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Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Voices



We’d probably be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn’t heard of the man with the ‘Golden Voice’, a.k.a. Ted Williams, the homeless man who catapulted to fame in 2011. And certainly we all knew it was Casey Kasem’s voice as Shaggy in Scooby Doo, but I was genuinely surprised to discover that Bruce Willis is the voice of Spike in the Rugrats movie! Did you know George Clooney was the voice of the doctor in South Park? 

Somewhere in social media I saw a what-if clip of the voice of Morgan Freeman as a car GPS. “Well, you missed that turn, get busy livin’ or get busy drivin’…” The clip sure cracked me up but it also made me think about voices in general and naturally, it led me to wonder if a writer is always expected to have only one, distinctive, albeit only one voice.

Is that even possible? Given the wide range of emotions that flow through our fingers to the page; joy, excitement, sadness, wouldn’t it stand to reason that it all depends on the mood that provides the tone—or voice, of what we convey?

Turns out, there are compelling beliefs on both sides of this issue. On the one hand a new or “inexperienced” writer is strongly advised to stick to one thing at a time (in order to hone their skill), as should seasoned authors already cozy in a given genre, so as to fortify their standing in a particular market. Now, on the other hand, how do you know where you’re most comfortable unless you try a few, and suppose you honestly enjoy writing in a variety of genres? I should note that of late, many agents are broadening their clientele to include mutli-genre writers, but it’s important to have a mutli-genre following before you find one. 

Do you have more than one voice? Do you feel the use of pen names is a good way to compartmentalize different genres? Whose voice would you like to hear on your GPS?

Thanks for stopping by, folks! Be sure to check out more IWSG posts on the list at Insecure Writer’s SupportGroup or visit Alex Cavanaugh


18 comments:

  1. Celebrities do a lot of commercials now and I'll often think, "That voice sounds very familiar." I know exactly what you mean--they have their own distinct styles. Same with writing. Often if you really get to know an author's work, that "voice" feels comfortable when you pick up a new book.

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    1. Hi Stephanie:-) I consider having a distinctive voice to be quite an accomplishment as a writer and often choose my books based on that. However, discovering new voices is also a treat;-)

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  2. Hi, dear Diedre!

    As a news producer I wrote copy for anchor men and women to read aloud to the viewing audience. I needed to remain objective and careful not to color the stories with my own point of view. Later on, when I wrote scripts for commercials, promotions and company presentations, my voice began to emerge. On my blog I write for a character, Shady Del Knight, a product of the Shady Dell culture - fun loving, passionate, outspoken, opinionated and fiercely loyal to the Dell and to genuine friends. Shady is a persona, a side of me that rarely surfaces in private life because I tend to be a quiet, shy, reserved individual.

    On my GPS I would love to have the bossy voice of Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham. Every one of her spoken transmissions would end with a punchline. :)

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    1. Hi Shady!
      Ah, yes. The Countess can be as contrary as she chooses! Love it:-)
      Leapin lizards, my friend! You have quite an impressive resume. I am in awe, though not surprised. In addition, I'm intrigued by the concept of a persona and would try that approach myself if I wasn't convinced my other side would manage to seep out;-)
      I wouldn't mind Sam Elliot patiently guiding me when I've strayed from usual driving area:-)

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    2. Mrs. Shady has been smitten by Sam Elliott ever since seeing him in the role of Brig. Gen. John Buford in Gettysburg (1993).

      "You know whats going to happen here in the morning? The whole damn reb army is going to be here. They'll move through this town, occupy these hills on the other side and when our people get here Lee will have the high ground. There will be the devil to pay..."

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    3. I can hear him now! I've enjoyed every show he's been in, though he's not often the main character.
      And that voice! I don't care for Dodge but I sure do like the commercial;-) Hugs to Mrs. Shady!

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  3. I believe we should all step out of our comfort zones. I thought I'd always write romantic-suspense until I tried other genres. I'm not sure if my voice changes in writing but it probably does depending on the genre and character. I do know my voice changes in real life depending on who I talk to.

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    1. Hi there, Chrys!
      If you mean as in "Hi there!" and "Oh. It's you." Ha! I do know how we change, often without even realizing it;-) I agree, trying new things is good and sometimes highly beneficial. If we don't go, we won't know;-)

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  4. February co host visit (smile) Blessings!

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  5. What an interesting question. I never considered I could write with different voices? I think a pen name would help separate personalities. Yup, I'd like my voice on my GPS.

    I'd be interested to how to develop my voice.

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    1. Hi La Vita:-)
      Not everyone writes with different voices, but it's a recommended exercise to see if it works for you. What a great idea to have your own voice on GPS! At least you'd always know it's someone you can trust:-)

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    2. It's been fun to scroll through the different comments. I'm curious, do you know of any exercises to experiment with writing different voices?

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    3. Let’s say your subject is dolphins, describe them factually; as if you are teaching someone about a newly discovered creature. Next, write as if you are the dolphin. Have fun with it!:-)

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  6. Great post, Diedre! I write in several genres and yes, each one has a different 'voice.' Maybe because I'm a Gemini, I love the variety of tones.

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    1. Hi Nancy!
      Now we're talkin';-)I knew it had to be possible. A correlation between astrology and voices sounds fascinating!

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  7. Great topic, Diedre! I struggle with this all the time because it seems like every idea I have is in a different genre! It would be so much easier for me to build a following if I were writing in only one genre, but my muse always has other plans for me. The one consistent remark I get about my writing is that it's humorous, so no matter the genre, I think that's the thing that will tie my work together (I hope!).

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    1. Hi there, Quanie! I can attest to the fact that your muse has not let you down yet! I imagine you could sprinkle humor on a hang-nail :-)It's your own special gift, keep it going. I would consider pseudonyms if I wasn't so concerned with hanging onto my identity;-) Wonderful to see you, Quanie!

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