You may be surprised to learn that your narrator can and SHOULD have a distinctive voice. A narrator should be used to do more than just take over the rea… Have you given much thought to your narrator's voice? You may have assumed that the narrator in your novel should remain neutral. Many writers believe that the narrator should not have too much of an identity, and the use of the narrator is essentially a necessary means of moving the story from one scene to another. It may come as a surprise to discover that your narrator can and SHOULD have a distinctive voice. Narrators should be used for more than just taking readers on a guided tour of your story. The technique that brings life to your narrator is called "Voice". How you ultimately decide to define the character of your narrator can add a new dimension to your work. By adding a unique personality to your narrator, the reader has the opportunity to imagine the story through the eyes of someone who engages them. They may not necessarily like the narrator, but the voice you choose will help the reader find a new aspect of interest in your story. Your narrator may have a strained relationship with the main character and may occasionally make negative comments as the story unfolds. The reason for the animosity could be explained and resolved over the course of the story. Disney's "Emperor's New Groove" was narrated by a protagonist who injected humor, sarcasm, and arrogance, allowing the viewer to get a clearer picture of the main character, the conflict his actions created, and the ultimate need for him to lose some of his pride. Interestingly, the narrator's voice also allowed the viewer to enjoy the emperor's character even more. In Western fiction, the narrator often provides seasoned wisdom throughout the narrative, making you feel like you're saddling a horse and paired with a pleasant partner who has a lot to teach you. Some writing deliberately portrays the narrator as distant and rather formal in the narration. In this case, the writer does not want the narrator to play a significant role in the plot, and only wants him to fill in the blanks with no commentary or personality to shine through. Determining your narrator's voice can be an important element in the development of your story. Choosing your narrator's "voice" is best accomplished early in the story writing process to avoid unnecessary rewriting.
Building Confidence The Secret of Real Winners
We all need confidence building from time to time. Part of feeling confident has a lot to do with how we feel about ourselves. Feeling that we can achieve the things we set out to do is important to feeling confident. Remember that we all have talents and gifts. Whether we feel confident in these skills is very much a part of the winner's mindset. Here's an easy way you can learn to think like a winner. Make a to-do list. Before you start complaining that you've tried this in the past and it didn't work, let's go over the rules for this list. This is a list that will make you feel like a winner. Your job is to help yourself feel like a winner as much as possible by creating a list that is fun and easy to do. I mean super easy. Ridiculously easy, even. Here is a sample list:1. Get out of bed. 2. Brush your teeth and comb your hair.3. Get dressed. 4. Eat something. 5. Eat something else. 6. Walk to the car, bus or other room.7. Smile. 8. Pick up the phone. But only when it rings.9. Put your socks on... Got the idea? This is not your average to-do list. This is a kind of self-conditioning list. Seeing all those check marks or seeing everything checked off your list will make you feel like you had a productive day. You will gain confidence in your ability to get things done. If you practice this fun list-making, you'll think of yourself as a winner. If you forget to write a list one morning, write a finished list at the end of the day. Just put "got out of bed" etc and tag them. As silly as this self-confidence list-making may seem, remember that the subconscious mind doesn't care about what's real or what you imagine. All they will see is the list that was checked off each day. Eventually, you will notice that you feel more confident. Then you can start adding real tasks to your list and do them with the same feel-good approach you had when you made your practice lists. Don't add too much to begin with. Disguise the real objects you want to achieve with easy-to-make items. The reason you don't want to make a complete shift in your list writing is that feeling good is an important element of building trust. Just look at someone you know is confident. Are their mouths down or are they smiling? Treat yourself to the joy of life. You will feel like a winner!
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