This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately, and maybe some of you out there will find something useful in my thinkfulness
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As a disclaimer, I probably should admit that I skimmed rather than studied this--not because it isn't interesting and valuable, but because I'm the kind of writer who needs to run on instinct rather than thinking consciously. Definitely doesn't make me a better kind of writer and I hope it doesn't make me worse; it's just something I've learned the hard way about myself.
Of course. This won't be useful for everybody, and some writers can rapidly reach a point of oversaturation when it comes to systemic thinking. =D For me personally, I find it useful to have systems in place to keep my own excesses in check.
Oh, sorry--well, I thought that went without saying. Of course a character's POV is going to also be affected by their voice, and as writers, we should keep those things synchronized. =D
I think voice is also really important to consider in the way you structure your narration, at least if you're writing from a first- or tight-third point-of-view. I can't count the number of fics (original and fan-) I've read where the dialogue's been lovely and witty and all those wonderful things and the narration has Lots Of Pretty Words In, but how the character thinks and how the character talks never quite match up. This axis approach is a great kind of checklist to keep that from happening -- if a character's Ineloquent and Haphazard, those same sentence-patterns should probably pop up when he's describing, say, a house. (Or a cottage. No, it's a little bigger than a cottage, one story with a pert little gable and brick walls -- a bungalow? Yeah, that.)
Ahem. Anyway, I'm a huge nerd about how form informs characterization just as much as what's actually going on in the story does, so this post gives me joy. Lots of joy.
how the character thinks and how the character talks never quite match up.
Ooh, yes, that's a really significant issue. I remember betaing a fic for a friend, once, and it had this issue, and I had a really hard time describing what the problem was beyond "He sounds like America on the outside, but he needs to sound like America on the inside." Keeping the POV character's voice in narration does so much work for you in drawing the reader into their head.
I think one of my favorite intros into a chapter of TCE that Emily and I ever wrote started with something like "It was a beautiful spring day, if you were into that kind of shit." It was a chapter from Prussia's POV.
How excellent! I've been interested in how you come around to your characters' voices for a while, as they are so distinct and enjoyable to read. Besides the fact that I pop boners for charts and categorizing things and generally struggle with character voices anyway, so this was ever so lovely on a few different levels. ♥
This isn't really something I'd ever codified before? But Emily and I are making so many OCs these days that it kinda seemed, uhm, wise, to put my thoughts down somewhere nice and tidy so I didn't panic and start making all my characters sound exactly the same. XD I'm really glad you liked it! And that you also have a boner for charts. I used to think my woody for charts was unparalleled.
This is so just what I needed. I'm writing an original story and this is something I've been fretting about with my characters. This is like an early Christmas gift, really. xD
In fact, I may or many not have just written it down and put it on a little pink post-it next to my laptop. ♥ Because it's something I really need to work on.
Originally I was just writing this as a "hey Emily let's work out how our Gilded Souls characters are distributed across this matrix and see if we can't nail down some of those elusive voices" thing for the GS comm, and then I realized that maybe, uh, other people might also find it handy.
But I am still going to be all "EMILY HEY EMILY HEY" as soon as you log on.
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Of course. This won't be useful for everybody, and some writers can rapidly reach a point of oversaturation when it comes to systemic thinking. =D For me personally, I find it useful to have systems in place to keep my own excesses in check.
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I think voice is also really important to consider in the way you structure your narration, at least if you're writing from a first- or tight-third point-of-view. I can't count the number of fics (original and fan-) I've read where the dialogue's been lovely and witty and all those wonderful things and the narration has Lots Of Pretty Words In, but how the character thinks and how the character talks never quite match up. This axis approach is a great kind of checklist to keep that from happening -- if a character's Ineloquent and Haphazard, those same sentence-patterns should probably pop up when he's describing, say, a house. (Or a cottage. No, it's a little bigger than a cottage, one story with a pert little gable and brick walls -- a bungalow? Yeah, that.)
Ahem. Anyway, I'm a huge nerd about how form informs characterization just as much as what's actually going on in the story does, so this post gives me joy. Lots of joy.
Reply
Ooh, yes, that's a really significant issue. I remember betaing a fic for a friend, once, and it had this issue, and I had a really hard time describing what the problem was beyond "He sounds like America on the outside, but he needs to sound like America on the inside." Keeping the POV character's voice in narration does so much work for you in drawing the reader into their head.
I think one of my favorite intros into a chapter of TCE that Emily and I ever wrote started with something like "It was a beautiful spring day, if you were into that kind of shit." It was a chapter from Prussia's POV.
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In fact, I may or many not have just written it down and put it on a little pink post-it next to my laptop. ♥ Because it's something I really need to work on.
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But I am still going to be all "EMILY HEY EMILY HEY" as soon as you log on.
Log on, already.
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I was, uh, just spending some time digging through my closet.
...for the last two hours. *facepalm*
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But a stylish dork.
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