Developing a Voice
I had lunch today with two of my old college journalism professors. I was reminded of a literary journalism class I took, and how I had to fight to find my voice.
It's a funny thing . . . I can't define my voice. But I know it's this intrinsic part of me. I have had a number of fans who have written me over the years and said they can always tell one of my books by my trademark "voice," or my vivid characters. But I'm here, several years into fiction writing, and I am still discovering it.
Writing FREUDIAN SLIP (Red Dress Ink, 2008) these few months, which I blogged about a couple of days ago, I have discovered more than anything I have ever written, this natural cross between whimsy and a sense of the absurd, and a sardonic edge of humor. It feels so natural, and flows so freely, I feel like perhaps my voice was waiting to open up into the absurd all along.
But I couldn't really begin to discover this voice until I had the basics down (thank you to my writing teachers and old professors, my critique partners along the way, and so on). I also sense that I used to have a voice that was rather dark and also rather "removed" from me. Somehow it wasn't organic to who I am. Now, my voice flows freely from me without even thinking about it. I also, not so coincidentally, went through so many changes in my personal life, that I think my voice came into being when I became the person I truly felt I was meant to be--embodied the principles I struggled to learn, the courage I fought to find, the fearlessness that's not always there but was discovered through hardship, illness, divorce, and loss. The whimsy found through joy.
But I still can't describe it for sure. How about you? Have you found your natural voice, some way of writing that "speaks" to your being as a writer. That is natural for you. A fit. Distinctive and unique?
It's a funny thing . . . I can't define my voice. But I know it's this intrinsic part of me. I have had a number of fans who have written me over the years and said they can always tell one of my books by my trademark "voice," or my vivid characters. But I'm here, several years into fiction writing, and I am still discovering it.
Writing FREUDIAN SLIP (Red Dress Ink, 2008) these few months, which I blogged about a couple of days ago, I have discovered more than anything I have ever written, this natural cross between whimsy and a sense of the absurd, and a sardonic edge of humor. It feels so natural, and flows so freely, I feel like perhaps my voice was waiting to open up into the absurd all along.
But I couldn't really begin to discover this voice until I had the basics down (thank you to my writing teachers and old professors, my critique partners along the way, and so on). I also sense that I used to have a voice that was rather dark and also rather "removed" from me. Somehow it wasn't organic to who I am. Now, my voice flows freely from me without even thinking about it. I also, not so coincidentally, went through so many changes in my personal life, that I think my voice came into being when I became the person I truly felt I was meant to be--embodied the principles I struggled to learn, the courage I fought to find, the fearlessness that's not always there but was discovered through hardship, illness, divorce, and loss. The whimsy found through joy.
But I still can't describe it for sure. How about you? Have you found your natural voice, some way of writing that "speaks" to your being as a writer. That is natural for you. A fit. Distinctive and unique?
posted by Erica Orloff at 4:28 PM
14 Comments:
It's a great feeling! I started out in first person, and then I kept hearing "beginners should never write in first person," so I switched to third. Then one day, I switched back, and everything opened up for me.
The third person work was invaluable in teaching me to get out of the way my first person, though! And I've thought I've arrived at my voice several times, LOL. Shows you what I know! ;-)
I can't describe it either, Erica (I'll leave it to the critics), but I feel like I've found my voice in my wip. Sometimes you just know. You know?
Keeping my fingers crossed that this is the one.
I'm sure I've found my voice.... at least I hope so, if not I'm in deep do-do because I can't imagine writing any other way.
That doesn't mean I'm not going to be honing my craft over the years. My skills as a writer have improved with each book I've written. But my voice has remained constant... the rest is just trappings.
Hi Spy:
I always wrote in first . . . so switching to third was a very exciting process for me--just the reverse!
E
Jude:
To me, it seems like you know who Colt is, inside and out. I think that's the half of it.
E
sara:
That's wonderful. Every once in a while I will still stumble--particularly in writing comedy. I don't want the same comic voice in every book--each character has to have her or his own comic observations--so that's a challenge for me sometimes.
E
I know I've discovered the notes I definitely can NOT sing.But I don't think I've fully explored my range yet.
I think you made a great catch, Erica, when you said knowing the characters inside and out is half the battle. The writers voice is intrinsically tied to his/her characters voice. If the writer becomes too 'set' on a voice, it can make the characters come off monotone. I've seen this happen with several prolific and successful writers. Not to say that they don't still tell a good story, but if you read 2-3 of their books in a row, the 'sameness' becomes very apparent.
lainey:
I agree with you. Every once in a while, I'll pause when I'm writing and think, "No . . . Lily in Do They Wear High Heels In Heaven said that once." Or something like that. I have to be certain that there isn't a sameness--which can be tricky because there is an element of me in my first-person characters.
E
Absolutely! Like Spy I got told not to do thigns I did. I decided to ignore the advice and I found my voice in my third 'script. It was amazing. It's like when you write a scene and you know it works or it's just right and you get all giddy--or smiliar =)
You're in the zone.
Love visiting the zone--but half the time I'm not sure how I got there. :-)
E
My natural voice is third person--though I've a WIP on the backburner in first which has a voice that does pop off the page.
Like every one else, I can't describe it, but I do find that it shifts somewhat between WIPs, a shift that's more significant if I shift between genres as well. Is that a sign that I've not found my voice yet or what?
may:
Versatility is wonderful in a career, and I think switching voice and POV and experimenting and trying new genres is great. I think that sometimes though, a writer finds a natural voice that speaks from them . . . maybe it's a chick lit voice (vs. a straight romance), or sardonic, or edgier, or darker . . . and that can sometimes follow them from work to work. I think of voice as the way the words on the page "speak" aloud. What's the tone?
E
Erica:
Edgy, and on the dark side mostly--at least I hope the second part's true because the stories I tell are dark. It can be a bit 'epic' when I work on 'bigger stories,' which are usually fantasy.
That edge is very sharp in first person--which I don't like writing because I find it takes longer to slide into the headspace I need.
There are elements that read the same no matter what I'm writing, but it's just noticeably different when I write different things.
Have I ever told you how much I love your blog? If I've not, consider yourself told. :)
Thanks, May! You made my day.
:-)E
Post a Comment
<< Home