Susan M. Boyer

USA TODAY Bestselling Author
Agatha Award Winner

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Susan M. Boyer

USA TODAY Bestselling Author
Agatha Award Winner

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Managing the Voices in My Head

September 21, 2010 in Thoughts on Books Read

I love novels–so much that I may need an intervention, or possibly a support group. I typically read books that fall into the mystery, suspense, or thriller genres, though I do enjoy the occasional women’s fiction or romance novel. And I sometimes pick up a mainstream or literary read, especially if it’s a Southern novel. (I love everything Joshilyn Jackson has ever written.)

Recently I was reading a very well-written Southern mystery, something I would ordinarily be incapable of putting down. But I struggled to stay engaged in the book. It’s written from three different rotating characters’ perspectives, and they get roughly equal stage-time. There isn’t a clear main character. This made it difficult for me to become invested in any of the three candidates. I understand that this is purely a subjective preference. Certainly, other authors write this way, and other readers enjoy these books.

Maybe I’ve always been this way, but I’ve only recently noticed that I prefer books with only one narrator. The occasional, brief chapter in the villain’s (or love interest’s) point of view doesn’t bother me, but I want to experience most of the story through the eyes of one main character

Maybe this is a response to an increasingly complex world, but I want my reading entertainment to be focused. I don’t mean I want it delivered on a fifth-grade level. But I like slipping into a character’s skin and experiencing her/his world. It’s harder for me to stay in character if I have to keep switching roles.

Or maybe I just need to keep the number of voices in my head at a manageable level.

Peace, out…

Susan

Filed Under: Thoughts on Books Read Tagged With: Thoughts on Books Read

Comments

  1. Gladys says

    September 21, 2010 at 11:05 pm

    If you figure out how to keep the voices in your head to a manageable level, let me know how. I’ve been trying to beat mine into submission for years, with minimal success.

    Okay, with absolutely no success whatsoever.

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  2. Anonymous says

    September 21, 2010 at 11:46 pm

    One of my favorite past times use to be reading romance novels. You could always count on it starting in England then to a Carribean Island and finally a plantation in the South…….hmmm maybe that’s why I moved to Greenville to live out my fantasy LOL

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  3. Valerie Norris says

    September 22, 2010 at 12:10 am

    Usually I prefer one viewpoint character, but I wrote one novel (and am trying to peddle it now) from several rotating viewpoints. There’s one main theme running through, but each has his/her own story, and they intertwine a little. I think it works because they are such different characters. (I’m told characterization is one of my strengths.) But we’ll see what the publishing world has to say…

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  4. Susan M. Boyer says

    September 22, 2010 at 12:26 am

    Best of luck, Val! I know whatever you’ve written, it’s well-written. Someone in the publishing world (and I’m sure many readers as well)embraced the novel I was discussing.

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  5. Diane Wagner says

    September 22, 2010 at 11:30 am

    Have you read “Innocent” by Scott Turow? It’s the sequel – 20 years on – to “Presummed Innocent” — he does a good job working in four different voices. I actually plotted it out on paper, and I was fascinated to see how well it worked–different voices were clear, etc. Interestingly, the character I though got the most “air time” didn’t …. Good read.

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  6. Susan M. Boyer says

    September 22, 2010 at 12:39 pm

    I haven’t read Innocent, though I loved Presumed Innocent, which may well have been written from multiple viewpoints, and I just don’t remember. I’d pull out my copy and look, but it appears I loaned it to someone who hasn’t returned it. I’ll add Innocent to my TBR stack. I’m sure, like everything else, there are exceptions to my preference. Thanks for the recommendation!

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  7. Barbara says

    September 22, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    I love to get inside several characters’ heads – as long as it’s done correctly. I guess I’m just nosy like that!

    BTW, I love Joshilyn Jackson’s books too. Her character developmen is incredible and her stories really pull you in.

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