Speaking of editing -- And I want to say this up front that I am not criticizing or complaining, I am analyzing -- I am working my way through a copy-edited mss. At least two editors made notes. I appreciate both and even though Im not done yet, Ive seen some valuable stuff. But Im also recognizing a difference in style. One copy-editor, who Ive worked with before, is scrupulous about punctuation and occasional repetition of words or phrases. She forces me to reexamine every sentence and as much as I might grumble about how tiresome a process that is, the story gets better every time. So my grumbles are grumbles of appreciation. The other copy-editor -- and I think this is the first time Ive encountered his work -- has a different philosophy, suggesting word changes and even restructuring sentences to make them grammatically correct. While in every case, he is correct, hes still wrong -- because the story is written in the voice of the central character, and his word choices and grammatical structures are part of his voice. If I were to make every sentence match the Strunk and White ideal, first his voice would be diluted, secondly his character would be less vivid. Im paying attention to his notes, but ignoring those that violate the characters essential voice. And this brings me back to a key part of storytelling and style. Writers are actors. We act out all the parts. Were also special effects technicians, prop men, lighting experts, set decorators, makeup crew, costumers, and directors. But most of all, were actors. When I write, I become the character and I speak in his or her voice. Every time out is the creation of a new voice. Thats the first part of the job, becoming the person -- a person the reader is willing to spend time with. Ohell, just becoming a person Im willing to spend time being. If/when the writer successfully creates the voice of the character, then he/she has created the style necessary to the story. Style is one of the impossible challenges in writing. Everybody wants to master it, few people know what it really is, and all of the different stylistic tools and tips and tricks and techniques are just that -- tools and tips and tricks and techniques. Thats why style is a challenge for beginning writers, because too often theyre looking for it in all the wrong places. Style is voice. Find the voice, the style will be the expression of it. A couple of examples. Oh, wow, look at the moon! It fizzes with brightness. It looks larger at the horizon, but its an optical illusion. Now, which line was spoken by Bill to Ted, and which line was spoken by Sheldon Cooper? I rest my case. Next?
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 20:41:20 +0000