When it
comes to your author's voice speak softly and carry a big pencil. Just make sure
it's not a big red pencil with a big eraser on the end because you don't want to edit your
individuality right out of your manuscript.
An author's voice is the most valuable asset s/he owns. So what is voice, exactly... As defined by The American Century Dictionary on my desk, voice is: 2a spoken or written expression; b opinion so expressed; c right to express an opinion; d medium for expression.*
I don't know about you, but the two words that jumped out at me here were expression and opinion. I like to define voice as telling the truth--the truth as you see it--which may be very different from the way any other writer sees it.
Opinion by it's very nature is subjective, not objective.
Many writers make the mistake of leaving their opinion and therefore their voice right out of their manuscripts. Dwight V. Swain in his book, Techniques of the Selling Writer,** calls this "the snare of the objective."
"There are two types of minds in this world...two approaches to the field of fiction. One type is that of the objectivist, the man who sees everything analytically. Three things warp his orientation: a. He depends on facts; b. He distrusts feelings; c. Therefore, he tries to write mechanically."
The subjectivist on the other hand is not afraid to feel or express feelings. Swain puts it this way; Feelings, indeed, is what drives you forward....You write out of the thrill of the excitement. Everywhere, you see new possibilities, new relationships. "What if--?" is your watchword. The rules, when you think of them, are incidental.
Reader's read to feel, the exception being the reader turned writer looking for "the secret," something that can be taken apart and analyzed. A formula. Rules.
The secret is there are no rules and writing by someone else's can actually stifle your creativity. When writing that first draft, go with your gut. Feel with your heart. Think with your head, but save the analysis for editing. And be very careful there, too.
If you spend too much time trying to figure out how others did it, how you're supposed to be doing it, you may find that you overwrite your own voice. You're a unique blend of your experiences and opinions. And it's your voice that could mean the difference between writing the next bestseller or not.
Swain says it best, Because readers read to feel, not analyze, they love the work of the subjectivist-turned-writer. For precisely the same reason, they ignore the fiction of the non-creator, the analyst.
That's not to say that plot, character, setting and the mechanics of writing aren't analytic--they are, but the subjectivist intuitively incorporates these things into their voice whether they preplan or write by the seat of their pants.
It's not a matter of the subjectivist vs. the objectivist but rather getting the right mix. Communication of opinion requires skill as well as heart. Just don't be so constrained by the mechanics that you put it before the story. Don't be so worried about being PC that you walk the middle of the road.
Be true to yourself and your honesty will transcend to the reader. The medium you've chosen to express your opinion is fiction, or perhaps more specifically genre fiction, such as romance.
Let your voice be heard. And write.
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--*I skipped the part about larynx for obvious reasons. For the full definition of
"voice" refer to your dictionary.
--**I highly recommend this book for your writers bookshelf.
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Drawing from her Navy experiences, Rogenna Brewer became an award winning author when
her first Harlequin Superromance, SEAL It With A Kiss debuted to critical acclaim in '99.
Look for the sequel, Sign, SEAL, Deliver in April '01.
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