I’m hoping y’all can get something out of my disjointed notes. This was a workshop that I went to at Nationals. In the middle of this discussion, the presenters popped up a few pictures of hotties for us. Since I don’t know how to post picts to blogspot yet, I’ll give you names and you can do your own search…Chris Evans, Nathan Fillion, and Kellan Lutz.
Finding Your Voice-From a workshop entitled Speak Up! Seven Steps to Finding Your Voice
**Nothing you write lacks meaning because meaning is in you. ~Anne Marie O’Connor
What is Voice? It’s you on the page.
Voice is shaped by:
1) Your background
2) Genetics
3) Choices
-friends
-lovers
-kids
-education goals
-travel
-spiritual beliefs
4) Self-image-so it’s important to get to know yourself!
Find an editor/agent who fits YOUR voice.
Sit down and define your writing strengths and weaknesses.
How do you find your voice? 7 Steps:
1) WRITE-as much and as often as you can
-be organic
-don’t self edit during the creative process-do that in revisions
-Read your own work-identify your strengths and weaknesses (see above)
2) Listen:
-to what your instincts tell you
-when you leave out voice the writing is flat-you want your work to be SPECIAL
-give them something new-your voice is UNIQUE
3) Ask:
-people you trust!
-ask yourself what you like about your own writing
-poll your crit partners, beta readers, any readers and ask them to give you 3 words that describe your writing
Ie: “comical, intelligent, deep”
4) Blog or Journal
-find topics that interest you
-pay attention to your tone to see how you handle topics
-look at your vocabulary
-look at rhythm-how you break up sentences
5) Let Go
-give permission to write what you want to write, not what you think you should write
-let your character be free to say and do the first thing that comes to mind
-when someone read your work and tells you they can “hear” it, that’s voice
6) Explore/Experiment
-make the most of your writing
-push the boundaries and try something new
-work at your strengths and HONE them-make them sharp and shiny
-shine first-THEN focus on your weaknesses
7) WRITE some more
-once you establish what it is that makes your voice unique, hone it
-write, write and write some more
-plot stories that will showcase your voice
-FINISH YOUR STORY
Chris Evans
Nathan Fillion
Kellan Lutz
That's a good rundown for finding your voice. I often think it's hard for us to define our own voice...we're too used to hearing it through a mental filter. I know mine is distinct, just like my speaking voice. But it always seems surreal to hear myself on an answering machine...'Do I really sound like that? Yikes.'
ReplyDeleteAs to the pictures, I've found the best way to insert them is to save them in a file or on your desktop, then add them in while you're writing your post. (There is a little button along the editing bar between the subject and main body box that looks like a cartoon picture, and it will let you browse for a pic to upload.)
~Angela Blount