Comments on: voice

By: amanda ashby

amanda ashby — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:10:25 +0000

No, it’s exactly the same – probably because I’m too lazy to figure out how to change it! Mind you, I think if I wanted to sell more women’s fiction in the US I would have to change my voice because the market has moved. Thankfully I really love writing ya so I’d rather stick with that than try and do something that doesn’t come easily (see lazy comment above!!!!!!)

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:23:43 +0000

Do you find your voice changes when writing for adults and YA, Amanda?

By: amanda ashby

amanda ashby — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:00:18 +0000

Julie – what a great post!!!!!!!! You totally summed it up when you said that voice is unique but at the same time changeable.

I know that for better or worse I have a strong voice, but it can very easlily fall into a dark place or a light place without me really noticing. No idea what it all means but it’s definitely interesting!!!!!!!!

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:31:17 +0000

Nell, having just read Blue Remembered Heels, I could hear your voice all through it. Not only in how it’s written but in the emotional aspects and what you chose to put in it–very simple things like when Abbey pours herself some cereal and only six cornflakes fall out of the box–I thought, “That’s so Nell.”

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:29:30 +0000

Fran…have faith! And keep working!

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:29:05 +0000

Phillipa, thanks for asking me to write about this topic. I really love talking about craft things.

Voice is definitely not a bad thing! But I do know how you feel about looking over your earlier work. I look at my first book and though I can see my voice written all over it, I also would love to give it a good edit! (I didn’t notice any technical problems with Decent Exposure, though! I think we are always hardest on our own work.)

I haven’t read Rosy’s stuff yet, but I agree with you about JC and CJ. MJD’s voice really grates on me, though I’ve only read her first book and may like her later stuff more. And I know others love her, so it’s all personal preference.

I’ll try to find some good examples of voices I like for another post.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:11:55 +0000

Biddy, I think it’s as mysterious as fairy dust! But hopefully not as difficult to come by.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:10:10 +0000

Yes, Jan–I don’t think I could do what you’ve done, which is write both contemporary and historical fiction. Do you find you have to think a lot about your voice, switching from one to the other?

By: Nell Dixon

Nell Dixon — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:26:01 +0000

Interesting post, Julie. Voice is the area of my writing I find I can’t judge. I can look at my word choices and technique and sentence structure but the feel of my writing and the way they transfer from the page to the reader is something else.

By: Fran

Fran — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:31:23 +0000

Great post….what hit a chord was near the end when you said about a voice not making up for lack of other things….i am in agony at moment, because i have just written something which i know is my voice, and i’m trying to go mainstream with it, and i have no idea if my voice is publishable or not, i guess time will tell. AGH.