A Quick Update…

Dante's Circles of Hell, Reimagined for Linguistic Transgressions

Fanfare! Litopian Madz...His Debut YA Novel Featured in The Times :)

Status
Not open for further replies.

AgentPete

Capo Famiglia
Guardian
Full Member
May 19, 2014
London UK
One of my numerous failings is, er, failing to keep everyone informed of what I’m thinking and planning. So here is a much-needed corrective…

As you can see, the new Writing Groups area is open. I think this is a huge improvement on what we had before, and I’m looking forward to getting your feedback.

You may know from watching recent Pop-Up Submissions that I’m becoming pretty obsessive about developing your own voice. I truly believe that this is the single most important factor in making your work stand out from the crowd. I see so many submissions, often from creative writing graduates, that simply have no voice whatsoever. I fear many of our universities and other bodies seem to be churning out writers who are merely simulacra of yesterday’s fashionable names. There is a real dearth of original voices.

And therein lies the opportunity. Let’s make 2018 the year of the voice… the year you develop your own personal, distinctive and unique style. It could be the single most significant writing skill you will ever develop.

Finding your authentic writing voice is a long game. You can’t read a book and – hey presto! – you’ve now got a voice. I’m similarly suspicious of writing courses, weekends, retreats and so on. A voice takes time and lots of practice to discover. Put the hours in, and you’ll start making progress. But don’t expect instant results.

That’s one way in which Litopia, specifically the new Writing Groups area, can help you. It’s custom-made for supportive experimentation. You control who sees your work, and when it’s deleted. Please – use it!

Lots more coming up. But just one more thing for now – the Village Hall meetups have served their purpose (mostly, to prove that we can do live events on video very satisfactorily) and will soon disappear. To be replaced by live seminars for Litopians. Kicking off with – you’ve guessed it – finding your voice.

More anon.
 
This all sounds very exciting. I have been feeling we don't make enough use of one another's feedback and am setting aside more time to respond to posted excerpts and drafts in the new Writing Groups this year. And voice is my current preoccupation, strengthening and trusting the voice.
 
Well Voice, is what will make any writing stand out as being different and interesting. Lack of Voice = same old, same old and I dare say would put any Agent or Publisher off. Getting it (the Voice), now that could be the unanswerable question. You can't create or force it, it is I believe a natural evolution of a good writer. I just hope I have one!
 
You can't create or force it, it is I believe a natural evolution of a good writer. I just hope I have one!

You do :)

What you say is correct. Voice and confidence are closely connected. Achieving confident writing is far from easy - my rule of thumb is that it generally takes a writer six books or so to become comfortable in their writing skin.
 
Thanks! I also agree with you, at least for most writers you have to write a lot, 6 books even before you truly develop your own style / voice.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Dante's Circles of Hell, Reimagined for Linguistic Transgressions

Fanfare! Litopian Madz...His Debut YA Novel Featured in The Times :)

Back
Top