Once you’ve written a novel, you have established a voice. I’m talkin’ serious writing, not your 5th grade effort where you achieved a book of approximately 2500 words. Yet, even in that short story, you began the establishment of your writing voice.
Most of us who visit the publishing professionals’ sites and blogs have heard how each and all are looking for “fresh voices”, usually after they’ve told us exactly what methods are mandatory for producing a formula novel. We speculate about the apparent double standard.
We’ve noted here that “formulas” exist in certain types of novels, i.e. traditional romance, cozy mysteries, thrillers, and then within the differentiations observed in some mysteries and suspense novels.
Once a writer has found his “niche”, established his voice, and continues to produce within a framework of certain types of novels, what happens to his readers? The only Stephen King book I’ve read is On Writing, a bit of an autobiographical text on how to write well. Stephen King’s fans are notorious for their loyalties to him, proclaiming his abilities with high praise. I’m like that with Frank Peretti and Randy Alcorn and Robert Liparulo. Ted Dekker has some fanatical supporters as well. Francine Rivers is a master storyteller, an incredible writer. Karen Kingsbury’s fans are devoted to her and eagerly await each new release, putting her books on bestseller lists.
What happens when your favorite author starts to sound “the same” in each new release? How can an author be expected to sound “different(ly)” after writing several novels? Very few authors can write cross genre. I’ve remarked here how I would love to write a mystery, but I don’t think I can. But what about mystery writers who’ve written upwards of five or six mystery novels? Do they begin to show similar setups for each ensuing story? Do we grow weary of their styles or voices?
It really can’t be helped, can it? How can a writer change his voice? And, really, why should he? We must be true to who we are, write from the heart, from that place of truth, but what happens when we begin to sound stale to our readership?
Speaking from a place of transparency here, I used to enjoy certain authors in the past. Now not so much. The interesting thing I’ve noticed is their novels were more interesting in the past, generally longer, too. The current writing trends which are consistently demonstrated in many of today’s novels as well as harangued from the websites and blogs are so recognizable . . . and, in some cases, overdone. The continual use of active verbs stretches into tedium and feels contrived as if the author went from cover to cover with a dictionary and thesaurus to find yet another verb to use. The lean writing is appropriate in some stories but certainly not all, and the adherence to the elimination of SAs, adverbs, etc. becomes less imaginative, not more.
I’m afraid what has happened in some cases is that the methodology has been elevated above the prose. We cannot all write the same way and produce “fresh” anything. Not all readers want lean. Not all readers want extravagant.
I’m reading a book right now which has adhered to every rule. A successful author in his/her genre. An author whose older novels I enjoyed. Not so much this one. It’s edited to perfection regarding the current rules and trends. But it doesn’t have the pizzazz of the earlier novels. And it’s disappointing.
We are who we are as writers. Some of us will change, evolve in our styles and stories, and some of us will follow the trends and rules to insure we keep in step with the publishing demands. The unfortunate thing is that in doing so some writers will become only a shadow of what they once were. And that isn’t always a good thing.
Father, help us to always continue to do as you would have us do, to grow up into our faith, to trust your abilities working through us to become who you want us to be. Help us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
*Please continue to pray for Kristy Dykes.*