Tag: Style

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Find Your Unique Voice

One of the things I look forward to about attending a writer’s conference is meeting new writers and hearing about what they write, their passions, and their hearts. It’s fun meeting writers from different parts of the country and even the world!

This year as I talked to another writer with a disability, I remembered my days in rehabilitation. I was fortunate enough to be at one of the best rehabilitation hospitals in the Southeast and people came from all over the region to get help. It was here that I first heard the saying that each brain injury is different because each person is different. There are no cookie-cutter recoveries. Perhaps you’ve experienced this within the writing community.

  • We each sound different.
  • Have different experiences.
  • Develop unique perspectives.
  • Write different types of writing.

During those months of recovery, I learned to listen to others’ stories and journeys. I learned it’s okay to make mistakes and not have all the answers. It’s a lot like a writer’s journey, it will be different for each of us. Regardless of the path we are on, it is sure to give us a unique voice.

Your Voice!

A writer’s “voice” is an important tool in their toolbox. A unique writing voice is a sign of good writing. It is one of the distinctions that set writers apart from one another. It helps a writer stand out from the crowd. Take the time to learn and polish your voice. Below are a few tips to help you find yours:

1. Determine your point of view. Before embarking on a new creative writing project, ask yourself: Why am I writing fiction or (nonfiction) in the first place? People pursue the craft of writing for different reasons, and understanding your intentions will help you develop a strong voice and your style.

2. Pick a consistent voice for your narrators. While plenty of famous fiction writers toggle between first-person and third-person narrative voice, you can help establish your writing voice by picking one style and sticking to it.

3. Think about sentence structure and word choice. Adopting specific policies about word choice and sentence structure will further establish your voice as an author.

4. Find a balance between description and dialogue. Some authors layer their novels with long passages of description—they describe actions and emotional responses through the narrator’s voice and use dialogue to reinforce the narration. By contrast, other authors let dialogue drive their narrative and only interject narration when dialogue simply will not suffice. Picking one of these styles and committing to it is yet another way to establish a specific and unique voice.

5. Right all the time. Finding your voice takes time. Experiment with different voices and writing styles.”1

In college I majored in English. My instructor’s number one pet peeve was writing that didn’t stand out. She encouraged us to find what we’re passionate about, and to write about it in our unique way.

I can still remember struggling to find focus in my writing and praying for inspiration and clarity in my craft. I wanted to be able to make a change with my writing. But I felt like my voice was lost amongst the other aspiring writers.

Then, I had an accident and lost part of my brain. Along with it I lost my unique way of talking. For the first month after my accident, I spoke in a monotone like Tom Hanks in the movie Forrest Gump. The craziest part is, I didn’t even know it.

Know it!

The only way I could learn how to talk with my normal voice was to spend hours listening to the greeting I recorded on my old answering machine. The more I listened, the more I heard the differences in tone my voice made with certain vowels and consonants.

I had to remember how to change the volume of my voice with different emotions and feelings. Nowadays, I hate listening to it when it’s recorded, especially on my YouTube videos. But, I understand the value of having a unique voice in life. Once others know it, it gets harder for them to forget it. Our unique voice gives us instant recognition into our: personality, character, and culture.

Below are a few tricks to help your writer’s voice be unique and distinguishable:

 Listen – This means reading what we’ve written out loud.

 Remember – Re-reading things we’ve already written.

 Repeat – Copying the pattern and style of previous work.

In the rehabilitation process, patients do a lot of repetitive movements to create muscle memory and help retrain muscles and the brain to function as close to normal as possible. The same principle can be beneficial for writers struggling to find their writing voice.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJonhson.com and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-find-your-voice-in-writing#5-steps-to-find-your-writers-voice

Categories
Platform and Branding

Author Brand Crash Course

Platform and Branding

Personal brand is a big factor for writers today. Do you have one? If so, what is it? And how do you, through your brand, portray yourself to the world? These are some questions to ask if you’re newer to this thing called writing or simply focusing on your platform for the first time.

First things first: Do you have a brand?

I put brand into two categories, active brand and passive brand. Passive brand is the brand you don’t think about. It’s what you wear to buy groceries, the posts you share without considering your writing platform, the people you follow because you just like seeing their posts. Active brand is much different. It’s what you choose to wear to the writers conference, it’s the blog you work on for a week before sharing on Twitter, it’s the people you follow on Instagram so you can work on your platform.

Whether you realize it or not, everything you say, share, do, wear (the list goes on) communicates something to your followers. When considering your brand, focus on a few key areas.

I can’t tell you what areas those should be for you, that’s up to you as the writer, but here are some bullet points to get you thinking:

  • Social Media — Are you always consuming or do you engage and give away good content? Neither is right or wrong, but one establishes you as more of a student in the industry while the other establishes you as an expert in your field.
  • Style — When people meet you for the first time, what does what you wear tell them about who you are? Are you a casual person? A professional? Again, neither is right or wrong but it is important to be aware of how you come across.
  • Website — Is your website about you or your reader? Are you inviting your target audience to read about the topics you enjoy, or are you bringing fresh content that will help them in whatever niche you’ve chosen to write in?
  • Writing — If people follow you on social media or subscribe to your site and then go read your books, they expect it to align with the rest of your brand. Ask, does my writing align with who I’m showing the world I am? (Imagine if Stephen King had a blog strictly focused on cat memes. As amazing as that would be, it would be rather confusing for the reader.)

If this feels like a lot, don’t be discouraged. Start small and grow from there. The good thing about a personal brand is it grows and changes as you do. Enjoy the journey of discovery and connecting with your readers along the way. If you’re a writer, you’re here for the long game. Personal brand is part of the process. And if you can write a book from scratch, you can definitely build your brand from what’s already started. You got this!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Voice and Style

mystery suspense thriller

Voice and style can make or break an author’s novel, so how can we make it stand out from all the rest? Style is the technical aspect of the story while voice relies on character, point of view, and attitude (can be referred to as tone). How can we give the reader a voice they’ll remember or a style that will keep them reading?

The following are aspects of voice and style I’ve been learning about from other authors. Every writer should think about these before they start to plot their novel.

Voice

The challenge can be to write in a voice that comes across as unique and authentic. Let’s think about the following.

Character and attitude – The tone of your story will set your novel apart if done correctly. Your characters need an attitude as it can add emotional stake and give the reader what they want—a cleverly woven story. If they don’t have attitude the tale will fall flat. The author needs to show how the character is going to deal with the issues that plague them. How will their attitude show? It will become their distinctive voice.

POV – Most thrillers are written in first-person past tense or third-person past tense POV. Why? Some feel first-person reads well and is a friendlier voice. Normally first-person is the voice of the hero. Think Patrick Bowers in Steven James’ series. He puts the reader right into Patrick’s life.

Is there a downside to using first-person? The author must stay in that person’s POV for the entire novel, so it’s hard to show scenes with other characters. Also, the reader may get tired of all the “I’s” throughout the chapters.

What about third-person? Seeing the events through the eyes of a character is like a movie camera rolling while reading. It puts the reader directly into the story. They feel what the character feels, sees what they see, etc. Usually in a mystery, the sleuth narrates most of the story.

Which POV is right for the author? Why not try both out on some beta readers? Give them a snippet in both POVs and have them decide which they like better. Once decided, the author can better plot their novel as it will come naturally.

Style

How can style work hand-in-hand with voice? These are technical choices authors make to weave their tale. Here are some examples of how style can enhance your story.

Flashbacks/Background – They can add suspense for the reader. However, use these sparingly. Too many flashbacks or background information can pull the reader from the story, but placed in the right spot can have them turning the pages. We’ve been told not to include background info in the first fifty pages. If it’s necessary to add them early, just give hints to entice them.

Setting – Every suspense/mystery/thriller needs a powerful setting. Perhaps it’s a sleepy town now plagued with intrigue or a supposed haunted mansion. The setting is a character of its own. To see more on this subject, see my previous post here.

Dialogue – This can make or break a novel. Dialogue needs to be authentic, but we also don’t want to include hum-drum snippets of a conversation—for example: “Hi. How are you?” “I’m fine, thank-you. You?” We know these types of questions are in our everyday conversations, but they will bore the reader. Keep dialogue snappy and moving the plot forward.

Rhythm — The use of short and long sentences can enhance the pace of a novel. Need suspense? Use short, choppy sentences to thrust them right into the action. Need to give the reader a break? Use longer sentences and paragraphs to slow the pace, giving them a chance to think through all the clues. However, don’t add too much detail. You know what they say—less is more.

These are just some areas to consider when writing a novel. Practicing in different POVs and using the above information can make the author’s style and voice authentic. Why not try this today?

What are your thoughts on voice and style?

Darlene L. Turner writes romantic suspense and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. She won the 2019 and 2016 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence contest. She was a finalist in the 2019 ACFW Genesis contest and won in 2017. She lives with her husband in the Forest City of London, Ontario. Darlene’s debut novel, Border Breach, will release in April, 2020 and is now available to pre-order. Click here to order.

Visit Darlene at:

Website: www.darlenelturner.com where she believes there’s suspense beyond borders

Social Media links:

Facebook: darlene.turner.902

Twitter: darlenelturner

Sign up to receive my Newsletter and get a FREE short story!

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

What Oscar Mayer Wieners Have to Do with Style

One of the joys (and frustrations) of the English language is how it ebbs, flows, and changes. Unlike dead languages, which are, well, dead, English is fully alive. As writers, it’s our job to stay informed. Does email have a hyphen? Is the word internet capitalized or lowercased? And what in the world is a singular they? It sounds a little schizophrenic if you ask me.

As you write and submit articles, your professionalism will shine if your grammar, punctuation, and formatting reflects the latest updates. Your editors will appreciate you, the publications you write for will invite you to contribute more often, and your edited articles will no longer look like the victim in a slasher movie.

Here are several changes and points of style you may find helpful. In the spirit of full disclosure, I also struggle with (and sometimes fail to remember) the rules that govern usage. When in doubt, look it up. But be sure to use credible sources. One of my new favorite reference books is Dreyer’s English, An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer.

The Singular They

Every year, editors announce big stylebook changes at the American Copy Editors Society (ACES) annual meeting. In 2017, they announced, “the AP Stylebook now allows writers to use they as a singular pronoun when rewriting the sentence as plural would be overly awkward or clumsy.” Even though I squirm a little, this change helps me avoid the annoying and often interruptive he/she or his/her.

Example: The teacher announced that each student could use one homework pass a month. This means he or she won’t have to turn in his or her homework on the night of the big football game. 

Change To: The teacher announced that each student could use one homework pass a month. This means they won’t have to turn in their homework on the night of the big football game. 

 The style also allows writers to pair they with everyone in similar situations.

Exclamation Points

The late Sue Duffy first editor at Reach Out, Columbiamagazine, gently but firmly told me, “Use as few exclamation points as possible — only when someone is shrieking or their house is on fire.” Even now, years later, whenever my left pinkie reaches for that forbidden punctuation mark, I hear her voice and my pinkie returns to its proper place.

“Began to” and “Started to”

In most cases, it’s best to avoid the use of “began to” or “started to.”

Example: “Tears began to roll down his cheeks.”

Change To: “Tears rolled down his cheeks.”

We don’t begin to cry, we cry. We don’t start to walk, we walk. We don’t begin to eat, we eat.

Occasionally someone might start to walk to the front of the church and change his mind, but most of the time, it’s best to use the verb only. If you’re not sure which is correct, try it both ways. You’ll realize that began to and started to are usually unnecessary.

Were vs. Was

Remember the hot dog jingle, “I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener”? Why doesn’t it go, “I wish I was an Oscar Mayer wiener”? Many writers struggle with knowing when to use were and when to use was.

Dryer proposes this rule of thumb: If you’ve presented a situation that is unlikely, improbable, or just plain impossible, use were. If the situation that is not the case but could be, use was.

Example using were: If I were to become the president of the United States, I’d end war, rid the world of nuclear weapons, and give every ten-year-old a bike.”

Example using was: If I was in that meeting, I’d have asked for a raise.

I hope these four points of style have made you think and settled more questions than they’ve raised. And in case you’re wondering, during that 2017 meeting of the ACES, editors also announced the Associate Press would no longer use a hyphen in email and lowercase the word internet. The Chicago Manual of Style followed suit the next day.

Now you know.

(Portions of this content were previously posted on The Write Conversation.)

Lori Hatcher is the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and the author of several devotional books. Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women won the 2016 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award. Her most recent book, Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible is due out in the spring of 2020. A blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker, her goal is to help women connect with God in the craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

Categories
Developing Your Writer's Voice Uncategorized

How Your Diary Holds the Key in Discovering Your Writer’s Style

Graphic Courtesy of Keep.comA writer’s voice is the unique personality of the writer that comes through on the written page, defining his work. An often-asked question is whether a writer’s style is the same thing as his voice. The answer is no.

A writer’s style is the way in which he structures sentences; the pattern in which his words are written. Components of style are the length of the sentences, diction, tone and length of paragraphs.

A somewhat surprising tool for discovering your writer’s voice and style is your juvenile diary. Below are two examples of these early writings; exaggerated here for style comparison.

Stark

Diary, yesterday I went to the mall. I bought a dress. Mary was there.

Ornate

Dearest Diary,

I ventured to the mall in the last light of the day. I purchased a dress with a gossamer over-skirt that will make Robbie compare me to a princess. I will sit his picture on my bedside table and hopefully dream of him until dawn breaks.

The writer’s style was different in each example. The stark example’s sentences are simple and sparse. The ornate example has long, flowing sentences.

Do you have your teenage diary, the one you kept under lock and key? If so, take a trip down memory lane with the  distinct purpose of discovering your writer’s style. This early diary was unedited which allowed your authentic writer’s voice to shine through.

If you don’t have your treasured diary, compare a piece you wrote a year ago to a recent effort. Does a pattern emerge…do you recognize your writing style?

“The most durable thing in writing is style, and style is the most valuable investment a writer can make with his time.” Raymond Chandler

 

Image courtesy of www.keep.com

Categories
Blogging Basics

What’s Your Blogging Personality?

Develop a consistent blogging personality

Remember the insecure days of adolescence? We changed looks, styles, and personalities as we tried to figure out this important question: Who am I?

Back in the day my hair styles vacillated from straight to curly and from Farrah-Fawcett wings to teased up bangs. Some days I was the outgoing cheerleader and other days the quiet bookworm.

When it comes to blogging, it is important to choose a personality that fits you. Your topics may vary, but readers depend on your persona to remain consistent.

[bctt tweet=”A well-developed blogging personality fosters loyalty from your readers.”]

What’s Your Blogging Personality?

Which one of these personalities best fits your purpose and writing voice?

The Expert

Is your blog tied to expertise you have in a subject? Are you an authority with experience and knowledge to share? Are most of your posts informational? Are people coming to your for answers and information?

The Reporter

The reporter conveys facts and information in a journalistic style. Do you comment on current events? Is your focus to share information about what’s happening?

The Friend

The friend comes along side with a conversational tone. Friendly and empathetic, do you share confidences and build relationships?

The Storyteller

The storyteller master’s the art of story. Posts have a narrative influence and pull the reader into the midst of something happening. Stories are an effective way to entertain, to evoke emotion, illustrate points, teach lessons, inspire changes, and even to sell ideas or products.

The Helper

The helper shares a wealth of practical information and how-to details. Filled with ideas and tips, the helper becomes a go-to source for projects and advice. Generally, the Helper has a friendly, you-can-do-this tone.

The Motivator

The Motivator has the ability to move people to action and change. Motivators build energy and create movement in readers. Flavored with positivism and inspiration, these personalities are popular with blog readers.

The Cheerleader

Cheerleader’s create enthusiasm and build confidence in readers. We’re in this together and You can do it are trademarks of the cheerleader’s influence. Similar to motivators, cheerleaders help readers achieve success and reap practical benefit.

The Marketer

Presenting information and benefits, marketer’s engage audiences with the aim to sell a product or  build an organization. Today’s marketing bloggers cultivate relationships, offer free incentives, and build loyalty in order to effectively convert traffic into sales.

The Analyzer

Similar to the Reporter and the Expert, Analyzers fall more into the informational vein of blogging. Opinions, surveys, reviews, and research are a few of the tools preferred in this style of blogging.

Not sure what your blogging personality is?

New bloggers often try out different personalities and styles before settling into a consistent voice. This is a natural part of the development of a writer. Give yourself time to discover your blogging personality. If you aren’t sure about your blogging persona, ask for feedback from people you trust to give an honest opinion.

Another helpful tip is to evaluate the personality and style of your favorite bloggers. Can you pinpoint a consistent personality? How do they convey personality–through attitude, tone, language, topic, emotion, information? As you learn how other writers show personality, you will learn new ways of sharing your unique voice.

Effective bloggers develop their personality, voice, and style with consistency. A well-developed blogging voice builds trust with readers who have chosen to follow your blog. [bctt tweet=”People read blogs for a variety of reasons, but a strong, consistent personality keeps them coming back.”]

 

What’s your blogging personality? What blogging personalities do you enjoy reading?

 

Categories
The Writer's PenCase

Storytelling – What Makes a Story Great?

ben-hurWhat is it about a story that makes it compelling? Is it the characters? Is it the plot? Is it the element of surprise? Is it the challenges? Is it danger? I submit, it’s all of them, skillfully put together, woven like a tapestry to make an impression on our minds and in our hearts.

Continue reading “Storytelling – What Makes a Story Great?”
Categories
Grammar and Grace

Book List for Editing

The concept of selecting a good product. Computer generated 3D photo rendering.

Punctuation and grammar come easily to me. I remember rules from elementary school, can recite a whole list of prepositions, and can use a semi-colon with confidence. For those times that I’m stumped about comma placement or which word to choose, I have a few go-to reference books that help me out every time.

Strunk and White’s, The Elements of Style, is a small book packed with information. Chapters include Elementary Rules of Usage, Elementary Principles of Composition, A Few Matters of Form, Words and Expressions Commonly Misused, and my edition, the third, has a chapter called An Approach To Style. This potent little package should sit on every writer’s desk within easy reach.

edit 3

I also use The McGraw-Hill College Handbook. It lists prepositions and conjunctive adverbs, shows how to fix dangling modifiers, and explains parallelism and subjunctive tense. This book isn’t the only one that can help with problems, but it’s the one I have. You probably have an English handbook left over from your college days. Check your book shelves.

eidt 2

Three other books that I’d recommend as references are Renni Browne and Dave King’s, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Revision and Self-Editing for Publication by James Scott Bell, and Gary Provost’s, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing. These are helpful books writers should read and reread as often as possible.

edit 1png

All these books are good references, but I’ll be here to help, too. In each post, I’ll show the correct usage of a punctuation or grammar rule and try to explain the reason behind it.

Let me know if you have a question you want to see addressed. Thanks for your imput!

 

 

Categories
Developing Your Writer's Voice

One Way to Discover Your Writer’s Voice

Can Stock Image

“Do you have a unique voice?”

It’s one question agents and editors often ask writers during one-on-one interviews at conferences.

A “deer caught in the headlights” look passes over newbie’s faces while their tongues cling to the roof of their mouths. “Voice, what do you mean by voice?”

It’s been said that finding and developing one’s writer voice is at the top of the list of things aspiring writers find most intimidating.

There are many definitions of what constitutes a writer’s voice. I believe it’s a combination of syntax, style, dialogue, diction and tone. It is the very essence of you that springs forth from the pages.

[bctt tweet=””Do you have a unique voice?” #amwriting #author #novel” via=”no”]

My writer’s voice came quickly, which was not the case for the bane of my existence—the matter of show versus tell. We all have issues!

Each post I’ll share a tip on developing your writer’s voice along with advice I’ve gleaned over the years from seasoned wordsmiths. Hopefully, tackling this issue in small bites will make it easier to digest.

Today’s tip: Read. Read a lot. When you find new authors or revisit old favorites, try to determine what drew you into their story world. Listen for their voice. Read other books written by them to determine if you would know it was their writing, their voice, without seeing the writer’s names. This lesson might seem elementary but trust me; it will be a helpful exercise.

Consider this post for a moment. What is the voice of this post? What is its personality? Is it cozy, formal, or aloof?

Please leave comments concerning your struggles with voice with suggestions of how this blog can best serve you in the comment section.

I hope you come back to visit often.