!
3. My swimsuit and I can't agree if we're ready for this.
4. Thank you to kimberleylittle for the book recommendation, Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton. It's awesome and gives lots of great tips that make this whole voice mystery so much clearer.
4 1/2. Have a fantastic long weekend! Hope there are barbecues and splashing in your future!
p.s. Here is a picture of my sister and I re-enacting her graduation ceremony (my idea--her actual ceremony was very small and she really wanted to throw her cap in the air at the end):
It seems like all literary agents and editors are looking for voice--a unique voice, a new voice, a compelling voice. OK, sign me up. I’ll take one of those. What exactly is it?
Some people say it’s the writer’s style. The words they choose, the tone, length of sentences, organization of paragraphs.
In Finding Your Writer’s Voice by Thaisa Frank & Dorothy Wall, they say: “Your voice is how you write when you don’t have time to be elegant.” They say it’s different from style because it can never be imitated. They then move on to a detailed discussion of raw voice, storytelling voice, the narrator’s voice, first person voice, third person voice. Eek!
I once attended a conference workshop on voice where the presenter spent the entire time reading passages that illustrated good examples of voice. While I agreed that each character’s voice did grab our attention, it certainly wasn’t how I would ever write.
So how do I get voice?*
Here’s my guess:
A.Write truthfully
B.Take on the persona of our main character
C.Seek out unique details to make our character spring to life
D.All of the above
I think it’s probably D. But, if my guess theory is right, then wouldn’t our voice change from book to book?
What are your thoughts? Have you found your voice? Is it as unique as a fingerprint or does it change with what you’re writing?
*Confession: at a recent manuscript critique I was told that my main character lacked voice. Yes, I am now obsessed.
A few weeks ago in “Find a Need and Fill It” I asked for your input concerning the topics you find most helpful in this blog.
Thank you all for the responses! It’s been very helpful. The requests fell into three main categories. Since I blog on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, that made it easy for me. From now on, this will be my general blogging schedule so that I can cover each topic area regularly.
What You Can Expect
Monday = Inner Motivation(includes:)
fears–all kinds!
discipline
focus
goals
rejection
lack of motivation
encouragement
a writer’s dream life
procrastination
working with our “inner editor”
enjoying writing more
perseverance
creative inspiration
writer’s block
Wednesday = Outer Challenges(includes:)
setting boundaries
time management
distractions
discipline
writing schedules
goal setting
balancing writing with chaos in life
balancing day jobs with writing
our writing needs (vs. “their” needs)
self-defeating behaviors
Friday = Tips ‘n’ Tricks of the Trade(includes:)
specific genre help
writing books I’ve found helpful
blogs I find useful
classes I’ve taken
voice (writer’s and character’s)
critique groups
conferences
working with publishers
marketing–all kinds
considering the audience when writing
dealing with publishers who don’t respond
finding good markets
developing depth in writing
selling “unique” pieces instead of jumping on the bandwagon
Thanks for Your Input
All your feedback has been immensely helpful in organizing future blog posts and making sure I cover topics you want to hear about and find useful. If I missed anything on these lists, feel free to let me know!
Editors and agents stress the importance of "voice" in a manuscript. Writers strive to find their "voice" and yet there are no easy definitions for this monster they call VOICE. I love listening to different professionals in the industry share their thoughts on what "Voice" is. After years of listening and digesting this info, I think I'm finally starting to catch on. No. I don't have a clear and easy definition. However, I will share the basic 10 points that Ms. Rees mentioned as being the elements that influence your voice.
1) Character 2) Manner of Expression 3) Narrator 4) Dialogue 5) Setting 6) Perspective 7) Tone 8) Genre 9) You 10) Story
In attempt to digest the things Ms. Rees said about each of the 10 elements, I came home and tried to find a small section of a book that I thought embodied all 10 elements. It's not that easy to do. There are some books that are easy to hear voice. Books like Savvy and Dovey Coe. I wanted to find a section that wasn't quite as colloquial. One where the voice doesn't come from accent or regional flare. Finally, I settled on The Hunger Games. I thought it fitting since Ms. Rees was the editor for this book. Here's a short scene that I love and see as including all of the above influences.
This is a scene from Chapter 5 when Katnis first meets with her prep team for her makeover.
Venia and Octavia, a plump woman whose entire body has been dyed a pale shade of pea green, rub me down with a lotion that stings but then soothes my raw skin. Then they pull me from the table, removing the thin robe I've been allowed to wear off and on. I stand there, completely naked, as the three circle me, wielding tweezers to remove any last bits of hair. I know I should be embarrassed, but they're so unlike people that I'm no more self-conscious than if a trio of oddly colored birds were pecking around my feet.
The three step back and admire their work. "Excellent! You almost look like a human being now!" Says Flavius and they all laugh.
I force my lips up into a smile to show how grateful I am. "Thank you," I say sweetly. "We don't have much cause to look nice in District Twelve."
This wins them over completely. "Of course, you don't you poor darling!" Says Octavia clasping her hands together in distress for me.
"But don't worry," says Venia. "By the time Cinna is through with you, you're going to be absolutely gorgeous!"
"We promise! You know, now that we've gotten ride of all the hair and filthy, you're not horrible at all!" Says Flavius encouragingly. "Let's call Cinna!"
They dart out of the room. It's hard to hate my prep team. They're such total idiots, Ad yet, in an odd way I know that they're sincerely trying to help me.
So, How does this one section envelope all 10 elements?
First I see how the Characters, their perspectives of each other, the manner in which they speak, their actions, the setting the tone they use w/ one another . . . it all blends together making this scene vivid in my minds eye. The tension. The co
15 Comments on Jennifer Rees, editor at Scholastic, talks about "Voice", last added: 4/29/2010
I tend to think of voice as undefinable--something you can feel or recognize rather than truly explain. And I wanted to add another example that's really working for me.
I'm about 100 pages into a debut YA novel by Swati Avasthi called SPLIT. (To be clear, I don't know this author, and choose to read the book because of a review.) When I have to put this book down, some of the things I ponder are the risks this author takes in assuming we--the reader--is intelligent and can make leaps (and how well that works) and how her voice word and scene choices give this story life.
So, anyone interested in exploring those issues should pick up that book. (And I promise, no royalties will fall my way. LOL.)
Tina
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Wow, great post Christy! You took some time and thought on this one. A while back I wrote this about voice: Voice is how we choose to string words together.It is an invisible glue, it is the space between words, it is what is not there and yet permeates the page. Like gravity, it is the weakest force, yet it binds a story-universe together and keeps it from flying off into chaos.
What a great post. I just love the Hunger Games series. Sigh.
It's interesting about the present tense because I noticed that right away and how strong it made the tension. But if you notice, there are long streams of flashbacks so the present tense doesn't wear on the reader. She's done a great job writing it!
I love Hunger Games too. The tension is flawless! I found it interesting about the tense as well. Glad I'm not the only one. :0)
Hi CL! thnx for stopping by. I hear that Jennifer will be at the LA conference this year too. She really is awesome!
Hi Donna! yes, you have to read the Hunger Games. It's brilliant. I gave it to my hubby to read and he loved it too. That's saying a lot because YA lit isn't his genre.
Thnx Kit! So glad you stopped by. We miss you at Critique group!
I have received several personal rejection letters saying that they loved the story, but didn't relate to the "voice." I even spoke with the head of the SCBWI here in AZ at a meeting and she made a face when I told her. I don't think anyone really knows what "voice" can mean...well until you shared it with us! Thanks!!!!
Wow ... what great information, Christy! And, agreed ... she is adorable ... before I even started reading, I'd noticed her clothing and those awesome boots! :-)
Oxford University Press joins a large community of friends, colleagues, performers, and students in mourning the passing of Shirlee Emmons Baldwin, one of the most beloved and strongest voices in the education, nurturing, and career development of singers. Having been trained as a classical singer myself, it was with great pride that I “inherited” Shirlee’s three titles when I began work at the Press—Power Performance for Singers (1998), Prescriptions for Choral Excellence (with Constance Chase; 2006), and Researching the Song (with Wilbur Watkins Lewis; also 2006). Through these books and others, and in the hearts of all those she touched, Shirlee’s voice will continue to resound and enlighten.
I am pleased to be able to share these beautiful words from Maribeth Payne, former OUP music editor who worked most closely with Shirlee and who had a long-lasting friendship with her:
As an author, Shirlee was great to work with–attentive, timely, responsive, hard-working, fun. Her work was the foundation of the professional voice list at OUP. But she was also a lovely, warm, generous person and a friend. Her voice was so resonant, I always had to shut my door when she came to the office–but the sound still got through. Her laugh was infectious and a joy to hear. She was also enormously helpful to young singers, several of whom I sent her way for lessons long after she had stopped teaching at Barnard and Princeton. One young man is now pursuing a budding opera career in Germany. Her studio was always completely full, but she took these students anyway, simply because I asked her to do so. I will really miss her.
0 Comments on In Memory: Shirlee Emmons Baldwin as of 1/1/1900
Today’s workshop comes from Beth. Here’s what she had to say about her submission:
Wondering if it is too vague? Also transitions to new paragraphs seem rough? Blurts of information then off to another idea… too many thought streams without fully delving into the ideas presented?
And here’s the material! Once again, I’ll put the submission without commentary first, then post it again with comments.
***
I never expected my twin sister Lily to become my arch nemesis. The spring we were forced to move into my late Great Uncle’s abandoned estate, our roles shifted. Not just Lily’s. Mother’s did. Divinia’s. Father’s. Zeda’s. All but mine. Lilia Cotton was a born princess and Uncle Red’s estate would prove it.
The forest seemed to beckon me, that first trip up the winding gravel drive to our new residence. The wind blowing limbs towards me and the back skyward, like a hand saying come here, come closer.
Mother saw it too, and heard me dreaming up adventures.
“You never go into the forest alone.”
“None of you,” she added post-script, making sure all four of us girls were listening. The leash was for me, she dangled the handle so my sisters would know to grab hold if I tried to run free. It was understood that I would try, I couldn’t help it. Divinia, the eldest masterfully anticipated my insatiable curiosities and foiled me every time, keeping us at constant odds with each other.
When Mother was the age I am now she was just like me. That’s why she says we bicker like we do, we’re too much alike, but I just think that’s what Mothers and daughters do. If she ever was like me, something killed that part of her.
Trips to Uncle Red’s were regular for her, revolving around school breaks, weekends, time-off. Her uncle was alive back then, and the house, once full of life was now scattered with bones, a skeleton itself, anything good having long decayed.
***
I never expected my twin sister Lily to become my arch nemesis. The spring we were forced to move into my late Great Uncle’s abandoned estate, our roles shifted. Not just Lily’s. Mother’s did. Divinia’s. Father’s. Zeda’s. All but mine. Lilia Cotton was a born princess and Uncle Red’s estate would prove it.
There’s a lot of telling here. I’d much rather SEE how these twins became enemies (and I’m not quite sure what KIND of enemies. Are they psychologically cruel to each other in a realistic sense or will one of them be wearing a mask and a cape?) than being told about it. That takes the impact of this shift in relationship away. “Our roles shifted” is dry. Then we’re introduced to a lot of people and it’s disorienting. Again, the focus in this paragraph, the first one your reader sees, isn’t on the main character but the sister. That’s fine, but that establishes some distance from the main character right off the bat.
The forest seemed to beckon me, that first trip up the winding gravel drive to our new residence. The wind blowing limbs towards me and the back skyward, like a hand saying come here, come closer.
Mother saw it too, and heard me dreaming up adventures.
Reverse the order of the first sentence so we know we’re driving and where we’re driving to before we see the forest, otherwise we’re disoriented. I don’t know if I’m reading something wrong but I have no idea what “The wind blowing limbs toward me and the back skyward” means… “And THEN back skyward”? Typo? Also, I don’t know how someone can “hear” someone’s thoughts. Maybe another verb here. Good characterization of the mother/daughter relationship, though.
3 Comments on Writing Voice: SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR, last added: 9/17/2010
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Is the advice “write what you know” valid? Yes, definitely. And no, not always.
keep the information in a writer’s notebook.
You’ve often heard the phrase “you are your own worst enemy.” Does this apply to you when trying to create a writing life you love? It certainly applies to me!
the voices of 
How to Write a Picture Book
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A few weeks ago in 
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Pam Mc and Matthew Quick, Jenny Martin. Jenny Martin said: Writing Voice: SORTA LIKE A ROCK STAR http://bit.ly/bKJbny [...]
Amber’s voice is as captivating as her journey is inspirational. This is an outstanding novel that is hard to put down and impossible to forget. Kudos to Mr. Quick.
Scott: I agree whole-heartedly. Thanks for elaborating.