Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Writing Voice: Getting Through the Squeaky Stage


Yesterday, I was discussing voice with a writing friend. She’s just begun a new novel and was anxious because she didn’t have the voice down. I reminded her of my favorite quote about first drafts, “A first draft is a celebration of everything that can go wrong on a page.”

But then, we began to discuss voice in more depth. She mentioned that when she writes short stories, the voice is always there at the beginning. And as I thought about it, I realized that when I write shorts, I always start with a voice. But when I write a novel, I never start with a full-formed voice (although with sequels it’s easier because the voice is already established).

Then the ten thousand dollar question is “Why.” What’s the difference? I think because a short story is so focused around the narrative voice, everything (plot, character, etc.) flows from that voice.

But novels are altogether different. Even the simplest novel, is a series of “clashes” between character, plot, tone, and voice. Not only are the characters refined as they bump up against each other, but the characters are sharpened by the plot. And the plot is honed by the tone and voice, which in turn influence the characters. And not until you get all of these ingredients into the cauldron of the novel, does the magic elixir of voice finally rise to the top.

I’m not saying that there isn’t some sort of voice at the beginning. I think you do start with an immature voice—you have to. After all, the voice helps to control where the story goes. But I think when you start a novel with a “little boy’s voice.” It’s squeaky and cute, not what you want to end up with, but it communicates and sets the arc of the story.

As the novel matures through revision, the voice changes. It takes on nuance and inflection. It deepens, much like the little boy whose voice goes through puberty to become a wide ranging tenor or rumbles in a bass profundo.

What about you, writers? Is this your experience of voice? Or do voices come to you fully formed and mature? (If so, I’m really, really jealous.)

9 comments:

  1. My character's voice is usually what comes first, long before the plot's been worked out in my brain. Why? Because if the voice doesn't catch me, I'm not intrigued enough to write the story.

    I have to care about the character to write her (or his) story. And I can't do that unless I hear the character in my head. But the downside is that my plot sometimes takes a spin I never expected... Sometimes I wish I could put my characters on a leash! Except then the story wouldn't be nearly so interesting.

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  2. By virtue of its brevity alone, a short story has no choice but to establish voice quickly. Let's call it a caveman approach to romance. A novel, on the other hand, has the luxury of developing voice and story slowly, more like an enticing seduction. That being said, as a writer, the main character's voice has to "speak" to me to get me to write a story, whether it be long or short, so it's a starting point for me. Even if voice isn't immediately apparent to a reader, it has to be fairly full-blown in my mind from the start. (Albeit, subject to change.)

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  3. Voice for me is often in flux and doesn't tend to gel in the first draft, when I focus more on the main story incidents.

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  4. I let characters be as whiny or bitter or cynical in the first draft (clearly I have a less-than-chipper inner voice to contend with. LOL.) In revision, I tinker with voice a fair amount, going more complex rather than knee-jerk obvious with emotions and creating more links among all the various parts of characterization--like the characters' attitudes and associations, which are a product of their histories (not always well developed until late in the process).

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  5. Ha, I commented twice because I thought my first one disappeared. Oh well, my second comment is more detailed! :-D

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  6. Wow, Laurel, you must write a lot like my writing friend and I do. What you do sounds a lot like the process I go through.

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  7. Usually, I have a general sense of voice, but like you said, it becomes more distinct and refined with writing. As I learn more about the characters, their voices too become more distinct. Sometimes though, like once in a blue moon, a character will just pop up with a very distinct voice - but those tend to be very "voice-y" characters.

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  8. I don't tend to nail the voice in a first draft. I usually just try to get the basic story down.

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  9. Voice usually comes first to me. I write heavily character-based stories - my plots usually spin out from the characters' personalities, instead of the characters fitting into the plots, so, like Juturna said up above there, if the voice doesn't grab me right away, there's not usually much story to write. My problem with first drafts is that my plot tends to ramble and wander all over the place! My second draft involves a whole lot of plot-pruning :-)

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