Chameleonism

Jaoman · Feb 9, 2006

In one of his dialogues, Ion, Socrates confronts a orator of Homer and proceeds to question him about his talent. Where does the muse of art come from? After a long debate, short by Socratic standards, an understanding is reached: Homer got his talent through being possessed by the gods, and the orator, Ion, gets his through being possessed by Homer. It sounds nice and mystical; ghosts, after all! Yet, I find myself struggling against just this effect. When I read, I read without measure, I fall in literary lust with an author and spend every possible moment devouring his works. What I've found, however, is that the act of reading that unique styling possess my thinking. The kind of facts, structures, and details native to the author in question begin to seem natural to me, and not only that I begin to try and write like the work I'm reading too. For all intents and purposes, I'm possessed.

Granted, considering that I'm reading the classics this is hardly a bad affect. However, it feels an awful lot like cheating. And, really, I want my voice. Has anybody else met this problem? How, or have you, dealt with it?

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 9, 2006

I believe when I started writing I did that. In fact I tried to emulate Robert E. Howard because I was so infatuated with his works. But then I was in my teens. I get the feeling you aren't in your teens any more nor do I know if you're a beginning writer.

But I think we all take a little inspiration from the works we are reading, a little piece of dialog sometimes prompts me to write something along similar lines, a description of a scene gives me thoughts on how to describe a scene I'm working on.

But I have been writing long enough that I have my own voice now and I don't necessarily "try and write like the work I'm reading" because I've actually migrated to reading authors that already sound like me.

Aconite · Feb 9, 2006

Jaoman said:
Granted, considering that I'm reading the classics this is hardly a bad affect. However, it feels an awful lot like cheating. And, really, I want my voice. Has anybody else met this problem? How, or have you, dealt with it?

I either use it to my advantage--I read period works when writing something in the style of that period--or read works by different authors at the same time to resist the pull of any one of them.

Jaoman · Feb 9, 2006

Shadow Ferret said:
I get the feeling you aren't in your teens any more nor do I know if you're a beginning writer.

I'm in that point of transition between teenhood and adultiness. And probably about same as a writer.

Shadow Ferret said:
But I have been writing long enough that I have my own voice now and I don't necessarily "try and write like the work I'm reading" because I've actually migrated to reading authors that already sound like me.

That is a point. The effect was much more significant last year when I had less character.

Aconite said:
either use it to my advantage--I read period works when writing something in the style of that period--or read works by different authors at the same time to resist the pull of any one of them.

Just don't mix Douglas Adams and Henry Miller. It's nasty. :Headbang:

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 10, 2006

Jaoman said:
Just don't mix Douglas Adams and Henry Miller. It's nasty.

I'm trying to imagine that. Science fiction sexploits?

(I love Miller, never read Adams.)

Marcusthefish · Feb 10, 2006

I went through the same thing when I first started writing. I think emulating your favorite author (or what you're reading at the time) is a stage that writers go through when learning the craft.

If you're like me, the longer you write, the more things will begin to feel right and wrong within the context of the story, especially during rewriting. I think this is the road to one's own style--a result of internalizing the rules absorbed during a lifetime of reading and emulated during thousands of pages of practice. Writers with more natural talent do this a lot faster than we strugglers.

Not to say that conscious choices don't figure in style as well, in creating characters, setting up a story, and finding/choosing a voice to tell it in, but mostly I think it comes with time and practice.

MTF

maestrowork · Feb 10, 2006

I think we all do that, especially when we first started. We tend to imitate the masters or our favorite authors, whether consciously or subconsciously. That's part of the learning and growing process. Eventually, I think we'll all find our own voice, even if that voice does echo someone else's.

MarkN · Feb 11, 2006

I think it's something that works itself out, because the more you write, the quicker you get bored with imitating the parts that don't really reflect your own natural voice. The reason you fall in love with Writer X's style in the first place is because there's a natural fit between how X writes novels and how you think novels should be written. But it's never a perfect fit--there's always something you think you could have done a bit differently. That's why you're a writer. It may take you a while to see that, and of course you never mean it as a criticism of Writer X. But your natural voice will assert itself as you write, especially if you let yourself read a wide variety of authors so that you can develop a taste for Writers Y and Z and so on as well.

Just keep on reading and writing.

dlcharles · Feb 11, 2006

Shadow Ferret: Recall "Tripping The Rift" on Sci-Fi television.

Jaoman · Feb 13, 2006

Shadow Ferret said:
I'm trying to imagine that. Science fiction sexploits?

Naw, I did that last year during my Nietzsche craze. All the things he would've hoped for, with all the flare he would've barfed at, and the most airy disregard for grammar. This was more like flowery trivialities.

Shadow Ferret said:
(I love Miller, never read Adams.)

Neither have I actually. But I highly recommend the audio books. I spent some interesting moments staggering crookedly through the streets in convulsions of laughter with everybody around me trying to guess what drugs. Delightful stuff.

Marcusthefish said:
If you're like me, the longer you write, the more things will begin to feel right and wrong within the context of the story, especially during rewriting. I think this is the road to one's own style--a result of internalizing the rules absorbed during a lifetime of reading and emulated during thousands of pages of practice. Writers with more natural talent do this a lot faster than we strugglers.

Not to say that conscious choices don't figure in style as well, in creating characters, setting up a story, and finding/choosing a voice to tell it in, but mostly I think it comes with time and practice.

I'm not very much like you then. While I've had some nice pouring outs, my most comfortably work has so far come from analysis. Prosaic structure isn't all that mysterious. Brains, on the other hand...

moblues · Feb 13, 2006

Shadow_Ferret said:
I believe when I started writing I did that. In fact I tried to emulate Robert E. Howard because I was so infatuated with his works. But then I was in my teens.

Same here. I tried the same thing with Edgar Rice Burroughs, and H.P Lovecraft while in H.S.

A decent analogy for this is music. When I first started playing guitar and writing lyrics during this same period, I was in a few really bad cover bands. This was during the mid to late '70s.

At first, you cop as many of the licks of your influences as you can. As you you get more confident and move on, you build on these––tweak them. Then you start playing these cover songs using your own interpretations of the songs. This usually doesn't go over very well with a paying audience. They want note for note performances. This is where you start to write your own stuff, and never look back.

I guess that after a while you naturally move away from this after your voice is in your pocket.

Mike

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 13, 2006

Isn't this the way we learn any skill? By imitation of those we admire performing that skill?

What distinguishes us is when we finally can create our own voice out of the mish-mash of influences.

My-Immortal · Feb 13, 2006

Shadow_Ferret said:
Isn't this the way we learn any skill? By imitation of those we admire performing that skill?

What distinguishes us is when we finally can create our own voice out of the mish-mash of influences.

After you've created what you think is your own voice, have you ever had anyone still compare your writing to another? I had someone compare my writing to an author I had never read before - and oddly enough, when I did read a book by that author I saw some vague similarities.

Take care all -

moblues · Feb 13, 2006

Yes, indeed it is. I simply thought that it would be interesting to note how this transcends creative fields and endeavors.

moblues · Feb 13, 2006

Shadow_Ferret said:
What distinguishes us is when we finally can create our own voice out of the mish-mash of influences.

This is what I was saying.

Shadow_Ferret · Feb 14, 2006

moblues said:
This is what I was saying.

I was agreeing with you.

My-Immortal said:
After you've created what you think is your own voice, have you ever had anyone still compare your writing to another? I had someone compare my writing to an author I had never read before - and oddly enough, when I did read a book by that author I saw some vague similarities.

Take care all -

Actually, yes, someone kept comparing me to Nelson DeMille, who I'd never read before that time (or even heard of). I started reading him and I could see the similarities in voice.

Chameleonism

Jaoman

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Aconite

Jaoman

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Marcusthefish

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

MarkN

Altogether Ookie

dlcharles

Jaoman

moblues

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

My-Immortal

Mr. Invisible

moblues

moblues

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester