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mbarkerWriting Excuses 12.17: Q&A On Style, Diction, and Paragraphing
From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2017/04/23/12-17-qa-on-style-diction-and-paragraphing/
Q&A Summary:
Q: Is it okay to have pretty prose in a fairly straightforward adventure story?
A: Yes. Pretty prose can make the story more interesting.
Q: How do author voice and character voice differ?
A: Authorial voice is your voice, probably natural and unconscious. Character voice depends on the character, and is usually due to conscious decisions.
Q: How do you ensure consistency in authorial voice in a novel that has taken several years to write?
A: Fix it in editing. Or accept that you have changed.
Q: Besides just knowing, how do you make sure your paragraphs don't ever ramble or slow the pace of your novel?
A: Apply the upside down rule. Look for redundant statements. Watch for the feeling at the end of descriptions that the characters have gotten lost, or that a dialogue question has been forgotten.
Q: I feel like my writing is derivative of other writers. The ones I love to read. How can I find my own voice?
A: Write a book. You find yourself as you do it. Don't stress over it, keep writing.
Q: How much does diction play into genre fiction?
A: Every genre, all the time.
Q: Is it okay to write your normal speaking voice or should you mix in more formal grammar as well? A.k.a. do you write like people really sound or do you use the fake version of how people really sound?
Q: I try to write the way people actually talk. Know what you're doing and stick to it. Think about the genre and setting. Write your characters to read well and make a fun story.
Q: During which part of the writing process should/do you focus on style?
A: Draft one, get the book done. Draft two, fix continuity problems. Draft three, first polish and style. Then repeat in fifth or sixth draft. OR draft one, get the mess out. Second pass, what was I trying to do, and style goes into play. OR first draft, style and wording. Later tighten it up, work on pacing and characterization. OR jump around, sleep on it, and then commit art.
SUMMARY: Everyone has a style, like an accent. Learn to recognize your style, to do it consciously.
( You've got questions? )
[Brandon] I'm going to give you some homework that might help you with this. I want you to take something you've written, and I want you to give it to some alpha readers. People who… It's okay if they've read your work before, but I want you to ask them to describe your style. Not the character voice, but your voice. What are hallmarks expressed through your writing sample? Have them kind of make a bullet-pointed list. See if you give it to five people, how many little points are the same? How many of them are different? Hopefully, this will get you to start thinking about that in the right way. What is my style rather than how do I come up with a style.
[Howard] Might also force you to engage with some human beings to become alpha readers.
[Brandon] Yes. That is true.
[Dan] I want to do that.
[Chuckles]
[Brandon] This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.
[Howard] By way of correction, I pointed you guys at a story by Lloyd Biggle Jr. called Tunesmith which is not actually the story I described to you. The story I described was Unaccompanied Sonata by Orson Scott Card. Both stories are about musicians. As a former musician, I love both stories. But the one that talks about anxiety of influence is Unaccompanied Sonata by Orson Scott Card.
From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2017/04/23/12-17-qa-on-style-diction-and-paragraphing/
Q&A Summary:
Q: Is it okay to have pretty prose in a fairly straightforward adventure story?
A: Yes. Pretty prose can make the story more interesting.
Q: How do author voice and character voice differ?
A: Authorial voice is your voice, probably natural and unconscious. Character voice depends on the character, and is usually due to conscious decisions.
Q: How do you ensure consistency in authorial voice in a novel that has taken several years to write?
A: Fix it in editing. Or accept that you have changed.
Q: Besides just knowing, how do you make sure your paragraphs don't ever ramble or slow the pace of your novel?
A: Apply the upside down rule. Look for redundant statements. Watch for the feeling at the end of descriptions that the characters have gotten lost, or that a dialogue question has been forgotten.
Q: I feel like my writing is derivative of other writers. The ones I love to read. How can I find my own voice?
A: Write a book. You find yourself as you do it. Don't stress over it, keep writing.
Q: How much does diction play into genre fiction?
A: Every genre, all the time.
Q: Is it okay to write your normal speaking voice or should you mix in more formal grammar as well? A.k.a. do you write like people really sound or do you use the fake version of how people really sound?
Q: I try to write the way people actually talk. Know what you're doing and stick to it. Think about the genre and setting. Write your characters to read well and make a fun story.
Q: During which part of the writing process should/do you focus on style?
A: Draft one, get the book done. Draft two, fix continuity problems. Draft three, first polish and style. Then repeat in fifth or sixth draft. OR draft one, get the mess out. Second pass, what was I trying to do, and style goes into play. OR first draft, style and wording. Later tighten it up, work on pacing and characterization. OR jump around, sleep on it, and then commit art.
SUMMARY: Everyone has a style, like an accent. Learn to recognize your style, to do it consciously.
( You've got questions? )
[Brandon] I'm going to give you some homework that might help you with this. I want you to take something you've written, and I want you to give it to some alpha readers. People who… It's okay if they've read your work before, but I want you to ask them to describe your style. Not the character voice, but your voice. What are hallmarks expressed through your writing sample? Have them kind of make a bullet-pointed list. See if you give it to five people, how many little points are the same? How many of them are different? Hopefully, this will get you to start thinking about that in the right way. What is my style rather than how do I come up with a style.
[Howard] Might also force you to engage with some human beings to become alpha readers.
[Brandon] Yes. That is true.
[Dan] I want to do that.
[Chuckles]
[Brandon] This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.
[Howard] By way of correction, I pointed you guys at a story by Lloyd Biggle Jr. called Tunesmith which is not actually the story I described to you. The story I described was Unaccompanied Sonata by Orson Scott Card. Both stories are about musicians. As a former musician, I love both stories. But the one that talks about anxiety of influence is Unaccompanied Sonata by Orson Scott Card.
