First Chapter Critique Giveaway
Want to know if your voice is right for your manuscript? For the market? Comment and fill out the form below! To help us celebrate the one year anniversary of this blog (with even more giveaways), Natalie has generously donated a 1st chapter critique for a random winner. We'll draw the name and post it Saturday.
Interview
Question: How would you describe the difference between voice, style, and language in a manuscript?
Natalie: Language is diction: the word choices, the literal language of nationality. Style is the form: short, choppy, flowing, poetic, lyrical. Voice is the personality, the person behind the words that makes the reader forget about the author, and dive into a life. It’s what you remember about the characters long after you’ve forgotten their names.
Question: What mistakes do you see writers make when trying to develop or show a “voice”?
Natalie: I think the biggest mistake is to try and show voice through style or language. Using heavy slang or methods like “Southern dialogue” are annoying, not effective. Voice is a point of view, a perspective that is unique to only one person. It has emotion, history, a sense of place, and senses. These things are shown in unison with style and language, but not reliant on them to be clear.
Question: What is it about a voice that makes you sit up and take notice, and what makes you stop reading?
Natalie: I think what makes me fall in love with a voice is one that I can relate to. What makes me stop reading is one I can’t. Very simple, really, and oh so subjective!
Question: What kind of voices are being done too often or not well enough?
Natalie: I think the most common voice is snarky in tone (and my personal favorite), and the hardest voice to do well is middle grade.
Question: As an agent, what is more important to you: concept, character, action/plot, or voice--and why?
Natalie: Voice, voice, voice! It’s the hardest to fix. If you have voice down, the rest can be thought up.
Question: Name three books that you love for their plot.
Natalie: Am I allowed to use the Harry Potter books – all of them? Is that a cop-out?
Question: Name three books you love for the memorable characters.
Natalie: Jane Austen and Charles Dickens were masters of memorable characters. I’d also have to say Ella from ELLA ENCHATED is one of my favorite characters of all time.
Question: Name three books where the voice blew you away.
Natalie: I’d rather pick a genre: Romance. Romance novels are ALL about voice; from the first page, first sentence, it hits you with a “bam!”
To combine these all up, I think Time Traveler’s wife was the ideal blend of plot, character development, and voice; that elusive “high-concept upmarket” novel everyone talks about. It’s my favorite example for voice, because you can so CLEARLY picture these characters.
Question: If you could describe your ideal book, what would it be?
Natalie: You know, I really can’t say; my tastes change so frequently that the only real answer I have is that it would be one that I can read over and over and over again and still be SO excited about. I will say that someone once asked me what movie would best describe my tastes, and surprisingly enough, THE FIFTH ELEMENT popped first into my mind. So I’ll go with that.
Question: What is on the top of your wish list for 2011?
Natalie: A six-figure deal. ;)
Bonus Tip from Natalie
Last tips on voice: don’t be afraid to let parts of yourself shine through into your characters; those voices become the most real. Explain your character through your unique view of the world, and you can’t go wrong.
Well, I swore I'd give contest-entering a rest, but I can't resist the critique ones!! I need all the help I can get there. lol
ReplyDeleteGreat interview and so timely. I need to revise my manuscript one more time for voice. I follow Natalie's blog. It's really helpful. Thanks for the contest.
ReplyDeleteExcellent interview - and what an opportunity with the contest!
ReplyDeleteAwesome interview!! Thanks for the contest :)
ReplyDeleteGreat interview. I have had some very nice rejections from Mrs. Fischer in the past. Her criticism is spot on. I'd love to win this critique. As she said, MG voice is the hardest to nail. Good luck to all participants.
ReplyDeleteSuch great information, thank you :-) I hear so many different views on voice, but this one just rings true with me ^_^
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking a lot about voice lately, so I appreciated this interview. Thanks for the great contest opportunity!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the interview and for the contest. It is a great opportunity with a great agent!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great interview! Thank you. And thank you and Ms. Fischer for such a great opportunity. I'd love a first chapter critique.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity! Thanks guys. And a wonderful explanation on voice, language and style. I agree voice is the hard part.
ReplyDeleteFantastic interview! I love your posts. You guys do such a great job keeping us informed on all things Kid Lit!
ReplyDeleteI love that she said "Don't be afraid to let parts of yourself shine through into your characters." I don't see how I COULDN'T put the smallest bit of myself into each of my characters.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteThis interview was excellent, and thanks for the opportunity to win a critique. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like some good advice. I'll give it a go.
ReplyDeleteExcellent interview...it's so great to get inside an agent's head, isn't it? And thanks to you both for the critique giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this interview, and thank you Natalie for offering up a critique!
ReplyDeleteFantastic interview and I think I just fell even more in love with Ms.Fischer - the Fifth Element is one of my faves too :)
ReplyDeleteGreat interview - thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Voice it the hardest thing to nail, especially if I try to hard. Hope I'm getting it right!
ReplyDeleteI'm learning so much about voice with Natalie's interviews and with your workshop. You all rock! Thanks for supporting us writers by offering wonderful workshops, contests, and guests like Natalie Fischer. :D
ReplyDeleteGreat interview - and contest opportunity. Sign me up! :_
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Every time someone talks about how important voice is, it makes me feel better, because while I'm still agent-hunting, I've been given great feedback concerning my voice. It makes me hopeful and motivates me to keep trying :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interview and the opportunity Natalie!
Happy writing all!
Um, and I gave my given name when I signed up (it looked official, so I went with my legal name) for the chapter critique, so when there are no comments from Stephanie Marchi, I'm her...
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post and interview. Voice is definitely the most pulling-your-hair-out hardest thing to get straight.
ReplyDeleteI loved The Fifth Element! It was a great combination of quirkiness, visual beauty, and mayhem.
ReplyDeleteHi Marissa and Martina - and hi Natalie
ReplyDeleteReally interesting interview. I think the most difficult part of creating a voice, is creating one that is different from your own natural voice - or at least convincingly different. Writing in character is like acting - takes skill and practice.
:Dom
Loved the interview! Lot's to think about. Congrats on the new position @ The Bradford Agency. I know Laura's a really nice person. I'm sure you'll love working with her.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview-Natalie's differentiation between voice, language and style is is very easy to understand. Thank you!
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ReplyDeleteSUCH a helpful interview! Thanks to Natalie and the ladies of ACP. I'd love to win the chapter critique~ thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome agent! Great interview.
ReplyDeleteAwesome contest and great interview! Love Natalie's blog :D
ReplyDeleteI loved Natalie's answers! I'd also love to win the critique--thank you so much for the contest!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, and what an informative interview and generous offer from Natalie! Thank you all.
ReplyDeleteAwesome interview. Thanks for posting. I couldn't resist participating--Natalie Fischer chap crit? Really? I'm in! :D Good luck everyone!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview, great contest, great blog! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteOne of the clearest description of voice I've read. Thanks for the interview and happy anniversary. Many more!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome 'prize.' And I love the interview! Thanks for sharing :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat interview and contest. I'd love a critique to see if my middle grade voice is working. Fifth Element is one of my favorite movies.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips on voice and for offering the 1st chapter contest.
ReplyDeleteI love contests where there is some kind of agent giveaway. You must have pulled some strings to get it :)
ReplyDeleteWow...great interview! Thanks for the prize giveaway, too :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome interview and giveaway. Thanks, Natalie!
ReplyDeleteThanks to you ladies as well for hosting this contest! :)
ReplyDeleteTwo great blogs, a great agent and advice...How can I not enter this? Can I say that I have the same wish as Natalie for 2011? : )
ReplyDeleteThis is a great interview! Wow, I love The Fifth Element, too! I made my husband take me to see it way back when we were dating:)
ReplyDeleteThis was wonderful, voice is so important to connecting with the reader. And thank you for the great contest!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great interview. I'm going to print out the definition of voice and stick it on my wall.
ReplyDeleteVoice is something I've been thinking about a lot lately, so this is an awesome interview and contest!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Voice is the hardest to "get right", but when it is done well, it's magical!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Voice is always the hardest thing to find. Often I write over 10K before I find the right voice for my characters.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the contest!
ReplyDeleteI always knew voice was important, but I never would have thought of it as the MOST important thing. Interesting interview, thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, awesome tips! Definitely can't wait to query when you're open to it, Natalie!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! And can I say that I love Natalie just because she loves the Fifth Element? Such an under-rated movie. It has a high cheese factor, but still....gotta love it. One of my faves.
ReplyDeleteI think voice has got to be one of those elusive things to define but which I rely on to hook me into a story. Lovely contest. I'm in!
ReplyDeleteI love the Time Traveller's Wife. Such a fab book. Thanks for the contest :)
ReplyDeleteNice interview -- thanks!
ReplyDeleteJ.K Rowling's gift was to create voice without being in the first person. That is damn hard.
ReplyDeleteVoice can be such a tricky thing. Thanks for these tips!
ReplyDeleteExcellent advice, Natalie! Voice is definitely the hardest to nail down, but one you do, everything else kind of falls into place, so it's worth spending time on.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the fact that you love ELLA ENCHANTED!
Thanks for the interview and the contest! I completely agree with the part about Southern dialogue being annoying - I like a little, but a lot makes it sound like the author has never actually been to the South. I read a YA book (won't say which one) that's set in contemp Virginia and all the girls were basically saying, "Why, I do declare!" I think the author must have written the book after watching Gone with the Wind.
ReplyDeleteA great interview and fabulous contest!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! That's the best description of voice I've heard so far.
ReplyDeleteI've learned so much for this interview! Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteMichael
Hmmmm.. a six figure deal is on my wishlist for 2011 as well. Coincidence? =)
ReplyDeleteThanks for this! Great explanation of voice. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome interview. I loved the explanation of voice and style. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat interview, her blog is also an awesome spot :)
ReplyDeleteAh, voice. Everyone wants it, no one can define it. Thank you, Natalie, for your perspective. You've definitely given this writer some ideas about what makes a writer's voice shine.
ReplyDeleteAre you kidding me? A critique from Natalie Fischer? How awesome is that??? And this interview is sooo helpful. Off to check my WIP now :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great look at voice. I hadn't heard someone talk about how voice is different than just language or style, but that concept makes a lot of sense. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are so awesome!
ReplyDeleteFantastic prize, hope I win :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful interview--and the great prize opportunity. Happy blogoversary!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips on voice. I find it easy in some chapters, and much harder in others.
ReplyDeleteI love the point about the voice being what makes you remember those characters - so true!! :)
ReplyDelete"Voice is a point of view, a perspective. . . emotion, history, a sense of place, and senses."
ReplyDeleteThis is brilliant definition of voice. It's so concrete. I've never heard it put this way. Thanks Natalie!
The interview was helpful. I thought to give contests a break, but this one is worth it.
ReplyDeleteVoice is so elusive - seems like most people resort to the "know it when they see it" test. Thanks so much for giving a concrete explanation of what it is!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Hope to win:)
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm excited about this, love this blog and Natalie Fischer
ReplyDeleteGreat interview, even better contest. Thanks
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYes, this post was helpful. :)
Great tips, thanks for your insight.
ReplyDeleteElla Enchanted was a great book - thanks for the interview, and for the contest!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. It couldn't have come at a better time. Very excited about the contests. :D
ReplyDeletewow, great opportunity! Voice is such an elusive thing sometimes!
ReplyDeleteGreat insight on voice! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview, great contest, great opportunity. You kind of rule. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Thanks for the great interview. ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat interview and great contest! Happy blogiversary!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! And great tips on voice too (which is, imo, the hardest thing to work on in writing)!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for giving what you do to the writing community! Great interview. Great prize!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview. Thanks for the contest
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion on voice. Thanks for shedding more light on the subject.
ReplyDeleteI've never been one to reread a book but I am one that will forever be swayed by a personal recommendation. Fifth Element is now in my queue, many thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat opportunity :)
ReplyDeleteI love finding blogs with so much great information--happy anniversary! I blogged about your contest, but I didn't see a cutoff time/date, so I just said you were planning on awarding the critique on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the opportunity!
One of the best posts on voice I've seen! It's such a hard thing to define or even put into words... so thanks! Awesome contest too!!!
ReplyDeleteWow. That is the best explanation of voice I've seen! Most people just say something like, "Well, um, it's kind of just how you write, you know?"
ReplyDeleteGreat advice and just what I needed right now. I'm editing my novel and trying to get a unique voice down is more difficult than I realized, but this explanation helps.
ReplyDeleteThis is great article. It's good to know that 'voice' is FTW! I think that's what's so hard about 3rd person POV...how do you combine the author's voice with the character's? So complex, but so obvious when you see it done right!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview and advice. Thanks Natalie!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview. Very helpful. I love that Natalie is all about Voice. If I can read a book and not get caught up in all the little things, but have the voice carry me through them, it's a winner! What an awesome giveaway! Thanks and congrats on one year :)
ReplyDeleteWonderful giveaway...Congrats on the blogaversary! Here's to many many more :)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog. Glad I found it.
ReplyDeleteGreat interview, very informative, and thanks for the contest. :) Major WOOHOO for the FIFTH ELEMENT! One of my fave movies.
ReplyDeleteI'm in! Thanks for a great post.
ReplyDeleteTerrific tips and contest - thanks for hosting :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great interview and an awesome contest!
ReplyDeleteVoice is so hard to master! And like Natalie says, it's so subjective...
ReplyDeleteInteresting interview. Thanks for the opportunity to win a critique. I need it!
Awesome opportunity! A first chapter critique from an agent would be overwhelming. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMarie at the Cheetah
A first chapter critique from a top agent would be a wonderful surprise. Thanks for the contest! Susie
ReplyDeleteAhh, a six figure deal. That's the stuff of dreams! :) Thanks for the contest!
ReplyDeleteComment! Hey you said I must leave one. I am too busy reading all the helpful to be too long winded - today :}
ReplyDeleteThis sums it up so well: Voice is a point of view, a perspective that is unique to only one person. It has emotion, history, a sense of place, and senses. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOooh, FIFTH ELEMENT! I *knew* I liked Natalie!
ReplyDeleteLoved the interview! Great tips about tracking that elusive voice.Congratulations Natalie on your appointment and the new challenges at The Bradford Agency. :D
ReplyDeleteI'm sitting here in my green dress so of course the word verification is gynes! :)
Thank you so much for this interview. Voice is such an elusive thing, and this post is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love agent interviews that focus on voice! This one was right up there. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting a great interview with lots of tips on voice. Voice is very subjective, but it's also the major element in what sells the story.
ReplyDeleteVoice is so crucial...and so difficult to achieve if it doesn't come naturally.
ReplyDeleteThank you for clarifying what makes strong voice. Great post.
ReplyDeletethanks for this opportunity!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview! Natalie has a lot of great things to say about voice.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome deal! Thanks so much for the info.
ReplyDeletethat would be a great publishing story...yeah i randomly won a critique, which led to a chapter review, which led to a manuscript request, which led to an offer.
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