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This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC |
| Author Voice Ever notice how some stories you read and you think, “Hey, that sounds like John Smith wrote it,” and a couple of years later you discover that, yes, John Smith was using a pseudonym. This is what happened to Stephen King when he tried to be Richard Bachman to stop swamping the book-stores with new releases under his own name. It did not take long for people to realise that, although darker, they were Stephen King works. Likewise, a book was released a year after Patrick White died, under his name. This was 1990 and he was a beloved Australian author and Nobel Laureate. But it did not take long before long-term readers thought something was amiss. It did not read like a White book. It seemed to be a pastiche and while the real author was never identified publicly, the book was withdrawn. This is what is called a “writer’s voice.” Now, many writers start with an author they admire, and their writing mimics that voice. It is so common that many editors can pick who a beginner writer’s favourite author might be. But, over time, you develop your own voice, and write like you, not a second-rate famous author. Of course, not everyone grows out of that and this is often because they deliberately stay in the pastiche lane. That is their choice. However, it should be said that not every author develops a voice that is recognisable. And that is perfectly fine. But it is always good to develop your own voice, especially if you want to take your writing to the next level. How do you do that? There are two things you need to do: 1) Read in multiple genres and read multiple authors so you are not influenced by just one; & 2) Write as much as you can and finish it, no matter how “good” you think it is. But – and this is important – you still might not develop your own distinct “writer’s voice.” A lot of online people tell would-be writers that everyone develops their own voice, and that is true to a certain extent. But having an own voice might not be obvious to readers. It does not mean you are a “bad writer”, or that you don’t have a voice, it just means it might not be as distinctive as some others. And don’t worry – Tom Clancy is recognised as a writer who does not have a distinctive voice, so much so that it is difficult to tell which books he wrote and which were written under his name, even before his 2013 death. It clearly does not affect sales or popularity! As for me? Well, that’s why I am writing this. I received an email from a former friend who asked about my pen-name. I asked why he would think that. Cut/paste: Mate it reads like you. Everything you write sounds the same and I can even hear it in your voice like your telling a story at a bonfire. So, apparently, I have a voice. I hope you all find yours, too. |
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