5 Ways to Develop a Unique Voice

A unique voice is one of those elusive elements agents and publishers look for in a manuscript. Many say it can’t be taught and many believe it’s exceptionally difficult to edit in.

Jeni Mawter, Australian author of YA and Tween novels, ran the last workshop I attended during the Sydney Writers’ Festival. She covered many topics including voice. Below are some tips she shared:

1. First and foremost we need to ask ourselves, who is telling the story and why? This will impact our style choices for that voice.

2. When considering the style of the voice we also need to think about:

• word choice – will it be formal or colloquial, will the language be colourful or plain, will the words be simple or complex?
• Sentence length – In literary fiction sentences tend to be longer. Also, the more tension there is in a scene, the shorter the sentences.
• Tense – while past tense is the most popular, present tense often makes the story more immediate.
• Point of View – First person is intimate yet limiting. Third person is more distant but the writer has a lot more freedom.
• Emotions – the way these are conveyed varies with gender. Males tend to feel emotion through action. Females respond through thought and feeling. Also, emotional scenes gain more impact if the language is simple, so take out all the adverbs and adjectives.
• Humour – likeability is often closely related to humour. For example, Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs was likeable because of his wicked sense of humour.
• Attitudes – do you want a cocky voice or a quiet one, a carefree voice or a thoughtful one?
• Rhythm – lyrical language and rhythms are often found in literary texts.
• Grammar, punctuation and spelling – will these be formal and proper or will the voice include a more relaxed approach?

3. Practise and practise again. Have a willingness to rewrite and rewrite again.

4. Study. Become a people watcher. Be observant, not judgemental.

5. Read books with a strong voice and analyse how the writer succeeded.

Can you think of other tips to gain a unique voice? Can you name any books that have a strong, unique voice you liked?

Note: Still down with flu... sniffle.

7 Essential Elements in the First Page

As we all know, as writers we need to hook our readers into the story as fast as possible – from the first page, the first paragraph, the first sentence. In a Sydney Writers’ Festival workshop Belinda Jeffrey, an Australian author of YA fiction, broke down the important elements of the first page.

Keeping in mind it’s difficult to give absolute rules because story will often determine style, first pages should include:

1. A distinctive voice. A unique voice is essential to capture the imaginations of the readers and pull them into the story. Voice will make your novel stand out above the rest.

2. A strong character. Readers will engage with strong and interesting characters.

3. A sense of time and place. This grounds the reader into the story. They should be able to recognise the story’s genre in the first page. These should be markers only. Avoid wads of descriptions.

4. Questions. Don’t answer all the reader’s questions at once. Don’t give them everything they need to know about the characters, the history, the setting. They don’t need paragraphs of backstory. They don’t need -- or want -- everything explained too soon.

5. Intrigue. Similar to the previous point, it’s important to build intrigue to tease the reader into wanting to know more.

6. The point of change. The story should start at the point of change. This change should reflect conflict. Note: the conflict doesn’t have to be explosive.

7. No wasted words or throw-away lines. Keep it tight. Every word should have a reason for being. Try to avoid redundancies.

Can you think of other essential elements in the first page? How many times have you rewritten your first page?

How to Get a Foot in the Publishing Door

One of the big struggles with traditional publishing is getting noticed by agents and publishers and staying off the dreaded slush pile. During the Sydney Writers’ Festival I attended a workshop run by Hazel Flynn. She is a successful freelance writer, editor and broadcaster. She offered many suggestions on how to get the proverbial foot in the door. Below are just a few:

1. Personal connections. It does sometimes come down to who you know in the industry. It’s not a guarantee of publication, but it will help your manuscript get read.

2. Get a literary agent. In Australia writers can go directly to publishers, however, manuscripts coming from agents will be read. Often unsolicited manuscripts will end up in slush piles if accepted at all.

3. Attend festivals and conferences. You never know who you will meet and there’s so much to learn at these events.

4. Do writing courses. This is a great way to get a sense of whether your writing is working. It’s a great way of honing your craft.

5. Check the acknowledgements in books similar to your own. This will give you an idea of who helped the author get published.

6. Self publish. Many popular authors started with self publishing.

7. Show flexibility. Be willing to accept advice. If an editor suggests changes, then it’s in your best interest to listen.

What other ways can you suggest to get a foot in the publishing door? What are you currently doing to get published?

Confidence: A Key Element of Writing

I am back from the Sydney Writers’ Festival. It was a truly fantastic experience and I met so many wonderful people. I attended workshops, listened to discussion panels, volunteered as a helper and soaked in the amazing atmosphere.

The one piece of advice that stood out above the rest during the festival was that as writers we must have confidence.

How can we sell our work if we don’t believe in it?
How can we negotiate contracts if we don’t think we are worth it?
How can we find our unique voice, if we aren’t brave enough to write from that hidden place within us?
How will we ever succeed in publication if we think it’s not possible?
How can we brave the criticisms of editors, book reviewers and the general public if we listen to our doubts?
How can we even finish a book if we think it will go nowhere?

This is why we need confidence -- so that nothing can hold us back.

After you've been shaken, what are the things that make you feel confident again as a writer? 

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I’ll write in more detail about the festival in posts to come. Right now, I'm still recovering (lol) plus I haven't written for a week and I'm eager to get back to my manuscript. I'm inspired!

Also forgot to mention this blog turned one year old during the festival! YAY!

The Power of Our Words

‘We live in a world that is ultimately understood only through language. It is the writer who has the power to name, create and shape our world – to give us the words we live by.’
Chip Rolley, artistic director of the Sydney Writers’ Festival.

The Sydney Writers’ Festival is coming up (16th-22nd May). I’m super excited. The theme this year is power. The writer has the power to create, shape and change the world. When we write a story it’s not just a story. It can shape the way people think. While writing is often a mere reflection of society, it can also shape society.

We can touch people’s soul with our words. We can make people think about issues they wouldn’t normally think about. And it’s subtle. Have you ever read a scene or watched a show that moved you to tears? You know it’s fiction and yet the story or characters have left a mark on you. Our words can influence readers without them even realising. I don’t mean to freak you, but think about that the next time you put pen to paper.

I’ll be busy at the Sydney Writers’ Festival next week. I plan to attend a few workshops, check out the many events and I’ll even be doing some volunteer work for the festival as well. I’ll be back here on Monday 23rd May.

Have a great week.

#swf2011

Pic: a shot of the Opera House from under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.