Development - Seduction and Change of Voice in a Novel

27 March 2012, Development - Seduction and Change of Voice in a Novel

Introduction: I realized that I need to introduce this blog a little. I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. The working title was Daemon, and this was my 21st novel. Over the last year, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.

Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

Sometimes (rarely) character voice must change.  You may and should change character voice in these circumstances:

1.  Development of the character
2.  Mental illness
3.  Physical or mental effects
4.  Personality
5.  Seduction (sales)
6.  Subterfuge (politics)
4.  ...there may be more, I'll think of them as I write about the others.

Seduction and sales are about the same thing.  They are both selling something.  In the question of character voice and seduction (sales), the example is a character whose personality (or at least the way of acting and speaking) changes when they are trying to seduce or sale.  You can surely imagine a character who acts one way when speaking normally, but an entirely different way when trying to seduce or sale.  Here's a conversation:

Jack turned abruptly, "I can't imagine how stupid these women are."

Dave spoke behind his hand, "Don't be so disingenuous.  You would take any one of them home with you."

Jack snorted and headed to the closest blond.  He spoke with a very syrupy tone, "Hi.  I saw you across the room and thought you looked very intellectual."

Okay, I made this obvious for you.  The speaker's tone and way of speaking is entirely different and the words are completely opposite.  A salesman would be similar.  In the novel Aegypt Monsieur Perain speaks in French to Paul Bolang in an entirely different way that he speaks in English to the Englishmen.  This is Perain's personality, and the way he exerts his authority over the Frenchmen at Fort Saint.

An author needs to realize seduction and sales are one of those rare situations where the voice of a character might change.  In Perain's case, it isn't seduction or sales as much as it is political.  Perhaps I should add that to the list.

How to project the character's voice is an important tool to a writer.  I'll discuss this and the other circumstances for change of voice, tomorrow.

I'll repeat my published novel websites so you can see more examples: http://www.ldalford.com/, and the individual novel websites: http://www.aegyptnovel.com/, http://www.centurionnovel.com/, http://www.thesecondmission.com/, http://www.theendofhonor.com/, http://www.thefoxshonor.com/, and http://www.aseasonofhonor.com/.