tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post7763918350525010020..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Hearing Voices - VernacularDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-27640415169388590282011-05-30T20:20:29.756-06:002011-05-30T20:20:29.756-06:00There are lots of ways of defining voice, some mor...There are lots of ways of defining voice, some more subtle than others. One character could be given to florid sentences, another the reverse: clipped sentences. One could shy away from contractions. Another could like swearing A character could be given to deference. Another, imperative commands. And so on and so on.<br /><br />I also find it useful to voice a character in ways I *don't* speak. That is, change the wording away from how I myself would put it. This creates a more subtle distinction in voice.staticsanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03563865232117834483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-18762397522918713402011-05-29T19:06:35.687-06:002011-05-29T19:06:35.687-06:00It's definitely a sign of our times to want vi...It's definitely a sign of our times to want visual reading ease. It's hubbo's birthday today, and he asked for - and got - Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. I told him to feel free and read aloud to me, because I cannot handle Twain's dialogue, at least not eye-to-page. Mercy!Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-11944302018926380092011-05-28T16:36:19.944-06:002011-05-28T16:36:19.944-06:00Good one, Dani. It is very difficult to decipher v...Good one, Dani. It is very difficult to decipher vernacular-heavy dialogue. That just serves to "bump" the reader out of the story, while he/she tries to figure out what the characters are saying!Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-75169801325121764762011-05-28T07:54:33.248-06:002011-05-28T07:54:33.248-06:00Great post! I think it's easy for a writer dee...Great post! I think it's easy for a writer deeply entrenched in the minds of her character's to forget that readers don't have that inside knowledge. They're not going to stick with flat voices and inconsistency in dialog. There are too many other great books out there to read.<br /><br />Great tip on the Urban Dictionary!Stacyhttp://stacygreenauthor.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-23078611973665875072011-05-27T18:47:56.709-06:002011-05-27T18:47:56.709-06:00I LOVE your tip about keeping it simple because, t...I LOVE your tip about keeping it simple because, though it makes perfect sense, it's almost counterintuitive: writers may feel as if they are skillfully capturing the vernacular if they include a large vocabulary. But you're right. It can be confusing to do so, especially with a lot of characters. <br /><br />I'll keep this in mind in my writing and in my editing. <br /><br />Thanks for the great post and for the great blog!Lauren @ Pure Texthttp://www.pure-text.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-60906723202609219042011-05-27T17:21:12.672-06:002011-05-27T17:21:12.672-06:00Looks like assorted spelling variations:
http://w...Looks like assorted spelling variations:<br /><br />http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=youse+<br /><br />Since it's incorrect, how can one prove a "correct" spelling? I ask you...Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-79660753809318563312011-05-27T14:53:52.049-06:002011-05-27T14:53:52.049-06:00i try not to mention all my "voices" in ...i try not to mention all my "voices" in public too much - especially when in the presence of medical professionals - they wouldn't understand! <br /><br />thanks so much for such great tips!GYPSYWOMANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03042621041213415958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-54532390440976464852011-05-27T14:06:34.046-06:002011-05-27T14:06:34.046-06:00@ Christopher,
I don't want to hijack this thr...@ Christopher,<br />I don't want to hijack this thread but that so made me want to do a Taxi Driver impression.Ender Chadwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739096832973547800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-30990493390986472572011-05-27T13:35:53.908-06:002011-05-27T13:35:53.908-06:00Youz guys talkin' to me?Youz guys talkin' to me?Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-14162137565776124792011-05-27T12:22:26.397-06:002011-05-27T12:22:26.397-06:00Great advice, Dani.
About "youse" ... ...Great advice, Dani. <br /><br />About "youse" ... if I read that, I would pronounce it (in my head) as if it rhymed with "mouse." I would probably have spelled it as "yous." But that doesn't look right either. Guess I'd have to ask someone living up north.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-43022648349871163022011-05-27T12:08:19.713-06:002011-05-27T12:08:19.713-06:00Scary thoughts, Christopher! :DScary thoughts, Christopher! :DDanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-17635026702406070512011-05-27T10:39:36.684-06:002011-05-27T10:39:36.684-06:00You should hear the voices I hear in my head ... I...You should hear the voices I hear in my head ... I get a lot of space in a crowd when I bang my forehead and yell, "Be quiet ... all of you!"Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21574745559713157852011-05-27T10:22:47.359-06:002011-05-27T10:22:47.359-06:00Wise words, Dani. We need to have our characters&#...Wise words, Dani. We need to have our characters' voices clearly heard but also remember our readers' patience has limits.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-3577206606158715422011-05-27T10:04:24.083-06:002011-05-27T10:04:24.083-06:00Great tips here. Especially about the consistency ...Great tips here. Especially about the consistency of the dialog.<br /><br />This is something I struggle with a bit. I'm not an extreme case (I hope) but it's something I have to keep my eye on in my work.Ender Chadwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739096832973547800noreply@blogger.com