I'll do my best.
Voice.
(clears throat) I mean, (stretches fingers)
If you spend any time on the publishing blogs, you'll invariably come across the mention of voice. Someone's got it. We all want it. Agents love it. Publishers can't get enough. The ever-elusive Voice.
Oftentimes, I think discussions of voice get confusing. This is because, to me, people aren't always talking about the same thing.
Voice, in the truest sense of the word, is YOU. It's how you put words and thoughts together on the page. It's all your beliefs, your dreams, your hopes. You come across on the page differently than I do. Just as you speak differently than I do.
I think where we fall short is that we hold back. You can't hold back! We have to push ourselves to a limit we didn't know existed, and then we have to push farther. We also have to write. A lot. Voice comes with experience. It takes time to find that unique perspective that lives inside us all. It takes work.
Now for the other "voice."* The Narrator's Voice. To me, this is a different beast. I can make my characters be all sorts of things. My narrator might be chatty, or snarky, or quietly witty. But this is not my voice. This is my character, my creation. My voice comes through her, but her voice is not mine. Her voice is only a small part of what I have created, what I strive to achieve.
I've struggled with Voice. Both kinds. But there's no hunting it down. I think it finds you when you're ready. I've learned to stop searching and just write.
What about you? What are your thoughts on Voice?
*Not to be confused with the voices in your head. That I can't help you with.
26 thoughts:
I totally agree with you here, except one thing. I agree on the two types of voice. The narrator's voice is very difficult for me to handle. But, I disagree on the idea of not holding back your voice.
We all have totally different 'voices', some are quiet and polite, they tell an endearing story. Others are to the point and keep the story flowing with their appropriate use of language. My voice is LOUD, like "Heeeyyy!!!" And a lot of times, people don't get me, so I have to edit, edit, and edit myself. I feel like I am an iceberg, taking myself down, but when I edit, I whittle away the white, airy ice and end up with a polished sculpture...or at least one day I will.
Great analogy, Jonathon.
I think editing yourself can be a good thing, as long as you don't edit your voice into oblivion.
What I think I was trying to say when I said not to hold back is that we can't hold back our feelings, out thoughts, our opinions. Those need to come through in our writing. They are what make our voice.
I agree with you. Sometimes it is so hard to express what you are trying to say let alone do it in a 'voice' that you want to express it in. You can't hold back though, I have learned this the hard way. You have to say it or you will be looked over. As for your characters--you need to understand your chracater to know what their 'voice' is. Even if some of the writers 'voice' comes through with it.
I think finding my "voice" was probably the easiest part of writing for me it was worrying whether my "voice" was what other people wanted to hear . . . or well, read rather.
I think characters voices are scariest for me because I don't want my characters to seem too much the same. I have a habit of writing from different perspectives in my stories and one thing that I am always looking out for is if my characters seem too much a like in their voice and if their voice is unique to them and truly shows who they are. But yeah, what you so is so definitely true though. And you do need to push yourself and not hold back.
(p.s I have no idea why it deleted my last comment. random!)
Nice post Anissa! I like your points and think you've pretty much nailed it.
I think my voice comes through, but I'm not sure whether it's strong or relatable. Guess I'll see. :-)
I started working on a project, which I've been thinking about for awhile, and I had alway sort of imagined the narrator's voice, but when I actually started writing she turned out different than I had pictured her. At first I was unhappy, but now I kind of like it. She's actually more interesting and real than the voice I had always imagined her having.
I really like how you defined voice. I think it's hard to not hold back in your writing, that's something that I struggle with. But really that's the way your writing has power, because you have something no one else does. Well they have it, just differently.
Ah, Voice. We meet again.
Nice post, Anissa!
Love the post, Anissa. In general, I'm confident in my individual author voice. I've written various types of fiction and creative nonfiction, and readers have always said they can "hear me" come through.
(Total squee moment there.)
I'm working on my Narrator's voice, especially since I'm writing a multiple POV book -- with a close third person narrator. For each POV, the narrator's voice shifts to echo the character, and I constantly re-examine my work to make sure it's faithful in every line.
My MC's Voice just kind of popped out while I was writing her. I keep my fingers crossed that it happens for me every time! :)
MY secondaries though... I did need to revise some of them during edits, so that they each also had their distinct Voice.
I think the best think you can do is really understand what motivates your characters. What drives them to act the way they do... And when you know that, their Voices will just happen naturally!
You're so right: Voice comes with (writing) experience. The more you write, the more you embrace your author's voice. And your voice is as unique to you as your fingerprint.
As far as narrator's voice, this is an important area to master as well. If your MC is an eight-year-old who uses collegiate-style vocabulary or sophisticated word patterns, he isn't going to come across as authentic to the reader. That's just one example, but capturing your characters' voices is also a skill honed by a regular writing practice.
Great post!!
The same thoughts run through my own mind. I also view my Voice as something separate to the Narrator's.
In fact, my main dilemma always seems to be getting my MC's Voice to shine through in my writing. It's the part I always seem to be troubled over. 'Does this sound like something he would say?'
It's all very nitty gritty and I have to keep myself from throwing a tanty and scrapping everything on the spot because I just haven't quite captured it yet but I keep at it.
Excellent points you bring up. Now you have my mind caught in on the subject of Voice too, a place I need to be more often. ♥
My individual voice has always been easy for me to convey, because for some reason I just love expressing my opinion, thoughts, and feelings (whether I'm always able to keep it from suffocating my readers, however, has yet to be determined). Narrator's voice, though, is often a lot harder for me. Sometimes I can't quite separate what I think from what my narrator thinks, and when the lines begin to blur, I think it's harder for my audience to understand and empathize with what I write.
You're right - writing and writing a lot does help polish the author and narrator's voice, but I don't think I'll ever grow out of having to over-analyze every line to make sure I'm staying true to the voices of my characters. Editing is my best friend. <3
(And yes, I am a new follower. Just wanted to point that out! <333)
Hey Anissa!
Great post. Like many here, I've never had a problem with my personal voice. People tell me I write exactly as I talk. That's great in a column or a memoir, but can be problematic in fiction. I'm struggling with it right now in a novel I'm working on, which is completely different from anything I've tried before. Voice of a British 40-something man!? Uh, Sharon?!?! Clever girl!!?
Not to worship at the altar of Twilight, but I loved finding Midnight Sun, the Edward version of Twilight, on Stephenie Meyer's site. As I read it, his character, his VOICE, was SO much clearer to me, and I realized I had been giving Edward too many human characteristics. Reading Midnight Sun, you absolutely see he is NOT human. Kudos to SM for being able to do that!
It took me a while to find my voice. I think writing in first person makes it easier to find voice, but that could just be because I only write in third person. I think I've got it down now- I've had several readers comment that the voice is strong now.
Yay!
It took me a while to find my voice. I think writing in first person makes it easier to find voice, but that could just be because I only write in third person. I think I've got it down now- I've had several readers comment that the voice is strong now.
Yay!
Can you come teach my 4th grader writers about voice. They look at me like I'm an alien every time I talk about it.
For me, voice is the greatest part about writing. Each character talks through me and I write it down.
As for the voices in my head, WHY can't you help me shut them up?? They talk too much.
I'm the Queen of voices. Hello? Jade Hears Voices!
I really struggle with creating a MC that doesn't talk like me. The urge to have them say, "Dude, that's an epic fail" is really strong sometimes. Often I'll create a minor character that's a reflection of me.
I totally agree with what you say too. Voice (both kinds) is hard--at least for me. One day I'll nail it.
Excellent post - I love the distinction you made
This is a great post. Finding a writer who has a unique voice is always the best!
And I agree, sometimes finding one's voice can be hard. But once you've found it, it never goes hoarse. : )
I loved this post!
The writing program that our school uses focuses on voice from kindergarten on (sometimes, I find, to the detriment of basic technical skills - i.e. capitals and periods, etc. - we work that in on our own), so we have had tons of training on bringing out your "writer's voice". It has made me ever-aware of voice in pretty much everything I read. (Sometimes I wish I could turn off my inner voiceometer).
I have done a lot of writing for myself but I am just at the beginning of my first real novel, and what I'm finding is that I very easily slip into my MC's voice. It took me a while to decide on first vs. third person and when her voice finally came to me, she made the first person decision for me - it became very easy to write in her voice.
However... I have to be really able to write - by myself, somewhere quiet - to slip into the scene as my character.
I have an award for you at my blog! You may already have it, but I'm giving it to you again, because you're awesome!
Yes--this distinction is important. I'm not sure I'm completely in my writerly groove yet for my own voice--my own rhythm and nuances. I'm hoping that will come with time. But many times my character's voice comes to me very clearly. Great post.
I think agents and editors are usually talking about the narrators voice (which is good, because we can change that one!) There is no solid right or wrong when it comes to voice though. My manuscript has been on submission since October and half of the editors LOVE the voice, and the other half either hate it or don't think it sparkles enough. It's all a taste thing in the end.
Great discussion, everyone! I love it!
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