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Finding an authentic voice

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Certified Mind Reader
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When we start out as writers, we often begin as imitators. Pick your favourite author or handful of authors, and do your best to replicate their style. Of course, we aren't them, and the writing is often poor and derivative (I went through a Hunter Thompson phase that was particularly awful). College English Lit and Creative Writing programs are especially hazardous for the developing writer. However, somewhere along the way, with enough practice and experimentation, the better writers discover their own authentic writing voice (the rest wallow in mediocrity). I'm not entirely sure how this happens, but I might try to offer some advice.

1. Stop trying so hard to be literary. Nothing is a bigger turn-off than the obvious effort a writer puts into trying to impress the reader with their skills. It's needy and desperate. There is absolutely no excuse for writing in iambic pentameter, and it makes you sound like a pretentious asshole.

2. Ask yourself, "Do I sound like a pretentious asshole?" If you were at a party and someone came up to you saying the things you've written, are you going to have a drink with them, or are you going to get as far away from them as possible? Voice is more than just word choice, it's your personality. Think about that - writing is social, and good writers are people you'd want to hang out with (at least for as long as it takes to read their writing).

3. Writing is talking. This might belabour the previous point, but seriously try reading your work aloud. Would you talk to someone this way? Would you voluntarily let someone talk to you like this? If you're not sure what people sound like when they talk, then record some conversations with friends and transcribe them. Transcription forces you to listen carefully to the way people talk naturally. Trust me, none of your friends are speaking like characters from a Tolkien novel.

4. Enjoy yourself. Good writing is work, but it should be a pleasurable form of work. Give yourself to the process without worrying whether the end-product will be an award-winning masterpiece beloved by all. When you get into a flow of writing, you begin to shut down the editing part of yourself- the part that wonders whether what you're doing is any good or whether people will like it - and in that flow you're more likely to find your own voice.
A single sperm contains 37.5 MB of data, and the average ejaculation is equivalent to almost 1600 GB. -- I'm feeling pretty industrious today.
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I like this post quite a lot.

When I first started writing seriously, I spent a lot of time listening in on conversations in coffee shops (where I wrote). It helped my dialog.

I also agree that reading the story aloud is wonderful for finding places that will trip up a reader. Another suggestion is to read the dialog alone, like a script. See if it flows that way, because it should.
Lurker
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But what if you are a pretentious asshole?
Her Royal Spriteness
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One of the very first things i'll notice in a story, is if the dialogue doesn't sound real. often times it will sound stilted and stiff. write it how the character speaking would actually talk. don't make it formal unless the speaker is a very formal person. toss in slang if it's appropriate. please use contractions. most people i know don't talk like this:

It is very important that he should not go hiking today.

it's more like this: it's way important that he shouldn't go hiking today.

best advice, read it out loud and see how it sounds. and stay in character.

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.

Her Royal Spriteness
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Quote by oceanrunner
But what if you are a pretentious asshole?


see my previous post - if your character is pretentious, and i actually know someone like this, who uses "big words" in conversation, then write their dialogue like that - but remember, remain consistant when you do it smile

also, if you're Shakespeare, you are allowed to use iambic pentameter. the rest of you...

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.

Certified Mind Reader
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Quote by oceanrunner
But what if you are a pretentious asshole?


In that case, embrace it. Be the biggest pretentious asshole you can possibly be.

Or get therapy.

A single sperm contains 37.5 MB of data, and the average ejaculation is equivalent to almost 1600 GB. -- I'm feeling pretty industrious today.
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Excellent post.

English isn't my natural language, so I am very careful with my words--written and otherwise. I do struggle with dialogue, although it's probably more with using the correct words than with formatting.

Side note: Specific to Lush, the thing that will stop me dead in my tracks (or cause me not to click on the story at all, if it's in the first paragraph) is a female character describing herself as if she's at an escort agency, e.g., "My name is Brooke. I'm a college sophomore, petite, with perky 36DDD breasts...".

I see that way too often, and maybe there are readers who don't care, but I'm pretty sure that no woman in the history of ever has described herself by listing her measurements in casual conversation.
Want to spend some time wallowing in a Recommended Read? Pick one! Or two! Or seven!

God Empress of Lush
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My authentic voice is filthy minded drunk slapper. Cos that's what I know best.

I'm drunk now lol. Friday evenings eh?

22 February 2024 - How about a quick plug for one of my filthiest recent stories? It's all in the title - Naked Pool Party Swingers | Lush Stories Please read, comment and maybe give it a ❤️ - or even a⭐ if you really enjoy it! Thank you! Annie xxx

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Quote by Just_A_Guy_You_Know

There is absolutely no excuse for writing in iambic pentameter, and it makes you sound like a pretentious asshole.


what's that - a sex toy?!

lol - no, great post. i really like this advice.
Rookie Scribe
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Quote by sprite

also, if you're Shakespeare, you are allowed to use iambic pentameter. the rest of you...


Might this also apply to someone who is ghost-writing for Shakespeare?
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Quote by HeraTeleia
Excellent post.


Indeed. Like a lot of young horror writers (which is what I wrote when I first started dabblng in writing too many years ago), I started out imitating Lovecraft as well as more contemporary genre writers like King.

Quote by HeraTeleia
Side note: Specific to Lush, the thing that will stop me dead in my tracks (or cause me not to click on the story at all, if it's in the first paragraph) is a female character describing herself as if she's at an escort agency, e.g., "My name is Brooke. I'm a college sophomore, petite, with perky 36DDD breasts...".

I see that way too often, and maybe there are readers who don't care, but I'm pretty sure that no woman in the history of ever has described herself by listing her measurements in casual conversation.


LOL. I called that out as my first thing in the Cliches That Should Die thread. The "laundry list" character description (forget who I picked that term up from. Maybe Rachel?) is a pet peeve of mine.
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I kinda get into the characters head (as I'm sure we all do). That's the hard part though, becuase it's what makes the story flow from your fingertips. What I hate is when someone writes in choppy sentences. "I cooked dinner. I poured some red wine. We both love red wine." AAaaargh! someone shoot me if I write like that, lol!

I have three famous stories, 2 recommended reads and have come in the top ten in two competitions~ Come in and make yourself at home.

Active Ink Slinger
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Quote by Simmerdownchick
I kinda get into the characters head (as I'm sure we all do). That's the hard part though, becuase it's what makes the story flow from your fingertips. What I hate is when someone writes in choppy sentences. "I cooked dinner. I poured some red wine. We both love red wine." AAaaargh! someone shoot me if I write like that, lol!


Sometimes this style can be effective if done correctly Ernest Hemingway was a past master at it.
Gravelly-Voiced Fucker
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Yeah, this is an excellent post. My most embarrassing phase was my minimalist Raymond Carver phase (I hope I'm not still going through it). Great writer, but responsible for a bunch of crappy writing by folks trying to imitate him.

Which brings me to "Do I should like a pretentious asshole?" I am am always mortified that I am, and so am constantly asking myself this question (because let's face it, while I am pretty good at avoiding it entirely, I often creep dangerously close to that line). My point is, it is a weakness of mine as a writer (along with plot, and, um, character names), and so it is important that I am always asking myself the question, so I can cut back on the more pretentiously asshole-y bits. If I stopped, the writing would suffer.

So, my corallary to your rule: know your weaknesses, and vigilantly guard against them.
Gravelly-Voiced Fucker
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"Enjoy yourself" is really great advice too.
Orgasm Aficionado
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Quote by naughtyannie
My authentic voice is filthy minded drunk slapper. Cos that's what I know best.

I'm drunk now lol. Friday evenings eh?


The voice in my head is very filthy, although I'm so used to it that I think it's normal.