Writing-Tips and Tricks

Voices Inside My Head

Yes, Maxine is in my head ofte, but I can't think of the good comebacks as fast as she does.

About voice:

I had a difficult time figuring out what "voice" meant when applied to writing. Still not always sure my ideas match with everyone else, or anyone else. But here's my take on it.

Voice is how you recognize who wrote something. If you read something written by Stephen King or Dean Koontz, and you're read things by them in the past, you will likely recognize the style/voice, which often go together.

King has an everyman, conversational style, characters you recognize and fall in love with because you grew up with them. Koontz has amazing imagery when he writes. Is this voice, style or a combination of both.

When I write fiction, my voice shines more when I write in 1st person. Then the character's voice will burst through so you know when she is speaking, or he. For most nonfiction, mine is a conversational style, with humor when appropriate, unless it's technical writing, then all bets are off and we won't tackle that here.

If you are a music fan, you can probably listen to a new piece of music by Vivaldi or John Williams, recognise their style/voice, and know who wrote it without being told. It's that way with writers who have a stong voice.

How do you get there? Practice, paying attention to how your writing sounds. My friend Amy Shojai has a distinct voice whether she is writing fiction or nonfiction. I'll know it right away. Read widely and pay attention to voice as well as style, they are often tied together. 

Real Life or Reel Life

Does anyone watch reality shows, like, real ones? Not the ones with games, and winners and strategy, but the kind where cameras are showing a slice of "real life" complete with drama and interaction. People living in a house together.

What would happen if you put a writer in a reality show? Even if it were Stephen King, big household name, money the whole ball of wax. He writes horror so what kind of strange things go in in that house?

What would happen? Ghost visits? Cocktail party with famous people, party all the time? Or, nothing. Okay, he's a writers, he writes every day. The camera would show someone in front of a computer typing, or not. Gazing off into space-caption...caracterization, plotting, dialogue in head-then typing again, for hours, with breaks to drink a soda, research something, then back to staring at a computer and typing.

Where is the drama, screaming fights, enemy attacks, in the writer's head or on the paper, certainly not on the reality camera. The cameramen are asleep for God's sake. Writers do not lead glamorous lives most of the time, they just do their job and create a world to which the rest of us can escape.

I live real life, I don't need to watch it for entertainment. Anyone watch Castle this week? I want to watch something with a beginning, middle and end, plus some resolution. Or maybe just read a good book. How about you?