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Wednesday 8 January 2014

Getting to grips with my inner voice - an IWSG post


IWSG Badge

So, here we are with the first IWSG outing for 2014! Doesn't the new year come around quickly?

For those still unfamiliar (just where have you been?) this is the IWSG, or Insecure Writers Support Group, a great place to find and give encouragement to fellow writers, whatever stage you may be at in your journey. 

Founded by the Ninja Captain, Alex J Cavanaugh, the IWSG has grown into an entity all of its own and has a new home over at the IWSG website. 
It has a plethora of places to go to for advice and opportunities for anything to do with writing.

Here you can find the IWSG sign up list where you can find others writing about their insecurities each month, and also sign up yourself to make new friends and gain encouragement.


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Since getting back into my writing, I've been struggling a little with the idea of finding my own voice. It's not an idea that sits comfortably with me and I'm trying to understand just why that is.

Whenever I start a piece of fiction I always worry in the back of my mind whether anyone will like it, or whether anyone will even be remotely interested in it. I think this goes some way to shaping the end product and most of the time I'm not entirely satisfied with what I've done.

I've lost count of the amount of competition entries I've started, most of which have a theme to focus on, and I've stumbled half way through because I keep stopping to ask myself 'Is this what they're looking for? Will this make an impact? Does it follow the theme closely enough?'

I read an interesting article on the Waterstone's blog the other day by guest host Melissa Harrison called Against all advice ...
It went a long way to making me realise that I really need to set off on this journey in my own pair of shoes and walk the way I want to walk, rather than trying to fit into someone else's and wondering why I keep falling over.

I'm gradually beginning to feel more comfortable with the feeling of being a writer, which I know sounds odd but you all know what I mean right? I'm sitting back now and relaxing with what I'm doing, I'm going to work on getting pieces to a level I'm happy with and I'll worry about the public reaction (if any) later.

Right now, my writing's for me.

Have you found your writing voice? Did it take long or are you still on the journey?

Happy IWSG day everyone!

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34 comments:

  1. I think since I wrote the first book for me, I just wrote it in my own style and accidentally found my voice that way. Another trick is to read part of it out loud, as if you were telling a story to a group of people. How do you read it? What would you change? I think you'll start to hear your voice then.
    First IWSG post of 2014 - going to be a great year!

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    1. I've started reading my writing aloud to myself, when I get a few minutes on my own of course. It's amazing how different it sounds out loud to when it's in my head. This has helped hugely with improving my dialogue.

      Thanks for stopping by :-)

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  2. I totally agree with that advice - you need to write the way you want to write, or write what you would want to read. Write what calls to you and what you are *compelled* to write. That's what I do :)

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    1. It's certainly easier to write what I want to, the flow comes much quicker. I find it can be more of an effort to write what's expected and just takes all the fun out of it.

      Happy IWSG day!

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  3. I write the way I write, and if that comes to constitute a style, that's good.

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    1. I think that's half the battle for me, NIssa, I just write how I write and I can't always see in my own work what my style actually is. Maybe that's more for the reader to determine.

      Thanks for dropping by on IWSG day!

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  4. It took my a while, but I did eventually find my writing voice. It helped when I stopped trying to be everyone else.

    Great advice, Heather!

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    1. Thanks Stina. As a new writer I think it's hard to focus on your own way of doing things rather than taking hints from authors you like and read a lot. I'm sure it'll get easier with time though.

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  5. I find it's less a matter of finding my voice, and more a matter of finding the right voice. I have several unfinished projects laying around that I like to dabble with from time to time, and while they're all unmistakably mine, I can tell right away when I wrote each of them, and who I was at the time.

    It's interesting, but it does make editing those older works difficult, because you need to rediscover that voice you've grown out of.

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    1. I, too, have a lot of unfinished projects all over the place. It reminds me how unfocused I was when I started on this journey. With more discipline I'm trying to concentrate on one at a time and get them finished, and hopefully I can work my way through them all.

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  6. This is always the hardest part for me, I always worry about whether I'm writing what people want me to write. I'm trying hard just to write for myself.

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    1. It's certainly harder to concentrate on writing for oneself, with the little voice nagging in the background about whether it's what's going to fit in.
      If you like what you're writing though the chances are there will be others that do too. We just need to find them I suppose!

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  7. I'm never satisfied with my work. Ever. But you can only do your best. You can't second guess what you think people will want. And finding your voice takes time. So just keep going, try to get good feedback, and hone your craft. Your voice will come on its own. :)

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    1. Thanks Lexa, great advice. I'm growing more confident each day with listening to myself, and concentrating less on what others may think. I hope I can keep it going.

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  8. You know what? I think you just wrote what most of us feel as well. I'm not satisfied with my work either, I dislike and then I hate it and then I think its okay and I'm back to questioning my sanity. I'm trying to let go of worrying what others will think and write for myself. Its so tough. Hugs, you will get there. Promise ;)

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    1. Thanks SK. As usual with the IWSG, it's lovely and reassuring to know I'm not the only one having these insecurities. I love the writing community!

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  9. I feel comfortable with my writing voice most of the time but we all have doubts. Good luck with your projects.

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    1. Thanks Susan. The only way to work through it is to just keep writing, and I fully intend too!

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  10. I know exactly what you mean. It took years for me to find my voice and then be confident enough to share it with the world. I also believe the voice is constantly evolving and that's a good thing. Write for yourself. We all should do it. It's the editing we do for others! :)

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    1. Haha, what a great way of looking at it Christine! I like that, and the editing can certainly take up the majority of the work x

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  11. You know, that's how Stephanie Meyer wrote her Twilight series, and look at her now. =) I think there is no other way to write. If you don't like what you're doing, there's no reward in the universe that can compensate. The joy is in the journey.

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    1. Excellent words, Crystal. I think my writing has improved since I've been looking at it in that way. Focusing more on how I'm getting there rather than a definite end point. I don't know if there ever really is one anyway.

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  12. I struggle with this too, especially when I start that first draft of a project. I keep thinking "what will so-and-so think of this?" That's why my first drafts are more like zero drafts. There comes to a point in them where I find how I want to tell the story and then go back to fix the beginning. We need to trust our voices and writing a little more. :)

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    1. That trust is probably the hardest thing to build as a new writer. It's getting easier though, the more I do it.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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  13. If I worry about others liking my work, I'd never get anything done. Write what YOU like first, and you'll be surprised by how many will resonate with it. :)

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    1. Thanks for these words David, I think it's probably a huge part of why I used to give up on projects so easily. It's a huge demotivator to worry about other peoples opinions so much, and at such an early stage.

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  14. My local writers group holds public readings of our work at various places in the community. Often I write a short piece just for the public reading. Somehow, writing something knowing I'll be reading it aloud really helps me focus on the voice.

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    1. Ooh, public reading of my work would fill me with both excitement and dread I think. I can see how it would help to develop your own voice though. Maybe it's something I'll consider in the future.

      Thanks for stopping by.

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  15. That's a good lesson to learn. I think the more I write, the more my voice changes and refines itself - you will always be improving. I have never questioned if anyone will like my work though - that only comes much later, with the rejections, and I'm so thick skinned now, it's always THEIR fault and not mine :-) Be brave and have faith in yourself!

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    1. Thanks Annalisa, my faith is growing now I'm sure. I'm enjoying the process much more and I hope that's reflected in what I'm writing. Each time I write something new I feel more and more comfortable.

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  16. Writing is a journey. Let it take you where it will, and you never know, you just might end up singing from the highest mountaintop.

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    1. Thanks M J. One of the best things about writing, when you're really in the flow, is seeing where it takes you rather than the other way around.

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  17. I can tend to be a people pleaser myself, so I can relate with what you are saying. It is so easy to question what we are doing. I am proud that you've been able to push through it and let the writing be for you. Good luck!
    Leanne ( http://readfaced.wordpress.com/ )

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    1. Thanks Leanne. It's definitely tricky to push through it, and now and then the doubts start to rise again but each time they do it becomes easier to push them back down.

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