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I often worry that as I write almost entirely in the first person, my characters would end up becoming, to be honest, 'me' and all the same. It is a difficult one to judge, because in writing said lead role I tend to be doing it by the 'method'. Annie is me, Gillian is me, Steph shared more than a name while I brought her to life. What surprised me, however, was a remark at work.
Two of my colleagues are reading the dead-tree version of 'Uniforms'and one of them passed a comment after Chapter 2.
"Steph, I was thinking, this is good, this is quick fire, but I couldn't see it as written by you. Then a character pops up, and it's you, it's your voice, I can see you there"
Who was this person that immediately shouted ugly transwoman to my friend? Nope, not the lead character, not the transgendered person. It was the bloody CSM at Darwin, the one whose contribution finishes "And you will fix bayonets"
Thanks, Paul. Is that what I sound like? Arsebollocks.
Comments
I think he meant it as a
I think he meant it as a compliment... The remark about your voice was a bit unfortunate, but I doubt it was intentional, just a phrase...
It's probably less the vocal range and more the choice of words. I always fear my characters are talking like me... As long as it was an unimportant side character I wouldn't worry...
On the other hand it could be way more awkward. In germany for instance many young people use the german word for gay (as in homosexual) as a synonym for crap. I guess that may be a rather ugly situation for gays and lesbians... and awkward for friends who used it out of habit. (no it didn't happen to me *sigh*)
I guess everyone is bound to blunder - we can just hope we'll be forgiven.
Beyogi
All our characters
unless they are made of cardboard contain some of us, even if it's a negative aspect or projection of how you'd do negative. I suspect you'd have been even more hurt if he'd told you all of your characters were wooden or unbelievable.
As for writing in the first person, it has limitations but also enables to take the reader into greater emotional depth of the protagonist - if you can pull it off. I'm still trying after 1550 experiments, dunno if I've got it right yet.
At least you can share your writing with some of your colleagues, living in stealth, I can't.
Angharad
Angharad
That's a challenge...
That's a challenge for writing in first person... Having all your characters sound like you and the same... I know I've had that issue (even if nobody's complained yet).
What I try to do to avoid this, is to spend a little time working out some details for at least my most important characters. Then, after I've gotten the first draft of a scene finished - I look to make sure what have the character say is in line with their character. Sometimes I need a character to say something, but it's not in character for him/her to say it... This can be a problem. (No kidding, right?) When that happens - I look at both the scene, and the character and see how they relate to the rest of the story. There are times, I've changed my scene - to find someone else to say it... To have it observed, etc. Other times, I work out a rationale for the character to say it (or something like it). This has caused me to go back and change things in previous chapters so that it is in character... Or provide something "down the road" that shows that it was something that had been hidden in the character up to that point and the comment was a foreshadow of that future revelation.
I recall one time that I ended up completely rewriting a section because I couldn't figure out any way out of my conflict. "There's no way George could have said that. There's nobody else TO say it, and as is, it's critical to getting where I'm going..." I had to rip back to a point and change things so the conflict didn't happen.
As to readers recognizing us - in what we write... Quite a number of us have more than one "voice" to the world... I know I do... Though they're closer together the last year (and becoming more so): Anne's voice and that GUY's voice... I MADE myself learn to talk/say things as "that guy" that hid the real me and made "him" sound more macho... It worked - so far, most folks that I've outed myself to have been very surprised. The more observant, with the new info, have been able to see hints but most no. As I spend more time as Anne - I've found that (this is looking back - retrospect and all that) HIS voice has changed. I'm not saying he was a bigot or cruel Far from either... More he sounded like he really enjoyed sports, and knew enough to talk intelligently... I don't bother pretending any more. I can still sound like I know what I'm talking about with many sports, but I've stopped trying to keep up with things so I know what's being talked about there. Small example, but one.
So - I'd not be at all surprised if someone that knew me to read a story and recognize something that HE might have said -rather than what I would have said. I suspect that even after transition, this will happen. *shrugs*.
Important to realize - I know that the guy part is PART of me and will always be. I don't really think of myself as two people. I'm one person who has pretended to be one thing for a long time, and I'm going to stop pretending... But all those things that happened to me, still happened. There are some I'm not proud of, but I don't believe there's anything I'm really ashamed of. After I transition all of that will still be part of me. I may talk about "HIM" and "me" but that's for convenience rather than how I think about myself. (This bit is added because some folks, in the past, have wondered and asked about this.)
Not sure any of this rambling helps you...
Good luck,
Anne
Different voice
Annette, indeed. That is why I am writing my Christmas story from a male PoV. Let him focus on the problems for once.
I'm just too afraid to write fully in the first person.
I'm just too afraid to write fully in the first person, too much stuff gone before, too much shit!
I've got a sort of outline roughed out but not much get's done when shit comes to bust. That's why it's been lying around in exercise books and on my laptop for decades.
Even though I am out and 'in-your'face' vis-a-vis my transgenderism, there's still an awful lot of other stuff that makes me ashamed. If I write in the first person, I might just expose other sides to me that are best kept private.
It's not just transgenderism that gets hidden.
Bev.
Growing Old Disgracefully
Bev, we all have shit.
We have talked plenty, and I consider you to be one of my best friends, so I know some.
Still, I have shit that makes me feel deep shame. It is behind me, and it is part of my own personal beliefs that have made that possible. Still, I do not see the nature of my personal journey as the exclusive way to seek personal healing.
Please do know that there are people in your life that love you deeply. That helps you at least somewhat I hope.
I read Mare's tales years ago, and am getting ready to read it again, but this time it holds new meaning for me and I must prepare myself. I think the story has deep psychological meaning, and the facing of those things may make me break up for a bit. Still, we must not fear the pain of tears shed in the past or those for in the future.
I can remember weeping so hard that I could scarcely breathe and my head felt like it could explode. I have no doubt that you have too.
Please be kind and gentle with yourself. I think that you should be quite proud of yourself for what you have achieved in life in spite of obstacles which others would find insurmountable.
Much peace
Gwendolyn
Creating different voices
I've found helium to be a big help.
"Government will only recognize 2 genders, male + female,
as assigned at birth-" (In his own words:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1lugbpMKDU
LOL
Good one.
Seriously though, My little voice in my head that never seems to shut up doesn't really have a sound to it. It is niether female nor male. Its just there. I busy writing mopar girl at moment. I am on the third day in the story and am passed some 8k words I believe. I am not trying to be well anything as I write. The story is a journey with a moral(not sure what that moral is) and is just going. I haven't really planned it out. I kinda know the end. But again its vague.
I tell from the view of the writer of the story. This is after all his/her(maybe) story. writing from the view of others may come into play as well, or not.
My point is my stories have a life all their own. I just get sore fingers typing it.
A departed friend once told me something.
"Do not worry about the small things. Everything in life is a small thing just live as you are."