Comments from my editor during first edit of my latest manuscript contracted for publication led to some deep self reflection this week . Comments like ‘old fashioned word-replace’ made me think about the difference between author voice and the way we write our characters’ dialogue.
On a fresh read through, it quickly became obvious that one of my characters was speaking with my voice, rather than using the words gained through her life experiences and I had a bad case of author intrusion!
Where does our author voice come from? How often do we hear that publishers, agents and editors are seeking that new voice? What is voice? How is it defined? Indeed a recent competition I entered was even called New Voices competition!
Hmm... many questions.
For me, voice in reading, writing and editing is the perspective from which an author writes. It is an outlook on life and the world combined with a stylistic delivery that makes that voice unique. One definition I read defined author voice as the author's attitude, personality, and character.
I find myself disagreeing with this. If that was the case wouldn’t all of our characters be too similar?
Where do our characters personalities and attributes come from?We know that characters use words that the writer is familiar with. A character cannot use a word without it coming first through the writer! So how does a writer give a character the words to suit their personality without using their own voice? The writer must actively choose the words that best fit their character, their sex and age, the genre, the type of action, the scene, the tone of the story, and the impact the writer is aiming for.
So on reflection... my female university researcher no longer said. “That would be lovely.” as I am known to say. She now replies. “That’s great!” And the interaction between the characters was much stronger from that small change.
What do you think? What do you think makes for a good voice? Why do you enjoy some writers more than others? Leave me a comment...
Hi Annie,
ReplyDeleteYou ask a lot of questions this week. I feel that it is critical that we as writers provide intelligible and articulate expression in words in order to illuminate those emotions that fall beyond words.
One way we writers achieve what falls beyond words is through ‘voice’. I don't believe it possible for our own voice not slip through the cracks when we are immersed in character mode. After all the voice does come from our inner and deeper workings that is our creativity but dually from our inner self. They both make up part of a whole so it's rather difficult at times to not let a little of ourselves seep onto the page.
What makes a good voice? Why do you enjoy some writers more than others? For myself a good voice enables the reader to travel within the pages of a text and become a part of that story. Enjoyment is reached when I as the reader am allowed the luxury of exploring with the characters or in some instances cast into their shoes and world for a while and this is to me the magic of writing and the magic of voice. Because it is through voice that we are able to achieve this and that is why some writers are more entertaining and impressionable than others.
Hope I didn't babble too much.
Effie
Great insight , Effie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting.