Internalized Voices

Some time ago, I was having a conversation with my writing soulmate and she was telling me about an assignment she had. She was to create a conversation with four great writers speaking about a given subject, having herself act as moderator. The biggest catch was that, although she had written books by the authors in question, absolutely no quoting was allowed. It had to be 100% original.

I thought this was a brilliant assignment. The greatest way to show that you truly understand a subject is when you can put it in your own words. If you can write as though you are a different person and explain that person's thoughts without ever directly quoting them, then you most assuredly understand it.

What makes this assignment even better is the stylistic challenge.  We spend so much of our energy trying to develop our own style.  What's my voice?  How is it distinguished from others? How do I learn from others without directly copying them?  But now, you have to take it a step beyond that; you have to create somebody else's voice while not directly copying their actual voice. Sounds impossible just writing down.

My friend, being the spectacular writer that she is, kicked that assignment's ass (which means I have proof that it isn't actually impossible) and she is a stronger writer because of it.  She has internalized the voices of great writers. She has taken their thoughts and their styles and she has made them her own.  They now are a handful of the tools and blueprints that she keeps in her writing toolbox (which is probably a toolshed by now), to be used at her discretion.

When you have internalized the voices you have come across, much as my friend has, you will not only gain the same powers that she has, you will gain the same respect I have for her in that regard (and that's something you should want).