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Noah Cochran started the topic Character Voice Game in the forum Characters 4 years, 1 month ago
Excellent character voice is extremely hard to pull off, and so like I do with all hard things in life, I decided to make a game out of it.
It’s a joke.
I’m kidding.
Mostly. 😉
Anyways, to the point. Character voice makes everything from dialogue to normal scenery descriptions pop off the page, but, for me at least, it is a very difficult thing to grok and utilize.
Though introspection mixed with descriptions is extremely valuable, true character voice really comes into play in dialogue, descriptions, and beats.
Thus, I propose a game with the following rules:
- Each player is to select two of their characters (or invent them) and write a passage from each of their PoV’s no longer than 300 words each.
- In each passage, instead of telling through introspection, each player is to show their characters’ personality, flaws/fears/misbeliefs, culture, background, normal life, and occupation through descriptions, dialogue, and beats (some introspection is okay, but using it to info-dump is not ideal).
- Then, I, and anyone else who wants to, will read the two passages and guess each characters’ personality, culture, background, flaw, etc.. (it doesn’t have to show all of those things, but at least some of them)
- Writing two different PoV’s will cause readers/guessers (and the writer) to juxtapose the two PoV’s in our minds and see how unique and different they sound from each other.
- Each player is welcome to make as many such posts/entries as they desire, and they are welcome to make guesses on other players’ entries.
Well, this is a spur of the moment idea, so take it or leave it. 🙃
I’ll try to post my own entry in the next few days, but if y’all would like to, you are welcome to present your character voice skills to the world at anytime (or if you’re like me, use this to improve them 🙂 ).
@Anyone
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