Noteworthy Narrators = N: Blogging from A to Z

Have you ever noticed that most of the N adjectives are negative? I didn't until I searched N adjectives for some help today. (Nutty, noxious, noisy, naughty, nasty, nasal. Eek!)

Then I happened upon noteworthy. 

When writing a story, few things are more noteworthy than narrators.

Narrator is simply the voice that tells the story. Yet, it's a device that is anything but simple. A story in different hands is a different story. An example that jumps to mind, the gospels in the Bible. Told by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, they each include different details and present a unique feel even with the same basic storyline.

I have written two books, one in first person and one in third. Although each has its own set of challenges, I found first person allowed me to share more of the main character's internal thoughts and feelings. It also helped me get into the character's head more. However, it was limiting when it came to other characters.

A brief overview of the main types of narrators...

First Person 
The "I" narrator who is a participant in the action. Although this is usually the protagonist, it doesn't have to be.

Third Person 
The "he/she/it" narrator. There are two main types. Omniscient (all-knowing) can peek into the lives of many characters while limited only knows what the main character, or characters, knows.

Detached Observer
A detached, third person, narrator tells the story without opinion (emotionally detached). This can be a minor character.

The Commentator
This narrator never enters the story but has plenty to say.

Then there is the Unreliable Narrator. Not to spoil the surprise, but this will be my U literary device. Stay tuned!

What makes a good narrator? 

Ask ten readers, and you could get ten different answers. For me, I want a narrator I can trust to give me the insight I need to understand the story. Usually, I relate more to a female voice, but one of my favorite narrators was Enzo (the dog) in The Art of Racing in the Rain. Not just because a dog's voice was unique, but because Enzo was at the center of the action and could give an in-depth and honest perspective on what was happening. 

Please come back tomorrow for some fun takes on Oxymoron, and don't forget to take a peek at other N posts here.

A Small Ripple in One Heck of an Ocean

In Depression Cookies, Krista is a teenager navigating the perils of teenage life and circumstances out of her control. I started writing this book as a new mom and found it difficult at times to make sure Krista's voice was free of mother thoughts.

An excerpt (during a particularly rough teenage moment):

"I was surviving, nothing more and nothing less. This in itself was a small victory. There were many times I felt like nothing special. Have you ever realized it was not the same old robin or mourning dove that caught your eye while you were staring out the window? Usually, it took the brilliance of a blue jay or the sound of a red-headed woodpecker to draw your attention. The other birds flew in and out of our lives with no effect, not even a conscious awareness of their existence. I was starting to view my life this way . . . a small ripple in one heck of an ocean. If nobody remembers you when you’re gone, did you ever really exist?"

Funny how I still struggle with these thoughts and how often I feel like I'm surviving day to day. I say to myself, "If I can get through Tuesday, I'll do something fun." But the commitments and responsibilities just keep on coming. The closer I get to my 40th birthday, 288 days (not that I'm counting), the more frantic I feel about defining myself and embracing life's moments. I thought I'd have it all figured out by now. I don't.

I worry sometimes about letting my more adult thoughts creep into Krista's voice. Mom and I are now writing the follow-up to Depression Cookies which has Krista heading off to college. Krista's voice needs to mature, but to what end? Other than language and a slightly increased ability to reason, and the second increases in very small increments with age, I've come to the realization that our fears and worries don't change a lot as we get older. Actually, the more knowledge and experience we gain, the scarier and more confusing things become.

Please tell me I'm not the only person who feels this way. Do you think your voice has changed much since your teenage/young adult years? How so?

Thanks in advance for comments. We'll call it research for the new novel, but I'm looking forward to the answers on a personal level, too. As hard as it is to question, I don't want to ever think I have all the answers.

Guest Post: Lisa Carter Talks about Finding her Voice

I am honored to have Lisa Carter of Intralingo guest blogging again today. I met Lisa during May's Blogathon. She posted then about Shameless Self-Promotion Dos and Don'ts.

Today, we are exchanging blog posts about the importance of voice for writers. Please read both posts and leave a comment letting us know what you think. We'd love to know how you tap into your voice. My post is Listening to the Voices in My Head.

Finding My Voice -- And Subverting It

Writing is all about voice. Blog posts, articles and books abound on this very subject: defining voice, finding it, understanding it, analyzing it, strengthening it! I work hard at writing in the hopes of one day mastering my own individual style. As an undercover writer (aka literary translator), however, I have to work just as hard at subverting my voice to ensure the author's shines through every word and phrase.

It can be a fine line to walk, and I must acknowledge that, no matter how hard I try, my voice will always peek through in some small measure.

You see, there is no such thing as a "neutral" or "perfect" or "definitive" translation. Translators are individuals with a particular background, education, life experience and, therefore, personal vocabulary and style. The choices we make when translating will invariably reflect this personality.

If the same text were translated by two different people, you would get two entirely different renditions. One will not necessarily be better or worse than the other; they are just informed by different realities. Similarly, as a reader, whether you like one more than another is also a case of personal preference given your own background.

Regardless, my primary aim as a literary translator is to analyze and capture the author's voice. So, how exactly do I do that? How do I ensure that I subvert my voice to the author's, prevent too much of my own from shining through?

For me, it is about listening closely to the text. I must study it to see what the author has done and make decisions in the translation that reflect the author's choices.

Whenever I begin a new book, I read it through in its entirety at least once. I then jot notes on a macro level: What did the text evoke? What did I see and feel as I was reading it? Then, when I get down to the actual task of translation, I analyze the text on a micro level, looking at sentence structure and vocabulary choice. Does the author prefer passive to active? Long sentences to short? Are the verbs punchy or understated? How are the metaphors structured? What vocabulary is specific to the time in which the story is set?

All of these aspects are carefully considered in order to make a myriad of style choices along the way. The result, I hope, is a faithful portrayal of the author's voice. As a new creation, however, there is inevitably a hint of me, too.

Lisa Carter is a literary translator with five novels and one book of non-fiction to her credit. She is currently striving to capture an author's voice in a book of women's fiction while finding her own, writing for the Web and creative non-fiction essays. You can find her on Twitter @intralingo and at her website www.intralingo.com.