Like a broken record

[wayfaringwordhack]

I don't know how many of you follow Query Shark (query_shark ), but yesterday she said something that made me sit up straight and think "uh oh."

First a quote:

The Sharked: My completed 60,000 word manuscript, NODDING PINES, is a work of literary fiction that tells the story of a broken family through the three unique voices that comprise it.

The Shark: Writing three unique voices is like going to the Writing Olympics. Just cause you look good in a Speedo doesn't make you Michael Phelps. When someone offers me a novel in three voices I cringe. Then the first, actually the ONLY, thing I do is watch how they use language. If the query letter is over written and pedantic, I have zero confidence you are the Michael Phelps of the Shark Pool.

First sign that elevates an eyebrow: that comprise it. (you don't actually need those words for a complete thought.) If you're writing three voices, you'd better have a very keen eye for extra words.

As all you Bobs know, I'm currently working on a trilogy. Told from 5 different POVs. And I have a self-confessed problem with voice.

::is in deep...water:: But then, I already knew that. ;-) Come on in, y'all; the...water's fine.

Comments

[clarentine]

Thank god my default is first person single voice. *g* I only have one novel with more than one narrator, and that book has two.

Of course, that said, the only rule in writing is, does it work? If yours works with five voices, then it works. La!

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

But we're GENRE! That can be a bitch, but is does mean we get to screw around and develop our skills attempting ridiculously overwrought conceits, and while if we were lit fic we might get our hands slapped no one prominent is examining us, and the only thing our audience cares about is "Does it have dragons in?" (Or a prophecy or magic or plenty of double-crosses...)

[stillnotbored.livejournal.com]

There are so many things wrong with that Query Shark entry I don't know where to start, other than that from people like this come Dan Brown. Gah...

Write what feels right to you. Do your very best to make it the best work you can. Don't even consider dumbing down your work because some twit with a blog and no taste wants the world to be uniform and bland.

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

I think there's a mis-phrasing there -- you don't need to be the Michael Phelps, but a Michael Phelps. in other words, you just have to be really good. Among the number of wannabe-writers out there, the percentage of people who can pull this off is very, very small. Among the number of mfaures out there, the percentage who can do this is very high.

Period.

[rabiagale.livejournal.com]

Ignore Query Shark. Rules were made to be broken, remember? :D