Rewriting the Middle School Me

Writing about my inner third grader feels natural. When I pick up a pen to become a character in this age group, it feels almost like I slip into my old third grade self.

Then a few months ago, the beginning of a novel came to me. And its main character is… a sixth grade girl.

Ugh! If there’s any age group I don’t want to slip back into, it’s the miserable experience that was middle school.

But, as the first few pages flew out of me, this character was almost me—and yet, I was rewriting the middle school me—with attitude. It was fun, while it lasted.

And then, the gush of words stopped.

I reread what I’d written, intrigued by this potentially new direction in my writing. (It’s definitely exciting to be writing something so incredibly outside my comfort zone!)

Some time later, I tried to continue where I’d left off. Uh oh!

My main character’s fun (and hopefully distinctive) voice was gone. It was replaced by a smooth but bland recounting of details and events. How could I recapture my middle school narrator’s attitude filled voice?

For many months, I didn’t. After a few unsuccessful attempts at revision, I simply abandoned the manuscript.

But then came my determination to set aside weekly writing time, and I was tempted to pull out this exciting and exasperating manuscript.

I stared at it in determined frustration. There had to be a way to recapture my narrator’s voice.

And seventeen revisions later, I think I may be on the right track. Now, I’m two chapters in and looking forward to submitting it to the group for feedback.

I should be happy. But writing this manuscript is so very hard. Nothing like slipping on my comfortable third grade self.

I’m excited but exhausted. Can I write a novel this way?

I’m curious, how do you all keep your narrator’s voice consistent over the course of an entire novel? Are there some “voices” that are easier (or harder) for you to capture than others???