Consistency of Style and/or Voice for a Generational story?

[Phyrebrat]

I mentioned recently that I have finally gone back to my main horror WIP which has languished since 2011.

It's sparked quite a lot of excitement for me not least because I've got in a bee in my bonnet now about the term 'Epic Horror', but also as I've finally solved one of the big problems of how to deal with what at one point was poorly-rendered narrative.

In addition to the main drive of narrative that happens from 2004 -present, there is an overarching story of the land/site that dovetails at the end and includes reveals and such that preclude this from being mere backstory. Below is a brief summary:

1. Early history - short sequence: Neolithic period - tri-henge - Norman church built on site - land barren till Middle Ages (based on Knowlton Rings near Wimborne, Dorset)
2. (Sheedthorpe Grange) Development of Land by Mutual Farmers Association to cut out brokers and middle-men, essentially a market trade fair. McGubbins = Dispute over shares; 2 of the shareholders suspected of killing the other 7 (but will probably reduce this to 4)
3. 1320 - 1620 Land owned by Shielde family, McGubbins = priest holes.
4. 1712 -1796 owned by 1st and 2nd Earl Greville. McGubbins = corrupt steward who dismantles part of the mansion whilst custodian of the land but 'commits suicide' when owner announces intention to return to the UK from Florence.
5. 1809 - Henrietta & Lázaro Rocha move in McGubbins = Seem to be haunting the house in present time.

I'm getting the books Brian has recommended here in the thread about avoiding anachronisms and so on, but my question is now about consistency of voice. Do you have any tips or ideas on how to ensure uniformity across these eras? I don't mean in terms of accent as we have had that discussion elsewhere, but more, in terms of POV and voice. I don't want to go Omniscient and am happy to (attempt to) wrangle the third person POV challenge of how someone would think in those days, but I'm a bit unsure of how to keep the style the same. I don't want ape Chaucer or Dickens; I'm thinking of Susannah Clarke's ease in Jonathan Strange but I'm no genius. Something - would it be acceptable to write this in a less formal style?

Thanks

pH

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Think about what is important to the people in each of these eras: What matters to them, what they want, what they fear. Think about their daily routines, their daily concerns. These things shape the ways that their minds work, the way they see the world. And that, in turn, influences the things they notice (which is important in maintaining POV), and how they describe their surroundings, their experiences. To a certain extent it's not about what you put in so much as what you leave out: anything that reveals a state of mind or a worldview that is too much of the wrong time.

And then, of course, it is about the way the characters relate to each other—that is, how much does age, class, etc. influence the way that they address each other, who can speak freely, who has to wait for permission or be careful not to seem to overstep themselves or offend those who have power over them.

So the content of the dialogue, the description, the narration (even more than the language) can create a sense of each separate era. And if you concentrate on that, then you can use whatever style you're most comfortable using, that comes most easily to you—in omniscient viewpoint or whatever you ultimately choose—and in that way maintain the kind of continuity you want, while never leaving readers in doubt about "when" they are.

Does that make sense?

 

[Brian G Turner]

my question is now about consistency of voice. Do you have any tips or ideas on how to ensure uniformity across these eras?

Write normally - try where possible to write in neutral English, but this is something you may want to edit in after, once you've at least got your narrative going. Expect a lot of rewriting, whatever happens, and good luck with it!

 

[Kerrybuchanan]

Think about what is important to the people in each of these eras: What matters to them, what they want, what they fear. Think about their daily routines, their daily concerns. These things shape the ways that their minds work, the way they see the world. And that, in turn, influences the things they notice (which is important in maintaining POV), and how they describe their surroundings, their experiences. To a certain extent it's not about what you put in so much as what you leave out: anything that reveals a state of mind or a worldview that is too much of the wrong time.

And then, of course, it is about the way the characters relate to each other—that is, how much does age, class, etc. influence the way that they address each other, who can speak freely, who has to wait for permission or be careful not to seem to overstep themselves or offend those who have power over them.

So the content of the dialogue, the description, the narration (even more than the language) can create a sense of each separate era. And if you concentrate on that, then you can use whatever style you're most comfortable using, that comes most easily to you—in omniscient viewpoint or whatever you ultimately choose—and in that way maintain the kind of continuity you want, while never leaving readers in doubt about "when" they are.

Does that make sense?

That seems like really good advice to me. In fact it's so good that I'm going to steal borrow it for my time-travel novel.

 

[Toby Frost]

Olde Wolde dialogue in fantasy is a bit of a pet hate of mine, especially since the result is usually Victorian-type English (really old English would be extremely hard to read). Also, I think that artificially making the dialogue stilted loses the potential for nuances that people in, say 1600 would definitely have had (although we might not recognise them easily). I would be inclined to write it in clear prose without slang or Americanisms, and then see if it worked.

 

[The Judge]

I don't think you need worry about consistency of voice, because there's only the one of you writing it (unless you're holding a big secret back about having multiple personalites.. . ) so your voice will shine through despite everything. As Toby says, avoid obvious modernisms for the older bits which are terribly jarring, but also remember that words which are old might not have been used widely eg pregnant is a 15th century word, but no one but a medical professional is likely to have used it before the 20th century (the Online Etymology Dictionary says "Retained its status as a taboo word until c.1950").

I can't add anything to Teresa's advice about how to differentiate the eras, apart from the obvious which is that you need to research each and every age to get a feel for it and eg what furniture there is, what transport there was. Trips to historic houses would help with the later periods, the Weald and Downland Museum for the middle period.

You might also be interested in Ulverton by Adam Thorpe. I've not read it myself, and I know HB couldn't get on with it, but it might provide some pointers as to how he deals with the changes from one age to the other. His Hodd is also worth a look, as Thorpe is an incredible stylist, and the writing is very vivid, and it might spark some ideas for the 11-12th centuries. (Unfortunately there's a complete lack of narrative drive in the novel which makes it a bit hard going at times.)

And just to say I am totally taken with your whole idea of the site and its history, and I'm looking forward to reading excerpts as and when. Just leave out the horror bits.

 

[Phyrebrat]

What a pleasure to log in to see so much helpful advice.

Think about what is important to the people in each of these eras: What matters to them, what they want, what they fear. Think about their daily routines, their daily concerns. These things shape the ways that their minds work, the way they see the world. And that, in turn, influences the things they notice (which is important in maintaining POV), and how they describe their surroundings, their experiences. To a certain extent it's not about what you put in so much as what you leave out: anything that reveals a state of mind or a worldview that is too much of the wrong time.

Does that make sense?

It does, indeed. It's a well made point to focus on what they don't know, too, and how they respond to conflict and opportunity in a way that a C21st mind wouldn't.

Write normally - try where possible to write in neutral English, but this is something you may want to edit in after, once you've at least got your narrative going. Expect a lot of rewriting, whatever happens, and good luck with it!

One of the schools I work in Uganda has as their school motto 'The Way To Start Is to Start'. I think a lot of my problem is seeing the whole journey instead of the first step, and I expect to be rewriting and redrafting for a long time. That book you mentioned on titles and so on in the resources forum is a great heads up; it can't come quick enough.

Olde Wolde dialogue in fantasy is a bit of a pet hate of mine, especially since the result is usually Victorian-type English (really old English would be extremely hard to read). Also, I think that artificially making the dialogue stilted loses the potential for nuances that people in, say 1600 would definitely have had (although we might not recognise them easily). I would be inclined to write it in clear prose without slang or Americanisms, and then see if it worked.

Me too, I am determined to avoid such nonsense. I think syntax or sentence structure in dialogue is more important than substituting or over-emphasis in the actual words they use. I recall an episode of QI where HRH Stephen Fry was noting words we'd think are modern but are actually very old. I think I can have a tendency to E.M.Forster-ise my stuff sometimes so I'll have to keep an eye out on that.

I don't think you need worry about consistency of voice, because there's only the one of you writing it (unless you're holding a big secret back about having multiple personalites.. . ) so your voice will shine through despite everything. As Toby says, avoid obvious modernisms for the older bits which are terribly jarring, but also remember that words which are old might not have been used widely eg pregnant is a 15th century word, but no one but a medical professional is likely to have used it before the 20th century (the Online Etymology Dictionary says "Retained its status as a taboo word until c.1950").

I can't add anything to Teresa's advice about how to differentiate the eras, apart from the obvious which is that you need to research each and every age to get a feel for it and eg what furniture there is, what transport there was. Trips to historic houses would help with the later periods, the Weald and Downland Museum for the middle period.

You might also be interested in Ulverton by Adam Thorpe. I've not read it myself, and I know HB couldn't get on with it, but it might provide some pointers as to how he deals with the changes from one age to the other. His Hodd is also worth a look, as Thorpe is an incredible stylist, and the writing is very vivid, and it might spark some ideas for the 11-12th centuries. (Unfortunately there's a complete lack of narrative drive in the novel which makes it a bit hard going at times.)

And just to say I am totally taken with your whole idea of the site and its history, and I'm looking forward to reading excerpts as and when. Just leave out the horror bits.

I love the Open Air Museum. It was one of the first school trips I remember (and as a nasty 9 year old boy I was obviously taken with the concept of the Bayleaf house where you did your business out of a hole onto the street ) I'll check out Ulverton (I think my sis has it - and as a bonus she studied early and Middle English for her phd) and Hodd - the lack of narrative drive may not be such a hardship as it's research.

It's lovely to hear your support for my idea, too, thank you. And my horror is not of the gore type. I'm much more Hill House than Hostel in my tastes

Thanks all, again,

pH