L.W. Flouisa's picture
L.W. Flouisa from Tennessee is reading More Murakami March 3, 2014 - 6:43pm

Has anyone else ever found themselves being to formal on their work? I found when writing my short story last night, when I don't outline that wording often comes off as ... starchy?

I actually joke sometimes they could be going to a skate park, but the characters will still sound like they came from a funeral or wedding. Maybe it's my weirdness.

I thought I'd ask, not sure if others have the issue.:/

L.W. Flouisa's picture
L.W. Flouisa from Tennessee is reading More Murakami March 3, 2014 - 6:47pm

I guess a better title would be, how formal is to formal.

Dmcleod's picture
Dmcleod from Florida is reading Molloy March 3, 2014 - 9:37pm

My favorite authors mostly consist of Kafka, Beckett, Hamsun, etc... Basically a bunch of 18th/early 19th century shit. And then I sit down to write my contemporary masterpieces and I invariably start sounding like a long-dead Russian with commas for brains (or like Paul Auster). I have to force myself not to be too formal, or old-fashioned. I don't know if this is what you are asking exactly. But I find that reading contemporary stuff, the good stuff, helps me to stay "current" and fashionable. Even reading blogs and short stories online, and The Onion, and things like that. Twitter. All that shit. It helps, it's mostly horrible, but it helps...

Thuggish's picture
Thuggish from Vegas is reading Day of the Jackal March 3, 2014 - 10:04pm

To be honest, that's one problem I'm never plagued with.  Dialogue is the easiest thing for me, I think the trick is to have numerous imaginary conversations with yourself.  The shower is a great place...

L.W. Flouisa's picture
L.W. Flouisa from Tennessee is reading More Murakami March 4, 2014 - 12:32pm

That bit made me chuckle, I always wanted to do that.

I've been tempted to read contemporary/realistic YA, sense that was initially what target audience I was trying to go for. Of course I ended up giving up on that, when my W.I.P started evolving into a MG Horror/Portal Fantasy cross-genre thing.

Tim Johnson's picture
Tim Johnson from Rockville, MD is reading Notes From a Necrophobe by T.C. Armstrong March 4, 2014 - 4:33pm

My guess is what's going on is you're growing as a writer. Can't say I've ever had this specific problem, but I've definitely developed distastes for things I found I was doing. The best part is you can fix those things.

The best thing to pull from this, I think, is you're reading your work as it's written; you're experiencing your work as your readers will experience it. This is a very hard skill for writers to develop and suggests you've committed yourself to your craft.

Honestly, if I were you, I'd celebrate finding out you hate how your characters sound right now. When you find things about your writing that you don't like, it means you're a better writer today, and you have an opportunity to make your work better tomorrow.

L.W. Flouisa's picture
L.W. Flouisa from Tennessee is reading More Murakami March 5, 2014 - 11:35am

I went ahead and took note of the stiff, wooden, formal issue. I also included theories on how the dialogue could seem less wooden.

Dialogue used to be something I did very little of, and now mine is almost dialogue-driven.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated March 6, 2014 - 10:37am

I sort of go the other way with that.

L.W. Flouisa's picture
L.W. Flouisa from Tennessee is reading More Murakami March 7, 2014 - 11:11am

Actually should I just ask? What makes dialogue stiff and formal?

Like when I read, something like: he said, as he was walking through the crowd of subway walkway park. Dressed in a long black trench coat.

Would read differently than saying: he said swiftly.

Its a similar, but not exactly the same problem.

But I find myself stuck in the he said, she said dichotomy. While dropping off the he said, she said if its the same two people talking.

This is so tricky.:/