How a strong narrative voice lets you get away with almost everything
Narrative voice is what keeps readers turning pages even at a slow start or when a chapter is dragging. Here's how to find yours and keep it consistent.
Narrative voice is one of those things in writing that most writers don’t think about, but they can definitely hear when it’s present in a book. It can carry your story forward, even when nothing interesting is happening.
And if you have a strong voice, you can get away with almost everything. A slow start, a chapter that drags, and even a story that doesn’t seem that interesting initially.
What I did research on:
And most importantly… how to keep your narrative voice consistent?
Author’s note✍️
Since I decided that I wanted to write my book this year, I’ve been reading books with more intention. Best sellers, popular books, and some classics. And what I’ve come to realize is that there’s this thing in common that gives them texture and keeps your brain entertained.
What is a narrative voice?
Narrative voice is the personality of your narrator bleeding through the story. It’s the sum of their word choices, sentence rhythm, sense of humor, and what they choose to notice.
I like to think of it as how the description outside the dialogue lands.
Is your narrator just reporting what’s happening? Or are they opinionated about it?
This is how a flat narrative voice sounds:
The master sat down, grinning and sighing.
He put his boots on the table. Full of mud.
“Another day of successfully awakening the dead,” said the master. Then he peeled off his gloves, equally full of blood, and asked, “What’s for dinner?”
“Stew, with some apple pie,” said the apprentice, taking the gloves.
This is how a strong narrative voice sounds:
The master sat down with that insufferable white grin and the relaxed sigh of a man far too content with himself.
He put his boots on the table. Full of mud, which was great, because now the apprentice would be the one scrubbing it off.
“Another day of successfully awakening the dead,” said the master. Then he peeled off his gloves, equally full of blood, and asked, “What’s for dinner?”
Poison, perhaps. Or a slap across the face would do.
“Stew, with some apple pie,” said the apprentice, taking the gloves.
As you can see, this is the same scene with the same physical actions, same dialogue, but a totally different feel. We learn that the apprentice is bitter and the master is just insufferable. All of that thanks to the narrative voice.
Narrative voice is what makes writing feel like it came from a person. Your prose, grammar, plot, and structure can be pristine. But without a narrative voice, your story can feel empty.
Narrative voice and point of view: what’s the difference?
The difference between narrative voice and point of view in writing is that point of view (POV) is the “who” is telling the story (first, second, or third) while the voice is the “how” the story is being told.
(Plot, by the way, is the “what” that is being told.)
But the voice is the emotional core of a story. Whether a scene reads as funny, tense, dramatic, or dreadful depends more on the voice than on the events.
Let’s go back to the example with the master necromancer and the apprentice. But I’ll be using a different voice:
The master sat down, grinning and letting out a satisfied sigh. The sigh of a man pleased with causing misery.
He put his boots up on the table. Full of mud, which made the apprentice’s heart sink. He’d be the one scrubbing that off later.
“Another day of successfully awakening the dead,” said the master, the grin never leaving his face. Then he peeled off his gloves, with blood, so much blood, and asked, “What’s for dinner?”
The apprentice knew better than to upset him. He only wanted the evening to pass quietly. So he gave the answer he knew was safe.
“Stew, with some apple pie,” he said, taking the gloves.
In both examples, we use the third person limited POV. But in the first one, the apprentice is sarcastic and bitter, while in this one, he’s scared and resigned.
Now, let’s change POV and keep the voice:
The master sat down, grinning and letting out a satisfied sigh. The sigh of a man pleased with causing misery.
He put his boots up on the table. Full of mud, which made my heart sink. I’d be the one scrubbing that off later.
“Another day of successfully awakening the dead,” said the master, the grin never leaving his face. Then he peeled off his gloves, with blood, so much blood, and asked, “What’s for dinner?”
I knew better than to upset him. I only wanted the evening to pass quietly. So I gave the answer I knew was safe.
“Stew, with some apple pie,” I said, taking the gloves.
Okay, final example (I promise.)
Let’s change the POV and voice:
The master sat down with a grin and a satisfied sigh. The sigh of a man who had earned it.
He put his boots up on the table, mud and all. I didn’t mind it. Cleaning up after him was the least I could do.
“Another day of successfully awakening the dead,” he said, and I could only wonder at the words. Then he peeled off his gloves, soaked in blood, proof of everything he could do, and asked, “What’s for dinner?”
I wanted to get it right for him. He deserved a proper meal after a long day.
“Stew, with some apple pie,” I said, taking the gloves.
See what I mean about the voice being the personality? The examples keep the reader engaged for different reasons. But engaged nonetheless.
What makes a strong narrative voice?
A narrative voice is strong when it keeps the reader engaged. Especially during transition chapters or small moments, just because the reader enjoys the company of the narrator (even if not much is happening)
Your voice is a huge part of how the reader should feel about a scene, a character, or the story in general. It’s not only about fancy words, but about what the narrator notices and points to.
How to find your narrative voice?
Be judgmental… as a narrator, I mean. React to the scenes in your own book. Your narrative voice is in how you communicate, think, or generally express yourself.
Think: What do my unfiltered thoughts sound like?
If you see someone stop at the bottom of an escalator because they’re distracted talking to someone, how would you react?
“Great, just great. Now I have to walk around him with very little space.”
“He better move or I’ll move him!!!”
“She stopped? Rude. Huh, I really like her shoes.”
An important thing to keep in mind is that very often your character is the narrator of the story.
The narrator can also be an entire character on its own. That doesn’t mean the process is any different.
If you know your character, you can get into their head. And if you can get in their head, you can notice the things they notice. Navigate the world as they would, while revealing something about their personality.
Important note 💡
Your narrative voice, as an author, is your signature. Like an un-copy-pasteable asset. Sure, people may borrow your premise and write their own story, but your voice makes one version yours. And it’s the reason readers come back for book two.
There’s something that I must clarify. Some books can do fine without a strong voice. The premise, pacing, and prose do a good job of carrying the story forward. But a strong voice raises your odds of creating an unforgettable book.
Now, and most importantly…
How do you keep your voice consistent?
To keep a consistent voice, make sure the same mind is behind the words and observations in the story. However, that doesn’t mean every passage should be identical. The rhythm and energy may be different. It depends on the scene you’re writing.
Quite simply:
Consistency = it always sounds like the same mind and personality.
Identical = every sentence has the same rhythm, there’s no variation.
As a writer and reader, you may find you need to recalibrate your voice after reading another book with a strong voice.
So, make sure you save a sample of your voice or read the chapters with the voice you’ve already established before going into another writing session.
If your book has multiple POVs from multiple characters, give each one a voice. And save a sample! Having characters with distinct personalities instead of using the same voice across will enrich your story.
Ultimately, there’s no correct voice, only yours. So, lean into what you can’t help but notice in your scenes. Point to things. Keep the weirdness. The thing that makes your writing sound like no one else’s (your voice) should be kept.
So, how would I describe the voice for my book?
Warm but sharp, always a little sarcastic.
And scene
If you made it this far, you’re probably one of those readers that 100% their book. So, thank you for bearing with me until the end :)
If you found this article helpful (either as a writer or a lurker), consider following along as I figure out how to actually write that book.
And if there’s a writing topic you’d like me to write about, drop it in the comments.
How would you describe the voice you’re using in your book?
Take care and keep writing. ✍️
I had a short story recently that I started at least five or six times, and I couldn't get past the first few paragraphs. I knew the voice was a big part of my problem, but I couldn't figure out how to fix it. Finally, just before the story was due, I sat down to give it one last try, and the first words out of my narrator's mouth were:
*Who on earth had decided I needed an aunt in the first place?*
Wouldn't you know, I got that version finished and tied for first place in the contest. 😆
Very true, she thought; and laughed with the facial expression of an author who had seen far too many narrative voices not to have started feeling like a villain every time she invented a new one.
Then she turned back to her manuscript and continued writing.
~~~
“But you can’t offer a priest resignation,” Father said stupidly, “because you didn’t ordain him.”