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/lit/ - Literature

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1997424 No.1997424 [Reply] [Original]

I have a problem writing with first person narration.

Whenever I try to carry a whole story using this point of view, I find it extremely difficult to break my own vocabulary patterns and transition into the way one of my characters should speak. For instance, I try to write a crime/noir detective story, and yet my narrator still ends up speaking like the 20 something yuppie I am. I make an active effort to try and change my style of narration, but I still can't break out of it.

Is this just my natural style of writing or am I just failing to really" wear my characters skin," so to speak?

>> No.1997435

Hardboiled people speak curtly and plainly with mostly germanic and slang words, but you're probably using french and latinate stuff. Could you quote a line of yours you're not satisfied with so's I can critique it more accurately?

>> No.1997473

OP here: the premise might be a little odd because the whole concept of this particular story is the protagonist of a series of detective novels is completely aware he is in a novel, as are the other characters.

"For the most part I sleep soundly every night, unless, of course, the Author writes it differently. Yeah, I’ve had dreams when they’ve been written in, but nothing as vivid as whatever I just experienced. I shook it off, the birds, the gears and the metal, all of it. I swear it made a clunking sound as it all hit the floor. The lights stung my eyes as I flicked the switch after crawling out of bed."

>> No.1997512

>>1997473
Huh. Probably safer to write a third-person non-meta novel if it's your first. You know, just to get the basics down before you start more ambitious stuff.

OK, let me vulgarise this a little and you'll see what I mean. I don't know the context, so I'm probably distorting what you want to say.
Also, Homestuck isn't really literary, but the dialogue in it is an excellent example of how to characterize speech.

>>"Mostly I sleep well, unless the Author writes it different. Yeah, I have dreams when he writes 'em in, but nothing looks real, leastways nothing looks as real as when I'm awake. I shake it off, the birds, the gears and the metal, all of it. Same again this morning. I swear it made a clunking sound as it all hit the floor. I rolled out of bed, flicked the light switch, stung my eyes."

(I shifted tenses and added 'same again...' because you're transitioning from a general statement to a specific statement in an awkward way. Also re-ordered the last few phrases chronologically. Forgive my presumption.)

>> No.1997526
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1997526

OP has a problem writing with third person narration.

Whenever he tries to carry a whole story using this point of view, he finds it extremely difficult to break his own vocabulary patterns and transition into the way one of his characters should speak. For instance, he tries to write a crime/noir detective story, and yet his narrator still ends up speaking like the 20 something yuppie he is. He makes an active effort to try and change his style of narration, but he still can't break out of it.

Is this just his natural style of writing or is he just failing to really" wear his characters skin," so to speak?

>> No.1997541

OP once again, thanks for the help all.