Writing First
Who is speaking? This is one of the earliest decisions you’ll make when you begin writing a work of fiction. My personal essays are, clearly, written by me in my own voice. Nonfiction will always be written in some version of the author’s voice. Fiction, however, is a masquerade. The author may come to the party as any character he or she chooses. Moby-Dick is narrated by Ishmael, a crew member on Captain Ahab’s whaling ship. Markus Zusack’s novel The Book Thief is narrated by Death. Instead of one, there may be several character voices collaborating to tell the story. Or, the narrator may not be a story character at all, but rather an omniscient, omnipresent voice who observes for the reader’s sake. Fiction offers (most simply) three types of narration: first person, third person, and omniscient. In this post, I’d like to discuss writing fiction in first person — more specifically, the trouble with first.
We all know of famous actors who, although beloved by the masses, only act as themselves on screen. In most cases, there are no complaints about this, particularly if the actors are easy on the eyes and interesting company. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t hand out any Oscars for exceptional acting on their part. They’re just being themselves. As writers, we face a similar pitfall. And, it is most dangerous when we’re writing in first person.
First-person narration is a wonderful way to tell a story. It’s effective and genuine. Connection with the reader can be immediate. However, first person is tricky. The careless writer can easily lapse into speaking as himself. Even though he’s donned the persona of a fictional character, he will communicate in his own voice. He will forget to ask, “Is this an expression my narrator would use?” or “Is that something my narrator would know?” I’ll readily admit, I have a hard time not speaking in my voice. Your own voice is a powerful thing.
In the first-person narrative, a writer becomes the narrating character not just in name, but in word choice, manner, and action. The author must know how her narrator would describe people and events. She must match the language of the story to her spokesperson — his personality, his community, his life experience. A fictional character, whether a small-town mechanic or a big-city lawyer (or a big-city lawyer posing as a small-town mechanic), will be believable because of how he acts and speaks. This correlation is important in a cast of characters. It is crucial in a narrator.
Get to know your narrator intimately. A character sketch is a great first step. Make notes about your narrator’s temperament, intellect, social habits, and history. Where did she grow up? Who are her friends? Is she sarcastic? Is she paranoid? What motivates her? What details of the story would be important to her? The next step is to write in her (or his) voice. Always.
I hate to state the obvious, but …. Choose a narrative voice you can convincingly maintain. Can you speak as a terminally ill, incarcerated serial killer? Will you be believable as the blind wife of a Danish billionaire? Can you write 300 pages in the words of a nine-year-old? (How many nine-year-olds do you know?) Would a third-person narrative be a better choice for your story?
Stories told by first-person narrators can be especially compelling. For the writer, this form of narration is risky, so be vigilant. Resist the temptation to write as yourself. Preserve your narrator’s voice by remembering his or her personality and life journey. Once you begin writing, you must not, as they say in show business, break character.