Writing prompt #3: THE THERMODYNAMICS OF VOICE

Good morning, everyone!

Welcome to my prompt about HEAT. Because when I think about voice, about point-of-view, about who gets to tell your story, I think about heat.

Thermodynamics is essentially the relationship of heat to other kinds of energy—and as writers, that energy is imagination. Imagination skillfully deployed to tell stories.

There are lots of theories about points-of-view, its dos and don’ts, the advantages/disadvantages of choosing one voice over another, of using multi-voiced narratives, or switching things around.

My response to all of this? Bring on the heat! But choose the level of heat that will optimally serve your story. (And by ‘story,’ I mean all forms of writing.)

Do you want the white-hot flame of a first-person, present-tense voice? (It doesn’t get any hotter than that!) Or is your story better served from a cooler, more distant perspective, perhaps looking back from some point in the future? Do you have more than one character competing for the truth? What are their contradictory, high-octane stakes?

Your narrator(s) will determine the tone and urgency of your story. Who gets to tell it is probably the most crucial question you need to address. Often, when I’m having trouble getting something off the ground, I revisit this question of heat.

So, here’s your prompt:

Reconsider the opening to your story—or any section you may be unsure of—and try writing it from at least two other perspectives. In other words, adjust the heat. Whether you use the same narrator, or let other characters do the telling, experiment far from what’s usual for you. And watch the resulting flames …

Have fun!

Abrazos,

Cristina

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