The Sinatra family.
Quite often the voice that comes to me is a male one. I've probably written about this before but three years into this blog, I'm sure to repeat.
Does this bother readers? Do you assume that a female writer is writing about a female when she uses first person?
I had a guy in my second or third writing workshop that hated that I did this. He said, "You can walk the walk and talk the talk, but something doesn't ring right."
Do you think writers should stay with their own sex in first person narratives? Of course, the masters can pull it off, but what about the rest of us?
20 comments:
You can pull it off without a problem.
I think it'd be tough for me to write a female character in first person. OTOH, i have written from a female character's POV in third. Just be sure to run it by a male, preferably one who'll give more concrete advice that "this doesn't sound right."
I like first person because it's so immediate. I don't have a problem with a woman writing a male pov or vice versa, but I know my female friends say I don't get the women right. I also see a lot of women who don't get men right. But I think writers should stretch their wings and try tough things.
Third is probably a better choice although sometimes that voice in your head keeps saying, I. And it's deep, even deeper than my voice.
I rarely change from first to third but I often change from third to first. Especially if the protagonist is not too easy to like and you want to garner some sympathy for him/her.
It's writing women I sometimes have a problem with!
It's too bad you have trouble writing women, Patti, we could use more women's voices in crime fiction - in all literature, really.
I prefer novels that are from many different POVs, I just find that one voice is too much to carry a whole novel.
I have a hard enough time trying to understand my wife (which I often don't, though I love her).
But truthfully, men can't just write books about men and women books about women. Even if you are writing from third person you are claiming to be able to go into the mind of the character. Her actions come from her thinking and feeling, so ascribing actions is still claiming to know her mind.
When I was growing up there seemed to be more men fiction writers than women. Now there seem to be way more women fiction writers. Why? My opinion? Aside from the extreme sexism of the olden times, there are now more women readers. Not as many men read anymore. And often men prefer reading men, women prefer reading women. (I read both.)
So now, all your respondents can read this and have something to howl about.
Joe-You sound exactly like the guy in my writing class. Did you used to go by the name of Craig?
John-You are very good at doing thos multiple voices. The novel I am trying to write has two-both women, so we'll see how it works out.
Doesn't bother me in the least. Good writing is good writing, and what you're writing works for me in spades!
Same with Al Tucher who does nothing but write in a solid female voice
I'd think for a man to write in a female voice is more difficult. I think women inhabit the male world more than vice-versa. IMHO
I think as a writer you should follow the voice in your head--- unless it's been drinking then--- at any rate, interesting that you would bring this up, thinking about my last couple of stories, one was first person and the protagonist was male, another was third person and the protagonist was female. I know that I don't understand most people, male, female, someone is always going to tell me I don't get it right-- honestly what people are really saying so often is that it isn't what they: want, believe, or think is correct.
I sure hope it can be done because I've written lots of stuff from a female POV.
And for that I greatly admire you.
Saying women just can't write men (or vice versa) is like saying whte can't write backs or Hispanics can't write Asians or short people can't write a tall person. It demeans the group you supposedly can't write about by implying they're all the same, and someone who isn't one can never understand.
News flash: we're all unique, just like everyone else. The writer must have empathy (and chops) to pull it off. If not, all fiction would have to be autobiographical.
Yes, but does the voice sound authentic. I would never try to write a story from the POV of an camp survivor or someone from Guatemala. I don't think I could pull it off.
First, I agree with Paul B. and second it's obvious when a writer can't. But to answer your question I feel more comfortable writing in the male pov but in the past year I've written two stories with the female take and they were well received. Then again, maybe no one wanted to tell me how bad they were.
Never considered that there should be a conflict when the writer crosses gender. I guess I learned something in thinking about it.
I've sold several hundred short stories written in first person where the narrator's gender was not my own. I've also sold many more written in first person where the narrator's ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, occupation, and sexual orientation was not my own. It isn't that difficult.
Michael-I think you're in another league entirely. The varied genres you write in, the requisites of each, has made you a master of voice.
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