A writer
friend asked me, "When I read, I find I'm
influenced by other authors. Depending on who I'm
reading, my writing style is either playful, deep
sounding or whatever. How can I stop writing like other
writers and find my own voice?"
(She also
added that I might want to write an article based on my
response - hence what you're reading now!)
Before we
get on to practical tips, we should cover some basic
preconceptions about voice.
First of
all, your voice should never be some affectation you
acquire or work on. I think you know what I mean. When
we're at school or in the office, we're told there's a
way to say things - a style we must adopt to conform to
the medium.
Many novice
writers think the same applies to fiction - that there is
perhaps some predetermined mental attitude and/or
demeanour one should adopt - usually a 'superior, more
learned' version of ourselves - to sound more
authoritative when telling stories.
Nothing
could be further from the truth.
You should
always write in the style that is most natural to you. It
may well be different from your speaking voice but should
always reflect the way your mind works.
Secondly,
your voice doesn't have to be 'original'. You can waste
years of your time wondering what 'originality' is and
trying to define and acquire it.
When
critics, publishers and agents say they want
'originality', I believe they have no idea what they
mean. They merely confuse writers by demanding something
so nebulous and indefinable. I think what they should
really be asking for is 'honesty'.
The simple
truth is you already possess all the originality you
need. You are already unique. No-one else thinks and
writes like you do - trying to undo your own originality
by constantly striving to be anything less than yourself
is counter productive. Trust yourself.
Trusting
yourself is probably the hardest trick you'll have to
learn as a writer - but it is absolutely essential to
your growth. Because it's only when you trust your
ability to say what you mean with honesty and integrity,
that your voice will start to come through.
The real
test of a good authorial voice is consistency - it is as
strong and recognizable at the beginning of a story as it
is at the end.
So how do
you achieve this consistency? How do 'get' your voice?
It's a
process, of course - and here's some practical tips to
strengthen and consolidate your own:
Practice
Consciously
practice different styles and categorize them. Write
using different voices - some that are deliberately
difficult to sustain. This will attune your mind to
noting differences in style. Try writing highbrow and
lowbrow articles, egocentric columns, playlets, short
dispassionate biographies - anything that stretches you.
These pieces don't have to be publishable - they are
designed to help you 'play' with the writing medium.
Detach
Try to
write without thinking for short bursts. If this sounds
too hard, try writing for ten minutes just after you've
woken up in the morning - before you can think straight,
just write anything.
Later, try
looking up words in the dictionary at random and write
for ten minutes without stopping on those words. Force
yourself to write, whether you're inspired or not - this
is a great technique for getting in touch with your
subconscious voice (i.e. your true voice.)
Avoid
During
writing spells, especially first drafts, don't read
anything - no books, newspapers, magazines, cereal
packets, nothing. Starve yourself of influences so that
you can concentrate on just your voice and, not only the
things you want to say but, how you want to say them.
Affirm
When you've
written sections you're convinced are beginning to
reflect your most natural and compelling voice, read them
into a tape recorder and play them back. The very process
will help - you'll probably find your best passages
easiest to read. If not, delete the clumsy words, the
extra adverbs, the overlong sentences and try again.
Experiment
Try writing
two different versions of pieces - like short stories.
Write one with all the literary might you can summon and
write another with just a little casual indifference.
Post out both to magazine publishers or read them to your
friends to see what they think.
Strengthen
Consciously
remind yourself everyday that you are a writer, that you
are thinking writerly thoughts and your are determined
that your writing will truly and accurately reflect your
thoughts. Do not hide behind fear of honesty or the
thought that exposing your inner psyche is in any way
bad. It's not.
The real
you is what your readers want, respect and deserve.
