On Writing: Voice

[TheLobster]

I've considered trying to write a 1P with no internal monologue. I think it would almost exclusively be a reporting of events, but done in a way to keep the voice intact by the use of words and structure. Maybe with a couple one-word things, like emotion:

Congratulations, you have just invented emoji.

 

[anthrodisiac]

Congratulations, you have just invented emoji.

 

[HeyAll]

Haven’t read it, but, is there any sense that the narrator is an in-universe character who doesn’t appear “onscreen,” so to speak? Rather than an omniscient out-of-universe storyteller telling a fiction they can’t be in (because it’s fiction.)

Omiscient narrator which sometimes explains character's thoughts, tailored to their personality, the style even shifts when the main focus is a child for a few brief chapters.

 

[SmilingLez]

A distinct internal monolog is a great way to give characters unique voices.

I realize some people don't have an internal monolog. That could be a writing exercise right there...

I attempt to create unique characters with distinct voices in all of my stories, but I know that is an area I can definitely improve.

My vignette Fragments - First Love is an internal monologue of what is going on, not only in the MC's head, but also in her body. There is minimal conversation between the MC and her LI

 

[PennyThompson]

Unless I'm writing in First, I think I usually end up defaulting to a Third-Person voice that Stacnash once described as "the smartest kid in the class who’s trying to pop their friends," which is mean but not entirely unwarranted

But when it comes to voice, I think I'm most proud of the Dandelion Greene stories where the protagonist is largely self-educated via her town library, but learned that speaking with too many big words was liable to get her bullied by her peers or punished by her elders.

So she narrates in a (mostly) proper early 20th Century literate style, but speaks very casually and coloquially, maybe even hamming it up a little when she doesn't want to let on how smart she actually is.

I don't know how objectively successful I've been at that dichotomy, but it's a both a challenge and a joy to write in that style

 

[ElectricBlue]

I don't know how objectively successful I've been at that dichotomy, but it's a both a challenge and a joy to write in that style

Your Dandelion Greene character is outstanding, quite delightful .

 

[AG31]

Huh. I contributed to this thread but apparently forgot to "watch" it.

Do any of you folks happen to have opinions about John Grisham's narrative voice? Can you describe it? I think it's one of those voices that fades into the background so you're not aware of it.