tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post6286529139745083082..comments2023-11-02T06:57:11.400-04:00Comments on BookEnds Literary Agency: Michele Dunaway on VoiceBookEnds, A Literary Agencyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06287278822065839469noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-26994236841380492902008-06-18T10:53:00.000-04:002008-06-18T10:53:00.000-04:00Just as your fingerprints are original, so should ...Just as your fingerprints are original, so should be your voice. Write what you love, characters you can love, and your readers will love you. Your voice is what sets you apart from everyone else; it’s what adds that special sparkle to writing that editors are looking for when authors recycle the same basic plots over and over.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-62684380087976447132008-06-17T00:24:00.000-04:002008-06-17T00:24:00.000-04:00Graceful theme.Guy in picture looks as he has got ...Graceful theme.Guy in picture looks as he has got a power booster.This pic helps one to encourage oneself to make his or her frame stronger and brain sharper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-23423581118242710562008-06-11T16:27:00.000-04:002008-06-11T16:27:00.000-04:00It simply depends on how much regional dialect you...It simply depends on how much regional dialect you want to use. That's part of your voice. I definitely see y'all a lot. I would suggest you write it the way you want, and then read it aloud. You'll hear what you need to change, or if everyone sounds the same.Michele Dunawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11683297130591848826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-28955108582326456612008-06-11T09:35:00.000-04:002008-06-11T09:35:00.000-04:00It's true about the South and fizzy drinks."You wa...It's true about the South and fizzy drinks.<BR/><BR/>"You wanna Coke?"<BR/>"Yeah."<BR/>"What kind? I've got Sprite, Pepsi, and root beer."<BR/><BR/>I had a question about voice. Having grown up in Alabama, do I have to watch my words and phrases? If I set my story locally, do I have to make it more generic for readers in New York? I'm not talking about using "ain't" every other word, just some phrases that are used regularly around here.<BR/><BR/><BR/>WandaV in ALAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-13512257041095786952008-06-11T08:13:00.000-04:002008-06-11T08:13:00.000-04:00Anonymous @ 8 a.m.: You said a mouthful there. I c...Anonymous @ 8 a.m.: <BR/><BR/>You said a mouthful there. I couldn't agree more witja.astrologymemphis.blogspot.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08094432734141490681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-6492010809496290402008-06-11T08:02:00.000-04:002008-06-11T08:02:00.000-04:00Thank you, Michelle. This was very helpful.In a wo...Thank you, Michelle. This was very helpful.<BR/><BR/>In a workshop, someone asked me what is going to set my work apart in an already crowded fantasy market. I had to think about that. Certainly an unlikely heroine, who turns the tide of an important battle is nothing new.<BR/><BR/>I finally had to admit, my greatest strengths are a quirky sense of humor and voice and multi-faceted characters.Julie Weathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725236516593676381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-80282046554396756122008-06-11T08:00:00.000-04:002008-06-11T08:00:00.000-04:00Terrific post. One thing I've noticed in reading ...Terrific post. One thing I've noticed in reading other writers is how some who use critique groups have no voice. It's been overworked, and comes out with no special "zing" to it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-4126278474943898682008-06-10T20:53:00.000-04:002008-06-10T20:53:00.000-04:00Very well said. I don't read the genre you write ...Very well said. I don't read the genre you write in, but I'll bet you're really good at it.astrologymemphis.blogspot.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08094432734141490681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-29648131279634214422008-06-10T15:49:00.000-04:002008-06-10T15:49:00.000-04:00Excellent post, Michelle. Thank you for sharing. I...Excellent post, Michelle. Thank you for sharing. I've read various articles on voice and never quite "got it" until recently. I couldn't define when my voice was showing through.<BR/>I still have a little trouble sitting on my hands and strangling the voice when I'm trying too hard to write "correctly." Grin. Your explanation is fabulous.Robena Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18389730409379890816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-87510880078942560832008-06-10T13:09:00.000-04:002008-06-10T13:09:00.000-04:00Like Inspire, I had to push away all the rule book...Like Inspire, I had to push away all the rule books, and take any hard-and-fast rule I came across with a grain of salt. I love rules, but writing is subjective, and sometimes the rules can be broken for great effect. And once I just started writing how I wanted to write, not worrying about adverbs or anything else, the words usually flowed much easier and I found my voice.<BR/><BR/>I can always cut and revise later if I did something "wrong", but I wouldn't be able to just add a voice in the rewrite. It's something that just needs to occur naturally.Kristin Laughtinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01536556357622503501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-6187208424458204052008-06-10T12:02:00.000-04:002008-06-10T12:02:00.000-04:00Last comment for a bit...I don't want to insinuate...Last comment for a bit...<BR/><BR/>I don't want to insinuate that critique groups are bad. I think they can be great resources. <BR/><BR/>Simply remember that the only person who can tell the story inside your head is you...and that it must be your voice that tells it.Michele Dunawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11683297130591848826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-45662095962458397372008-06-10T12:01:00.000-04:002008-06-10T12:01:00.000-04:00Melanie, My cousin grew up in St. Louis and moved ...Melanie, <BR/><BR/>My cousin grew up in St. Louis and moved to southeastern Indiana where it's called pop. It still strikes me as funny every time she says it (even though she's been there for years)...since it was a change for her!Michele Dunawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11683297130591848826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-79188316783175877552008-06-10T11:59:00.000-04:002008-06-10T11:59:00.000-04:00Inspire,When I started writing I didn't even know ...Inspire,<BR/><BR/>When I started writing I didn't even know there were rules. I think critique groups can oftentimes suck the life out of a piece and leave it sounding generic. I've judged many contest entries that were good but had lost the zing of having that special voice. <BR/><BR/>The key is believing in yourself and your work. The bottom line is it takes one editor--which is how I made my first sale. No contest wins (and only one entry), no tons of critiques.<BR/><BR/>PS--"I greatly appreciate your post," she wrote, deliberately using and freely admitting to overly placing those lovely ly words to make an exaggerated point.<BR/><BR/>:)Michele Dunawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11683297130591848826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-27587141044653475832008-06-10T11:52:00.000-04:002008-06-10T11:52:00.000-04:00Very good post and helpful to be reminded of how w...Very good post and helpful to be reminded of how we develop and use voice. I have to work hard to make sure my characters are a bit more distinct from me than they tend to be in the first draft. This post should be a "must read" for new authors still trying to define their voice and learn how to develop individual characters.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-51839472998326499322008-06-10T11:51:00.000-04:002008-06-10T11:51:00.000-04:00I agree, voice comes from who you are, more than w...I agree, voice comes from who you are, more than who you want to become. Once I figured out that I couldn't be Melanie Wilkes and was stuck being more like Scarlett O'Hara (whethere I liked it or not), life was a lot more fun and I worried a lot less.<BR/><BR/>See you soon Jo Anne! (I'm giving the presentation to the WHRWA chapter in July on being Superwoman.)<BR/><BR/>MicheleMichele Dunawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11683297130591848826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-82652507046965102892008-06-10T11:46:00.000-04:002008-06-10T11:46:00.000-04:00Michelle,This post was inspiring. Thank you! I rea...Michelle,<BR/>This post was inspiring. Thank you! I really, really needed to read it. I've had in recent months writers push the proverbial writing 'rule book' under my nose and tell me this is the only way to do it. A writer went ballistic at a critique group after she read an 'ly' word in one of my chapters. Sigh.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for reminding us that we are each unique and have our own voices.Rita Gerlachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04348571506318182955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-52284506317078306252008-06-10T11:07:00.001-04:002008-06-10T11:07:00.001-04:00Michele, this is one of the best posts I've seen r...Michele, this is one of the best posts I've seen recently on voice. Voice is who we are. Gotta love it. And YIKES, sometimes it's hard to love who we are. :-)<BR/><BR/>Looking forward to seeing you in Houston next month, gabbing, catching up, and doing a slumber party with the cats. See you then!<BR/><BR/>Jo AnneJo Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03589108833892193841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-44054036842147196172008-06-10T11:07:00.000-04:002008-06-10T11:07:00.000-04:00Voice seems to be a popular topic right now. I've...Voice seems to be a popular topic right now. I've read a number of blogs on it, and I'm posting my own musings.<BR/><BR/>But Michelle captured it all in a nutshell for me. <BR/><BR/>And I agree with Lynn, finding one's voice has a lot to do with confidence in one's writing, which frees the writer up to let the story out rather than worry about doing it just right, at least in the early drafts.PatriciaWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572087157439187319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-26253251571371271352008-06-10T10:49:00.000-04:002008-06-10T10:49:00.000-04:00Great post! Just last night I wrote soda and reali...Great post! <BR/><BR/>Just last night I wrote soda and realized I'll need to look up the proper regional term.Melanie Hooyengahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781235493983907234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-79730957947538063452008-06-10T10:40:00.000-04:002008-06-10T10:40:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Evangeline Hollandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00132593133675388609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-73966582615120248462008-06-10T10:01:00.000-04:002008-06-10T10:01:00.000-04:00This is one of those truly priceless posts that ma...This is one of those truly priceless posts that make one rejoice for the fact of the internet! (Oh, boy, that sentence reveals a lot about MY voice, doesn't it?) I've recently come to realize that my non-fiction voice is fairly consistent whether I'm blogging the "fifteen kids and no time to herself" everyday disasters or a composing a book review for an academic journal. It is NOT the same as my fiction voice. And it may just explain why my non-fiction gets published, while my fiction (so far) does not.Kalynne Pudnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04804224012895512550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-46708106367134386352008-06-10T09:01:00.000-04:002008-06-10T09:01:00.000-04:00Wonderful post, Michele! And I've discovered that...Wonderful post, Michele! And I've discovered that you can also find your voice in a place you didn't expect. I entered the Harlequin Presents contest because I thought "why not?" And I won. I thought I was all about writing hunky military guys and smart aleck heroines. Imagine my surprise to realize that ruthless tycoons were also part of the package. :)<BR/><BR/>For me, though, it's been a function of age -- I'm more comfortable with who I am, more confident. And my life experience does translate into voice. I'm a military brat who grew up and married a military man -- and I lived around the world. It all comes together and pours onto the page. :)<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the great post! I like how you've described voice and finding your own. :)Lynn Raye Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05823590040842807378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23051453.post-42281910962645887452008-06-10T08:26:00.000-04:002008-06-10T08:26:00.000-04:00Great post. It took me several years to finally t...Great post. It took me several years to finally track down my voice, and even now I find it changing. I suppose that's called growth.<BR/><BR/>The really great thing is that once I found my voice on the page, I found it in life, too.The Dark Scribehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07185001848318919851noreply@blogger.com