Comments on: Viewpoints and such http://rwday.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/viewpoints-and-such/ Sun, 27 Jul 2008 09:39:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Renee http://rwday.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/viewpoints-and-such/#comment-25 Renee Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:57:12 +0000 http://rwday.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/viewpoints-and-such/#comment-25 <i>I had a story rejected once because the editor didn’t like epistolary fiction. There was ONE letter in the story, about 50/3000 words - not exactly what I’d call epistolary.</i> *dies* Are you serious? Thank God, then, that you didn't send them a full-on epistolary piece. <i>I love epistolary fiction - but yes, if the correspondents are similar, it makes creating distinctive voices hard.</i> The best and worst experience I had was writing an AU fanfic in which five schoolboys wrote alternately snarky, whiny, horny notes to the Virgin Mary. It was fun as heck, but they were all the same age, and despite the divergence in personalities, I still nearly killed myself in creating distinctive voices. Two of them ended up being so similar that I just gave up and let the fic go as is. Good luck with yours! Your descriptions sound really fascinating (and challenging). Hope the process works out smoothly for you. :D I had a story rejected once because the editor didn’t like epistolary fiction. There was ONE letter in the story, about 50/3000 words - not exactly what I’d call epistolary.

*dies* Are you serious? Thank God, then, that you didn’t send them a full-on epistolary piece.

I love epistolary fiction - but yes, if the correspondents are similar, it makes creating distinctive voices hard.

The best and worst experience I had was writing an AU fanfic in which five schoolboys wrote alternately snarky, whiny, horny notes to the Virgin Mary. It was fun as heck, but they were all the same age, and despite the divergence in personalities, I still nearly killed myself in creating distinctive voices. Two of them ended up being so similar that I just gave up and let the fic go as is.

Good luck with yours! Your descriptions sound really fascinating (and challenging). Hope the process works out smoothly for you. :D

]]> By: rwday http://rwday.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/viewpoints-and-such/#comment-24 rwday Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:26:40 +0000 http://rwday.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/viewpoints-and-such/#comment-24 I should be okay once I get things sorted out and actually force my butt in the chair and WRITE - am having a bad case of procrastination-itis. I love epistolary fiction - but yes, if the correspondents are similar, it makes creating distinctive voices hard. I had a story rejected once because the editor didn't like epistolary fiction. There was ONE letter in the story, about 50/3000 words - not exactly what I'd call epistolary. I should be okay once I get things sorted out and actually force my butt in the chair and WRITE - am having a bad case of procrastination-itis.

I love epistolary fiction - but yes, if the correspondents are similar, it makes creating distinctive voices hard.

I had a story rejected once because the editor didn’t like epistolary fiction. There was ONE letter in the story, about 50/3000 words - not exactly what I’d call epistolary.

]]> By: Renee http://rwday.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/viewpoints-and-such/#comment-23 Renee Sat, 13 Oct 2007 08:06:11 +0000 http://rwday.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/viewpoints-and-such/#comment-23 Wow. Good luck with that. I'm currently keeping to one POV after nearly having a brain meltdown with two POVs in <i>Gods Falling.</i> And I used alternating third person POVs there. What more with multiple first person? A plotbunny that I currently have in outline mode is supposed to be an epistolary novel, and the prospects are frightening. I've written epistolary fiction before, a couple of them coming from multiple POVs, and they were a bitch to write. Like you noted, it was a matter of avoiding a repetition of events and also creating distinct voices for the characters. You're at a greater advantage, I think, since your characters are vastly different from each other. It'll be easier for you to "find" their voices. The epistolary pieces I wrote involved characters who were the same age and shared similar backgrounds. Not sure if I want to do that again. Wow. Good luck with that. I’m currently keeping to one POV after nearly having a brain meltdown with two POVs in Gods Falling. And I used alternating third person POVs there. What more with multiple first person?

A plotbunny that I currently have in outline mode is supposed to be an epistolary novel, and the prospects are frightening. I’ve written epistolary fiction before, a couple of them coming from multiple POVs, and they were a bitch to write. Like you noted, it was a matter of avoiding a repetition of events and also creating distinct voices for the characters.

You’re at a greater advantage, I think, since your characters are vastly different from each other. It’ll be easier for you to “find” their voices. The epistolary pieces I wrote involved characters who were the same age and shared similar backgrounds. Not sure if I want to do that again.

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