Subtle Influences
As a writer who's also an avid reader, sometimes it's difficult to make sure my voice remains my voice. If you're a writer, you understand exactly what that means. For others, let me see if I can explain.
During the time when I was writing True Mates, I was deeply immersed in LKH's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. I like all of the characters she created. So there I am writing my book, and while I didn't know who or rather what Conor was, I knew he was powerful. When he came to Kiesha in her dream, he kept speaking with a French accent. Why? I'd been reading too much of Anita's vampire Jean Claude. His 'voice' was stuck in my mind. Later I went back and changed it, making sure Conor's voice was his own, and not a imitation of Jean Claude.
I enjoy reading established romance writers with series skills. I believe reading, and studying how they write, the way they turn a phrase, helps me improve my own writing. But the trick is not to let their voice bleed over into my own, or that of my characters.
More recently I've hooked myself on JD Robb's Death series. I love the characters, all of them, and what woman wouldn't love Roarke? The problem is, I'm writing Claiming Shayla, and Rory is of Irish descent. American-Irish to be exact. So guess who's voice keeps popping up in my head when I writing? You guessed right, Roarke's.
Some of it's good. I'd already been researching Irish phrases and speech patterns before ever picking up a JD Robb book, so the Aye's and Arses were already a part of Rory's speech. Now, when I'm finished with Claiming Shayla and have had a chance to let it sit, I'll go back through with fresh eyes and make sure that Rory is really Rory, and Shayla is who she's always been, and I'm me, not JD Robb. LOL!
During the time when I was writing True Mates, I was deeply immersed in LKH's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. I like all of the characters she created. So there I am writing my book, and while I didn't know who or rather what Conor was, I knew he was powerful. When he came to Kiesha in her dream, he kept speaking with a French accent. Why? I'd been reading too much of Anita's vampire Jean Claude. His 'voice' was stuck in my mind. Later I went back and changed it, making sure Conor's voice was his own, and not a imitation of Jean Claude.
I enjoy reading established romance writers with series skills. I believe reading, and studying how they write, the way they turn a phrase, helps me improve my own writing. But the trick is not to let their voice bleed over into my own, or that of my characters.
More recently I've hooked myself on JD Robb's Death series. I love the characters, all of them, and what woman wouldn't love Roarke? The problem is, I'm writing Claiming Shayla, and Rory is of Irish descent. American-Irish to be exact. So guess who's voice keeps popping up in my head when I writing? You guessed right, Roarke's.
Some of it's good. I'd already been researching Irish phrases and speech patterns before ever picking up a JD Robb book, so the Aye's and Arses were already a part of Rory's speech. Now, when I'm finished with Claiming Shayla and have had a chance to let it sit, I'll go back through with fresh eyes and make sure that Rory is really Rory, and Shayla is who she's always been, and I'm me, not JD Robb. LOL!
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