Different Voices

Yesterday I spewed out nearly 1500 words on Red. Finished up the scene I was working on.  One thing that’s become apparent as I move forward with this book is that it’s going to run long.  Oh, I don’t mean that it’s full of fluff or that it’s longer than it needs to be.  But my style for the Mirus stories has been very tight, very short scenes, typically between 1200-1500 words.  That’s part of what’s led to both of those stories being so short.

Red is a whole other animal.  It’s first person, rather than third.  And Elodie likes to talk.  Her scenes run 2,000+ words, easy.  It’s a very different voice, one that I’m finding generally flows pretty easily for me, which is a nice change from last year. It’s interesting to me, this change in voice.  I guess I always really felt like when I “found” my voice as a writer, that would be it.  That it wouldn’t change a lot if I switched genres.

The real challenge will be seeing if I can switch back and forth between the two as I try to work on this Mirus story for an anthology at the same time.

I’m AFK today, out of town for what is tantamount to an all day staff meeting.  They euphemistically call it our Annual Retreat.  After that I’m driving a bit further to go see my grandmother for her 95th birthday.  It’s not every day you turn 95.  Then it’ll be back home for a late night getting my last class ready for the start of the semester tomorrow.

9 thoughts on “Different Voices

  1. I think Red is going to be something special. I’ve never tried to write in first person…it scares me to death, and I don’t know why. Are you planning on writing all your YA books (I’m sure there will be more) in first person and your Mirus series in third? That will definitely give the two genres different voices. I can’t wait to read Red!

    1. I don’t think it would be wise to say one way or the other. The Mirus stuff will all be third for consistency. The YA… Well I’ll do whatever the story calls for. My future kitchen witch story will probably be first. So it’s all about what the story needs.

  2. Writing in the first person, for me, makes me want to claw my eyes out. I hate it, because to me, all of my characters end up sounding like self-centered whiners. I don’t mind reading someone else’s first person narrative, though. I commend you, Kait, because I’m not convinced I could ever try first person again.

    And I know what you mean about the “differnt beast” thing. I was just talking about that on my blog yesterday. My novella and my novel are totally different beasts, and I panicked a little thinking the people who like the novella might hate the novel.

    But my hubby and a few nice readers/commenters and Cathryn Grant talked me off the ledge. Whew. 🙂

    Doesn’t it feel good when the words flow like that? Have fun with it!

    Amy

  3. Congrats on yesterday’s word count! I think voice is a very mutable thing. A writer can have “a voice,” a singular style that threads through all her works, but every project requires something different — a little tweak here and there to make it itself. I think it’s all about what happens when you first sit down to write. Gut instinct is huge. I’m glad that you’re letting Elodie speak in what came naturally to you and felt right for her, rather than force her into third person or something else. 🙂

  4. WTG on your ROW80 progress.

    I have to admit, I’m still trying to figure out this voice thing. Some authors I see their voice shining through, like JR Ward or Kresley Cole. Other times it just seems like the storyline identifies a piece of work to a particular author. As for me, I have no idea. I just write and whatever comes out is what’s there. haha

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