Giving Voice to a Monster

Love YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. Here's the video link for the big number. You're welcome.

Ahem.

One of the main ingredients for a successful novel is having a relatable character. Your MC may be a vampire/alien/werewolf/zombie/Greek god or just Susie next door. It doesn't matter. What is imperative is that whoever it is, she's someone the reader can identify with. So how do we do that? How do we take a monster and give them a normal teenage (if we're talking YA) voice?

The key word here is "normal". You have to think of your MC (and any other character for that matter) as a whole person. Someone with the same thoughts, feelings, needs, and wants as the rest of us. Okay, so he's a werewolf. Fine. Then he's a normal person with an "extra issue". Now I'm not trying to be politically correct here. We're not going to start calling paranormal creatures "supernaturally challenged" or anything. I just want you to make sure you understand each character HAS to be a whole person.

Why was TWILIGHT so popular? Vampires? Nope. IMHO it was the romance. The teen angst. Etc. Now I'm not here to debate the execution (I certainly have my own opinions) or to suggest sparkly, brooding, shirtless (though this never hurts) entities. It's been done. Obviously. What I am suggesting is that Ms. Meyer took feelings that are meaningful to real teens and magnified those by using certain complications and devices.

I don't have a list for you today. I can't hand you bullet points for this. There are so many posts out there on character development, heck I've done several and will probably continue to do so. Maybe you interview your characters and do worksheets. Maybe you make collages. Maybe you know where they grew up and what their favorite color is. IDK. But no matter what your process is, or how cool your idea is, I want you to promise me one thing.

Remember that your character is a person and not a personification.

When we get so wrapped up in plot and structure and style and original ideas, we can lose sight of the fact that writing is ALWAYS about the human condition. And when you do find that human voice and tell the story through that perspective, I guarantee your work will be vastly improved, no matter how beautiful your writing is otherwise. Filtering through character was one of my most popular posts. But to do that successfully, we have to first have a grasp on the character we're filtering through.

photo credit

The Elusive Voice

Don't forget your chance to win HAUNTED by Joy Preble! Time is running out...

Now:

Look it up online and you will find a million different definitions, explanations, and how to's. We may not know how to define "voice", but we do know how important it is. It's about as difficult to catch hold of as Bigfoot. So how DO we find it and trap it?

Be your character. If you aren't truly in your character's head you will never understand her voice. Many say there are two voices - the author's voice (which I equate to the tone of the manuscript) and the MC's. I believe the two are not mutually exclusive. Your character's voice is altered by the tone, just as you react differently depending on the situation you are in. So I am focusing on Character Voice here.

• Attitude - You can't just throw a bunch of snark out there and call it attitude. That's not character, sorry. You'll only end up putting your own Big Foot in your mouth. What you need to know is how your MC views the world and how she reacts accordingly. Now if she does that through sarcasm, great! Use it. But only in the WAY she would at the TIME she would. Capiche?
• Mannerisms - We all have them, though we don't always know about it. What your character DOES speaks volumes. Habits, knee-jerk reactions, etc.
• Thought processes - Otherwise known as INTERNAL DIALOGUE. What is the character thinking? How does she think? Need an example? Let's take one of my own favorite characters. His head is all over the place. Think "squirrel!" from the movie UP and you pretty much have a handle on him. I love that about him. He's easily distracted. And at the right moments that provides some excellent comic relief. It also makes him vulnerable.
• Speech - Ahh, dialogue. I love writing dialogue. Some people don't, but I think it really goes hand in hand with character and voice. The way your MC says something is as important as what she says. Who she's speaking to will also alter the dialogue. Do you speak the same to everyone? About everyone? Maybe your character is lacking an internal filter and spews whatever pops into her head. Maybe we see what she's thinking and it's the opposite of what she says. So much can be revealed by her interaction with others. Embrace that as an opportunity, don't fear it.
• Reactions - Not just the physical, as mentioned above in mannerisms (though that's certainly a part of it). But the emotional reactions too. Yes, your MC should absolutely instigate turning points in the plot. But there will also be those things out of her control, and how she reacts to them says a lot about her.

Okay, I believe I've covered quite a bit. There's always more of course, that's part of the beauty of writing. Let me try to boil this all down for you though...

If you have a strong, dimensional character, their voice will automatically come through. Spend your time on developing the MC fully, not on trying to interject bits of "cleverness" throughout the manuscript. That part will naturally evolve if you have the character down.

Did you catch Bigfoot? Hopefully not in your mouth...

photo credit

Last Character/Voice Vlog of the Series

Well, here it is folks. Hope you've enjoyed my little experiment as much as I have. Don't forget to come back on Thursday for another chance to win something very cool!

Vlog #3 in Which I Get Into Character For You

Don't forget to enter my contest to win a copy of PARANORMALCY and read my interview with Evie (the main character). You have until Wednesday after all.

Okay here it is, installment number three. You get to hear me read from two different books. Be sure to do your homework because Monday is the final installment. Sorry if it's choppy, I'm not a film editor and I do tend to babble sometimes, and didn't want you to have to suffer. :D

Vlog #2 Or Don't Go! I Have Homework For You!

Before you view my vlog...

Be sure to stop by on Thursday for an interview of epic proportions. Thanks to author Kiersten White, whose book PARANORMALCY debut's this week. I am interviewing her MC, Evie, right here on Paranormal Point of View! Not only that, but OF COURSE there will be a contest wherein you can win a copy of the super fabulous amazing book.

Now, back to character and voice.

VLOG - I'm Stepping Out There!

Don't forget Tomorrow is the last chance for entering my amazing contest courtesy of Lisa Desrochers! Check the link for details.

Now, to quote Monty Python, for something completely different.

In place of Monday Madness (for a short time at least) I've decided to grace you humble viewers with a series of vlogs. What about? VOICE. CHARACTER. It seems to be my strong point and I want to share with you why I believe that is and how you can use that information.

So, here's VLOG #1, in which I introduce my theory: