Finding Character Voice

Finding Character Voice

“Character voice” is rather self-explanatory, simply being the unique way a character speaks or narrates. Every character has a voice, some may just stand out more than others, and part of becoming a better writer is learning to work with voices that are unlike your own. Here are some ways to get started on finding a character’s voice once you have a character concept in mind:

Look into their background. What’s their education level? Does the area they come from have any specific sayings? Speech patterns are influenced by a surprising amount of external or upbringing-related elements, especially when it comes to slang and some aspects of grammar, so learn to look beyond the “now” for finding voice.

Personality and mood affect voice. A laid-back person is unlikely to speak or narrate in a snippy tone, unless that subject matter is super important to them. Likewise, a critical person may judge other characters more than another narrator. 

Everybody has quirks of speech. Can also be known as ‘verbal tics’, though ‘quirks of speech’ refer to general unique speech patterns as opposed to a specific sound. 

Voice is more than just tone. It’s related to perspective and how the character comments on the things they notice. Two characters may see the same tree, but the artist may describe the tree with specific colors whereas a nature-lover may know the species and its stage of life. The information that’s given to the reader through the narrator is a form of voice. 

Some techniques for teasing out potential voice are:

Interview your characters with a series of simple questions that get harder and harder. Get personal. See what comes out in how they respond.

Write a letter as if by their hand, about a subject they’re passionate about.

Try acting things out as if you were that character. Have imaginary conversations or test different tones spoken out loud to test the effects. 

Create a scene, then test it witch each different character. What do they notice that’s different from others? What’s the order of things that they notice?

Throw each character into the exact same problem. How do they each handle it differently? 

Good luck with your work and if there are any questions, drop them in my ask box and I’ll see how I can help. Just please read my Rules and Considerations page to make sure I’m the best resource, and consider a Gift of Coffee to grant me an energy boost, if you’re feeling generous.

Top 15 Death Note Episodes: Masterpost

(each of these are a link to the original post for each episode with screenshots and analysis)

#1: Silence

#2: New World

#3: Wager

#4: Father

#5: Revival

#6: Malice

#7: Assault

#8: Overcast

#9: Ally

#10: Love

#11: Confrontation

#12: 1.28

#13: Transfer

#14: Doubt

#15: Makeshift

B always wondered what the numbers meant.

It seemed only natural that everyone else saw them too.  That is, until his small voice quipped after them one day and all he received in return were blank stares.  He felt different and strange after that.

He never spoke of them again.

But still… he wondered.

They were everywhere and held no meaning to him.  He tried not to look at them. 

But one night in particular, he couldn’t help but notice that A’s numbers were especially small.  Nearly ran out.

A, his best friend.  His brother in every sense of the word, save in blood.  The small, freckled boy with the bright eyes and the charming tooth gap.  The quiet, brilliant child with a laugh only B himself could genuinely initiate.

And how B loved to make him laugh.  When he wasn’t with B, A bore a timid countenance.  Almost frightened. 

B found him once, sitting and hugging his knees on the windowsill behind the heavy curtains.  He was crying.  When B climbed up to sit with him, A quickly wiped the tears from his red, round face.  B looked at him through strands of messy, black hair that always hung in his dark eyes.  They sat for a moment in awkward silence.  Then, B reached out and his long slender fingers closed around the especially small, freckled hand of his friend.  He candidly spoke only a few simple words and A’s tear-streaked face brightened into a toothy grin.

And that was B to A.  The carefree spirit to his small, burdened shoulders.  The wild laughter to his quiet reservation.

But the numbers kept getting smaller. 

And on that night- the night the numbers were smallest of all- A hugged B.  He held him close and whispered, “Thank you.“  And B tousled his friend’s hair and laughed as he always did and asked, "What for?"  But A didn’t answer.  He squeezed tightly one more time and turned to go into his room, shutting the door behind him.

And the next morning, Roger came and sat down slowly on B’s bedside.  He spoke softly and sadly.

And the numbers finally made sense.

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