Rules of narration
Jun. 5th, 2006 08:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
khiemtranWhile I don't think that general rules are very useful, I think it does help to have a set of rules in mind when trying to keep to a particular voice. With each voice, there are different rules for things like how closely you need to stick to chronological order, what sort of things you can conceal from the reader, how much you are allowed to foreshadow and how long you can go on without explaining.
For example, in a memoir style voice, like Sayuri's in Memoirs of a Geisha, it is acceptable for Sayuri to muse about the impact Mr Tanaka will have on her life before the reader has learnt much about him. In a more timebound voice, that would seem like over-the-top foreshadowing. On the other hand, once a voice like Sayuri's has been established, playing games such hiding things from the reader isn't allowed - or at least it's a significant violation of the trust that's been built up.
In one sense, this is all just about consistency, but to be consistent you need to understand what you're trying to be consistent with. I think a lot of my "darlings" have to do with inconsistency of voice - they're lines that would be great on their own, but they don't fit with the rest of the narration. This is also one of the things that bothers me about the experimental voice in the opening I posted. It does break some of its own rules by including too much detail in some parts while hiding key information from the reader in others. It's not sure whether it is a memoir-style account, a straight narrative or a tension-enhanced narrative storyteller voice.
For example, in a memoir style voice, like Sayuri's in Memoirs of a Geisha, it is acceptable for Sayuri to muse about the impact Mr Tanaka will have on her life before the reader has learnt much about him. In a more timebound voice, that would seem like over-the-top foreshadowing. On the other hand, once a voice like Sayuri's has been established, playing games such hiding things from the reader isn't allowed - or at least it's a significant violation of the trust that's been built up.
In one sense, this is all just about consistency, but to be consistent you need to understand what you're trying to be consistent with. I think a lot of my "darlings" have to do with inconsistency of voice - they're lines that would be great on their own, but they don't fit with the rest of the narration. This is also one of the things that bothers me about the experimental voice in the opening I posted. It does break some of its own rules by including too much detail in some parts while hiding key information from the reader in others. It's not sure whether it is a memoir-style account, a straight narrative or a tension-enhanced narrative storyteller voice.
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Date: 2006-06-06 10:30 am (UTC)As a reader, I agree with you. The author sets out the "terms of service" in the first few pages and must stick with them.