tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post3162625921485822732..comments2024-03-12T01:48:28.637-06:00Comments on Margo Berendsen: Agents and dragonsMargo Berendsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03476308235642890474noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-5275400953696369552010-09-16T19:12:22.761-06:002010-09-16T19:12:22.761-06:00I personally love it when you give us examples of ...I personally love it when you give us examples of what you think works. This was so helpful, especially when you describe what you think works.<br /><br />And I'm so glad to find another dragon book! My daughter will love it in a couple years.<br /><br />Have a great night!Jackeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03351019926958000627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-7492130137124677112010-09-06T07:47:58.530-06:002010-09-06T07:47:58.530-06:00E. Berg has a strong voice in her women's fict...E. Berg has a strong voice in her women's fiction. I love her style and could probably pick it out anywhere:)Terri Tiffanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07771622379178654235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-34020954732784684742010-09-05T22:15:47.056-06:002010-09-05T22:15:47.056-06:00I loved the voice in The Sky is Everywhere. The M...I loved the voice in The Sky is Everywhere. The MC seemed mature for her age, but I never doubted that she was a teenager. <br /><br />In first person voice pops out at me more, while in third person I catch it through gestures and dialogue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-45424742640869331622010-09-04T00:03:33.556-06:002010-09-04T00:03:33.556-06:00As an ex-journalist I've spent a lot of my car...As an ex-journalist I've spent a lot of my career removing voice because I wasn't supposed to show any bias. It's tricky to get back into the habit now I'm trying to write some fiction. <br /><br />If you're a dragon lover you might like these:<br />http://eldritchdragon.blogspot.com/<br />http://eldritchthedragon.blogspot.com/<br />Eldritch loves visitors!MorningAJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04719744167307369768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-28912482682903784642010-09-02T18:06:47.477-06:002010-09-02T18:06:47.477-06:00Excellent snippets!
But I agree--voice is so imp...Excellent snippets! <br /><br />But I agree--voice is so important, especially in kid lit. It can carry a book with a poor plot, I think, better than a good plot can carry a book with flat characters.<br /><br />I think a book with really strong voice was PARNORMALCY by Kiersten White. It just jumped out at me. She did an amazing job with it.Carolina M. Valdez Schneiderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11589934533051907801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-1068811046273259522010-09-02T15:30:12.143-06:002010-09-02T15:30:12.143-06:00Lisa - I am starting Mockingjay tonight!YAY! Long,...Lisa - I am starting Mockingjay tonight!YAY! Long, sad story about why it's taken me so long to get it. Amazon and I are no longer friends. <br /><br />Stina - just added Perfect Chemistry to my TBR list, too. Wow it sounds like a sizziler!<br /><br />Susan - agree - you can't have a voice that beats you over the head. Riordan's characters have strong voice but it's not overdone - which is why he's a bestseller! Just read your post on Dark Life. Sounds like yummy scifi. By the way, Red Pyramid had awesome chapter titles, but by writing the POV's vertically!!! instead of horiztonally, I was annoyed to no end. I cannot read vertically! <br /><br />Jen - bet you could tell which chapters were Isabel's though! She and Cole had stronger voices than Grace & Sam. Still, with no less than four POVs, I'd have been lost in Linger without the names at the beginning of the chapters.Margo Berendsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476308235642890474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-78639770814612314052010-09-02T14:28:35.978-06:002010-09-02T14:28:35.978-06:00This was fantastic Margo!!! I was just about to re...This was fantastic Margo!!! I was just about to relate this topic to Shiver & Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, I didn't feel the difference between POV's, don't get me wrong, I loved the novels and thought they were great. <br /><br />However just like Stina without the names at the beginning of each change, I would have been utterly clueless as to who was talking!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667521490706435608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-86149224601082160652010-09-01T13:07:03.343-06:002010-09-01T13:07:03.343-06:00Definitely Red Pyramid had strong voice, but also ...Definitely Red Pyramid had strong voice, but also Dark Life (I just finished reading - it came out in May). I think you are right that agents are looking for STRONG voice, but I don't think you always have to have a voice that beats you over the head. However, it must be distinctive. Not at all helpful, I know! :)Susan Kaye Quinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07348197999397141067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-17408501834462617362010-08-31T10:15:38.961-06:002010-08-31T10:15:38.961-06:00Love the analysis, Margo. And what do you mean abo...Love the analysis, Margo. And what do you mean about you lacking voice? I love your voice(s) in your book. <br /><br />I love the voices (ouch, talk about repitition) in PERFECT CHEMISTRY. It, too, is a dual pov (1st person) between a guy and a girl. The voices are very distinctive. <br /><br />In both SHIVER and PERFECT CHEMISTRY, every time the pov changes, the character's name is a heading at the top of the scene. If the authors' hadn't done that, I would be clueless for a while who's pov it's in because they are all in first person. I don't think it's necessary if the book is in third person.Stinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-83257978580967987162010-08-30T11:59:49.262-06:002010-08-30T11:59:49.262-06:00Um, MOCKINGJAY!!! Suzanne Collins is incredible. ...Um, MOCKINGJAY!!! Suzanne Collins is incredible. And Katniss' voice is loud and clear as is Suzanne's. Sigh.Lisa Gail Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03648323153868702165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-46054000559516121352010-08-30T10:34:09.205-06:002010-08-30T10:34:09.205-06:00Kathy - thanks for the complement! - but my posts ...Kathy - thanks for the complement! - but my posts usually aren't very well planned. I just ramble on about whatever I'm learning in the writing world. I'm glad it appears well-planned to you!<br /><br />Old Kitty - I haven't heard of David Nicholls - will have to check it out. I devoured Agatha Christies when I was in high school, but I should revisit them again!<br /><br />Jemi - Leviathan is on my TBR list. Perhaps I'll bump it up!<br /><br />Robin - it's easy to get wrapped up in the stories while reading. I finally started dog-earring pages as I read (gasp! horrors! descretion of books!) and then going back and re-reading the parts that jumped out at me. Kind a funny, but QueryTracker just posted on this topic today, including the dog-earring thing!<br /><br />Elizabeth - I've heard alot about Will Grayson, too in regards to voice. Adding it to my TBR list. Those four agents listed a dozen books in their dialogue that I added, too. Perhaps I will develop voice by osmosis! - just kidding - I need to read less and write more.Margo Berendsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476308235642890474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-15163441988008337722010-08-29T20:59:25.741-06:002010-08-29T20:59:25.741-06:00Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David...Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan is an excellent study on voice and POV. The two characters have the same name but there is never any doubt which one you are reading.Elizabeth Briggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14572251749088056704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-54988877142311658192010-08-29T12:05:02.989-06:002010-08-29T12:05:02.989-06:00Great analysis. At the beginning I was thinking, ...Great analysis. At the beginning I was thinking, okay how do you read for voice in a story. You gave some good examples which helped explain. I'll probably have to reread it a couple times. Now you've gotten me thinking about rereading some stories and analyzing them. I tend to get wrapped up in the stories. Maybe I should start thinking about the why's.Robin Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07765229264945106765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-6890999481226759392010-08-29T10:38:59.822-06:002010-08-29T10:38:59.822-06:00Scott Westerfield did an excellent job of voice in...Scott Westerfield did an excellent job of voice in Leviathan - the 2 main characters are very distinct!Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-11032304327160981592010-08-29T10:12:25.273-06:002010-08-29T10:12:25.273-06:00Very thorough analysis. So thorough it needs re-r...Very thorough analysis. So thorough it needs re-reading.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14115085533635353291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-52212743740119954762010-08-29T05:18:07.880-06:002010-08-29T05:18:07.880-06:00Chapter headings might work too to assist the read...Chapter headings might work too to assist the reader perhaps? I'm currently reading One Day by David Nicholls. There are two very powerful mc's here both with distinct voices and cleverly done mainly through dialogue.<br /><br />Also I'm reminded of Agatha Christie. She's able to weave so many characters into plot twists - she is ever omnipresent and the characters are there to fit the plot and yet she pulls her narrative off with such panache because the central crime is intriguing and fiendish enough.<br /><br />Yay for dragons!! :-)<br /><br />Take care<br />xOld Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13185547869183611159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-37414234244307881842010-08-29T05:12:52.650-06:002010-08-29T05:12:52.650-06:00Great post. Very informative and thoughtful. Thank...Great post. Very informative and thoughtful. Thanks for sharing.middle grade ninjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15132043736808253237noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-877283495473275002010-08-28T20:10:53.325-06:002010-08-28T20:10:53.325-06:00I have SO much work to do with four narrators. Yik...I have SO much work to do with four narrators. Yikes. The need for consistency, and what I need to craft it, is a little overwhelming. Margo, your blogs are so carefully planned, always informative and beautiful.kathy taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04168180633396307413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1150746199598958569.post-52306169255150318032010-08-28T18:55:13.392-06:002010-08-28T18:55:13.392-06:00You know, I'll have to think on this. It's...You know, I'll have to think on this. It's been a whirlwind week and I am just now figuring out if I am coming or going:) Thanks for sharing!<br />Blessings,<br />KarenKaren Langehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18177923284595298347noreply@blogger.com