Comments on: Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Nychelle

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 01:42:28 +0000

Les, I wanna say a big thank you from down under. I have been struggling with my writing for years, realising something was missing. There were a few pieces I’d written that my writer’s group really loved - and the reason for this was they were written in my voice.
I had clues along the way - but I wasn’t able to figure it out for myself. I kept thinking of the Og Mandino stories and how they just flowed. I also loved Barbara Kingsolvers’ ‘Poisonwood Bible’ told by the four children in the story.
Suddenly all the pieces in the puzzle fitted - it was all about voice. I thought of the classes I conduct in business and computing (with lots of motivation and humour) - and the great feedback I received was because of my style, personality and just being my own crazy self - with some helpful stuff for my students.
Duh - why wouldn’t it be the same for my writing ? Communication is what it’s all about.
Thank you for getting me excited about writing again.
Nychelle
Ps Not edited - I’ve just told you how I felt about your Book -’Finding your Voice.’

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: John Wu

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 07:36:54 +0000

I typed in “les edgerton” in Google and this page was the top result. I’m in the middle of reading his book, “Finding Your Voice.” I like your site and just wanted to thank you for the comprehensive review.

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Bruce Black

Sun, 12 Mar 2006 19:19:32 +0000

Barbara,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on voice in reviewing the Edgerton book. While I haven’t read the book, I felt your observations worth sharing with other writers…and posted a link on Wordswimmer. I hope you’ll find my own musings on voice worthwhile.
Thanks again.
Bruce

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Peter

Wed, 13 Apr 2005 16:15:10 +0000

I just read this book, based on your review. My comments can be found here, if you are interested.

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Barbara W. Klaser

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 03:13:06 +0000

Les, thank you for stopping by my blog and commenting. I’ll look forward to your new book. I picked “Finding Your Voice” up at a time when it was exactly what I needed.

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Les Edgerton

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:50:29 +0000

Dear Barbara Klaser,
I stumbled upon your review of my book “Finding Your Voice” today and was overwhelmed by the nice things you had to say about my book. I just wanted to thank you. You may be interested to know that I’m writing a new writing book which will be based on a teaching technique I use now in my creative writing classes at the University of Toledo. Simply put, I use various movies to illustrate techniques writers should use. For an example, I often use Callie Khouri’s screenplay of THELMA & LOUISE to show how backstory should appear in a story. Never at the beginning and never blatant, but just as Khouri does. The backstory that’s important in this movie is why Louise shoots and kills the would-be rapist who’s just attacked Thelma. If she merely shot him because of his insult, the movie would have failed. But, Louise has an extremely valid reason and it’s that motivation that’s the backstory. Khouri doesn’t reveal it until the movie’s nearly over and she doesn’t spell it out in full, but gives the viewer credit for figuring it out him or herself. Brilliant screenwriting. Anyway, this will be but one of many illustrations of how films and movies can help us become better fiction writers. Don’t even have a title for it yet, as I just came up with the idea two days ago, but I’ve already got several publishers interested in it.

Anyway–just wanted to thank you for your kindness in reviewing my book. I’m delighted you found it helpful.

Blue skies,
Les Edgerton

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Tonya

Sat, 12 Mar 2005 08:00:20 +0000

Heh heh. You’re a weenie-dog lover. I also grew up with them — my folks got our first one when I was 7 yrs. old and I clearly remember the day we picked her out. She climbed up on my lap and started nibbling on the button of my coat, so my folks figured she’d be good with kids.

I’ve enjoyed your comments, and I really enjoy your blog! I’m a major reader, and among all the various genre of the books I read, I truly enjoy mysteries. I’ve also always loved writing (since even before having doxies in my life), and so I’m intrigued with taking the time and effort to attempt fiction. So far, poetry is what I’ve had some success with. But fiction is my true love. Time. Discipline. I need a good dose of both!

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Barbara W. Klaser

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 19:01:06 +0000

Eric: You may be right that there’s no such thing as a first draft anymore.

In the second creative writing class I took, many years ago, we were instructed to keep stream-of-consciousness journals. This was years before Julia Cameron’s “Morning Pages,” and Natalie Goldberg’s free-flowing first draft advice, so I guess the notion has been around for some time, to write in the flow. But that method may be most useful for training and jump-starting one’s creativity. I’ve found that at least a cursory edit of what I’ve written before I move on can provide a kind of settling factor. Some days I feel more relaxed knowing I’ve fixed something, that I’m not in danger of missing it in the next draft, so I can focus on the story rather than those loose threads. Other days I’m simply in a rush to get something down, and I type straight through without pause while the idea or the character’s voice is alive in my mind.

Georganna and Reenie: Big thank you.

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Reenie

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 04:47:20 +0000

Dare I say, I’m speechless. Great Review.

Comment on Finding Your Voice, by Les Edgerton by: Georganna Hancock

Mon, 07 Mar 2005 22:23:55 +0000

What an incredibly useful book review. You’ve done all the heavy lifting. It sounds like a worthwhile book for writers. I’d been composing (in my head, the place of my first drafts) a posting on “voice” for some time, but it seemed I had nothing to say. Now I’ll just send readers here. Thanks!