We’ve been thinking about voice and themes and brands lately on our AotP loop. This seems reasonable since 2/3 of us have already signed up for Barbara Samuel’s voice class.
In thinking about my voice, I’ve been trying to embrace who I am and what I really need and want to write. I don’t really think these things are so secret, but sometimes it’s more difficult to see it in yourself than in your writer buddies.
I think back to what I’ve read that gives me the most pleasure, what I’ve been drawn to in life, the things I’ve done right and the things I’ve done very wrong, the relationships I’ve had, and the thoughts that float in my head. In doing so, I’ve made a couple of observations.
1. I like to think. I like to read a book where at some point or points I have to put it down and think about it – not to understand it, but because there’s something in it I want to roll around in my head for awhile. Usually this is something unsettling – either in a good way or a bad one. Regardless, it shifts your universe just a little in letting into your head.
2. When I see scenes in my head, they are never sunny (in a weather sense). They are darker. Cloudy. Heavy fog. Mists. Early morning or late evening. Deep gray-blues of impending storms. Um, my voice, I’ve come to accept, has a dark edge to it. I don’t know why this ever surprised me.
3. I read once in a personality profile that the worlds I create in my head are so much more interesting than the one I inhabit. I inhabit a busy, active world full of opportunity. But, yeah, the one in my head is filled with magic. Magic pervades all my day dreams. Evil is around every corner and the heroes and heroines living there must call on all their resources – good and evil – to survive. The people in my head don’t live in a black and white world. They inhabit psyches of gray – right and wrong blur in an epic battle of good vs. evil. And that may seem contradictory, but it isn’t. Have you ever had to do the wrong thing for the greater good?
4. Alyson has a death thing (I hope it’s ok to say that Alyson) in her voice, but underneath it is a celebration of life and a humor that pervades the sadness of death. My voice doesn’t really have death in it, but rather dark decisions (key word there) that alter the internal balance of people and the external balance of the world. (I really think in a statement about my voice, the word “epic” has to be in there somewhere.) The characters in my head are wounded by dark choices – either theirs or others.
5. I read once that you want your heroine to be someone with whom you’d want to be friends – a person a little bit more upstanding than most. Nope. I don’t agree at all. Yes, I think in some peoples’ books, that is who the heroine should be, but not in mine. In mine, the heroine has to have a little darkness in her – something that gives her an edge. Edgy – another word I’d like to describe my voice.
Ah, I should stop now. I have to get ready for a writing workshop. Instead of being my trademark late, I have to be on time – at least – since I’m coffee girl today at the meeting.
Tell me about your voice observations. Make 5 points. Where are you now?
Macy
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7 comments:
A death thing? A death thing!!! How could you . . . just kidding. Yep, I do and yep, you can say it:) I'm thinking on my five points and I'll be back later today or sometime tomorrow:) Great post. I can't wait to hear about your new SERIES!
Alyson
All right. Here we go. Five points-- which spring from Macy's--
1. I like to think, too. I like to gain insight, ponder things, try to figure out things, be surprised. I also like to laugh. A lot. And feel. I want to feel a wide range of emotions. Please, please don't bore me.
2.I see, in my mind, two kinds of skies-- first, a sunny, bright, bright, bright cerulean sky. A warm, fresh breeze lightly shakes the green leaves on big oak trees, the smell of flowers floats on the air, children laugh as they play ball in a neighbor's yard
OR a stormy summer sky with lightening and thunder and high winds and destruction. Pouring, pouring rain. It's so dark, it could be night, but it's three in the afternoon. Tornado warnings abound.
3. I'm not epic. I'm everyday, middle class, Midwestern life-- for really fun people rather than vanilla people. For funky, fun people who seem like they should live in New Orleans or Paris or London or Key West-- anywhere but in the Midwest. In my world you there is no vanilla -- you mix rainbow sherbert with a flourless, decadent double fudge brownie, and throw on some hemp seed instead of nuts. And maybe drink it alongside glog or shiraz or imported beer.I believe in magic, of course. I see magic everywhere. But my magic is everyday magic. The kind of magic that you know about and may or may not believe in. I'm a little trendy, a little quirky, a wee bit new-agey, somewhat angsty, smart alecky and bold-- edgy according to some, but not dark edgy/bright -- I'm "turn the lights on really, really, really bright so it almost hurts your eyes" edgy. I'm "admit that death is part of life and deal with it" edgy. I'm "bold dating scene, but no I don't mean erotica" edgy.
4. My characters are people you might know, or want to know-- They're not straight laced. They're impulsive. They get that from moi. They're fun. They're flawed. They're pretty smart about a lot of things but not always their own situations. Hmmm. Upstanding? Yes and no. They swear like troopers, they like sex and they like to have a heck of a good time. I'd want to be friends with them, of course, cuz they're all basically me. Well, except for Heather and Suze. I don't like them much. But they'll be redeemed eventually. I believe in redemption.
5. I like pop culture and literary references. I also like the idea of my stories being open to multiple interpretations. I like it when you can look at a story from multiple lenses. Hmmm, you might say, did she time travel or not? Maybe she is delusional. Hmmm, you could interpret that as her spells working, or not. To me, it feels forced when everything is wrapped up really tight. Nothing is ever wrapped up that tightly in real life, and lots of things are open to interpretation.
Okay-- so what does that say about my voice exactly? And what about everyone else?
As always, ignore mega typos in the above. Now, where is everyone else in our group? Hello? Hello?
You are most definitely bright cerulean blue and wild storms, whereas I'm more of the impending storm. Interesting, huh?
Also, too true -- you are quirky life (and death) and realism and irreverence -- all as coping mechanisms for what life kicks our way. I'm the sorceress on the hill with a magic staff in hand, lightening striking it from the sky, packs made with forces that should have stayed hidden.
And, yes, your characters are the enegmatic souls that draw you in like a magnet and capture you with blazen humor. My characters are more reserved -- like me -- with a dark desire to resolve their quest regardless the cost.
I can't wait for our voice class. It's the perfect timing, too. I would not have been ready for it 6 months ago.
Macy
My comment is so long that I've decided to post it as a blog...
Katrina
Hey Katrina, can't wait to read your post.
Hey Macy. You know, your voice does have that ominous, pending storm quality. Very much so. That was a very astute observation on your part. As soon as you tapped into that, your storytelling gained a tremendous energy. Your Kat story utilizes it more than your Maggie story did, and for me, it made a huge difference, even though I was always jealous, jealous, jealous of your writing chops:) Also, it is so true that your characters are weighted down with responsibility. They carry the weight and fate of the world on their shoulders. There's definitely a darkness-- the forces they are fighting are so sinister.
I've been thinking about the edgy part of your voice, cuz I think of your voice as so smooth-- but the edge is there, very definitely-- it's the kind of edge that cuts deeply quickly, cleanly. I don't think of it as a messy or serrated edge, if that makes sense, even though I agree that your characters inhabit the world of heavily shaded gray areas and none are pure, or above making a tradeoff for the greater good.
I LOVE the image of you as the wizard on the hill!! Oh,and I love how you brought out the "coping mechanism" aspect regarding my quirky characters cuz I do tend to be big on coping mechanisms, don't I?
Fun, fun. I love this stuff even though I'm not as astute as you as picking out the voice essence. You are soooo good at it, M.:)Okay, more guys, more. Bring it on.
Alyson
OK Macy and Alyson,
I have avoided the blog for weeks, feeling uninspired and lifeless, but now you have given me a challege to write myself out of the slump. I will get to work on this right now.
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