I’m going to close my eyes and blurt this out…
Kiersten White wrote a 50,000 word draft of a novel in nine days!!! And to top it off–it sounds freaking amazing. I’m not afraid to say it–just the thought of trying to do that scares the hell out of me. It took me 4 years to write SURFACE and I’m still tweaking it.
My first response to this news was to immediately deem myself a failure in all things writing. (Obviously, I am not keeping up with the cool kids.) But, after beating myself about the head and shoulders with a wet noodle, I breathed into a brown paper bag a couple a lot of times and started to realize something. Wheezing doesn’t help AND Kiersten has a different voice than I do. Simon Pulse didn’t buy my book because I sounded like the next Kiersten White–they bought it because I sounded like the first Kimberly Sabatini.
I’m also discovering that voice is more than the product that shows up on the page. A voice is an extension of who we are and how we craft. Kiersten is a kick-ass power house and accessorizes with a sparkly pink taser and that absolutely comes out in her characters. So, is it any surprise that’s how she writes and revises too? It’s her voice and that is why we love her.
I have a different voice. It’s a little bit of a dichotomy. It has a touch of stage fright, but it turns into a blabber mouth once it gets over it’s nerves. I don’t have a pink sparkly taser, even though it might come in real useful with three boys. And I can’t write a novel in nine days. It’s impossible for me to write my stories any faster than I can live them. It’s just my way–and it’s okay. Some days I wonder if you’re going to like my voice. It scares me to think about it, but then I remember that the best stories come from an author who has figured out how to love her own voice. The rest is beyond my control…
Do you feel comfortable with your own voice?
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I can really relate to this post. I have a crit partner who is an awesome writer, and she can put out a book in about 2 weeks. And make changes in her ms in hours. And it's always awesome. I take a lot more time to write and think and revise, then revise some more. But, you're right, everyone has their own voice and everyone writes different. I am comfortable with my voice and how I write.
Ahhhh those amazing crit partners….can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. *grin* So glad you recognize the awesomeness of you…it can be so hard some days to hang on to that belief in yourself. Sending (((hugs)))