TECH: 101 Tips (12)

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 18 May 2009

Writers' Digest, October 2004, pages 26 to 33, has a collection of short "nuggets of wisdom" related to getting published. Maria Schneider is the author of the compilation. Take a deep breath, and here we go:

"Voice is the combination of your writing style and your viewpoint. But voice is different from style. I don't think voice is anything you learn. Voice is who you are." Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Voice -- style, viewpoint, that elusive reflection of who we are in everything we write? What's particularly amusing about voice is that while various people praise it, try asking someone how you learn about it, how you practice it, how you can hone your voice -- and in general, you will not get an answer. I do think we have a voice in our writing, but it is more something that you achieve through pushing words through the horn umpteen times than anything else. Kind of like the blues. So don't fret too much about voice, just keep on writing and someday someone will admit to admiring your voice.

TECH: 101 Tips (13)

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 20 May 2009

Writers' Digest, October 2004, pages 26 to 33, has a collection of short "nuggets of wisdom" related to getting published. Maria Schneider is the author of the compilation. Take a deep breath, and here we go:

"There's a greater diversity of books being published now. The genres have evolved so every reader can more easily find the kind of book he enjoys. For authors such as myself who once didn't fit perfectly into a specific genre niche, we now have subgenres where we can allow our voices and styles to flourish." Katherine Sutcliffe

I think part of the message here is that yes, you can write genre -- but if you find yourself breaking out of the genre, that's okay, too. Mostly, write what you are interested in, what moves you, what excites you. We have blends and cross-genre writing of all kinds (paranormal romance? thrillers and mysteries and what not in the fantasy worlds? go ahead and dream it!)

Just write!