Voice of a Writer
- Jan
- 11
- 2015
- Posted by Tammy Ditmore
- Posted in Writing
As an editor, I pay a lot of attention to a writer’s voice. Any corrections I make or any revisions I suggest need to fit seamlessly into a piece so that they sound just like the author originally wrote it that way.
I just finished reading a book that took the concept of voice to a new level. The book is the new autobiography from sportscaster Al Michaels, You Can’t Make This Up: Miracles, Memories, and the Perfect Marriage of Sports and Television.
Michaels is one of the best-known sports broadcasters in the country, and his book is a fun read for a lifelong sports fan like me. I’ve listened to Al Michaels call sporting events for years and love his smooth, understated style.
As I was reading You Can’t Make This Up, I felt like I was hearing Al Michaels’ voice in my head. The vignettes in the book were written so that they sounded just like the stories Michaels tells when he’s talking to me (and millions of others) from the broadcast booth.
The vocabulary, the pacing, the tone—there were no surprises, no sour notes. There was nothing that made me think, “that’s not something I would expect Al Michaels to say.”
Michaels may talk for a living, but he’s not a professional writer. In fact, in the acknowledgements section of the book, he admits that writing the book was the “equivalent of going in for fifty root canals.”
So I’m pretty sure that most of the credit for the pitch-perfect writing should go to L. Jon Wertheim, who Michaels calls his “collaborator” and Amazon lists as a co-author. According to his biography on Amazon.com, Wertheim is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated who has written or co-written a number of sports books.
It’s no easy feat for writers and editors to create an entire book with a singular, distinctive voice.
Creating an entire book in a singular, distinctive voice that is instantly recognizable to millions of Americans is like launching a game-winning half-court shot or pitching a perfect game. Hard to accomplish and a thing of beauty when it happens.
You Can’t Make This Up is going to become my new standard for demonstrating the concept of voice to my writing clients.
Search
Blog Categories
Contact
Testimonials
Tammy’s approach to editing was like telling a story to someone who listens very well and offers suggestions only when something is confusing or grammatically incorrect (or embarrassing).
Tammy is sensitive to my work and does a great job to maintain the integrity of my writing and my voice!
She worked with me chapter-by-chapter over the course of nearly a year to hone my writing through attention to style, organization, and mechanics. Her close reading and keen eye have been invaluable during my revision process. I learned important guidelines about preparing my manuscript for its final review through this pleasant experience of working with her.
Tammy has helped me become a better writer. I always look forward to seeing her email pop into my inbox. As I open the email and double click on the Microsoft Word file, I look forward with anticipation to reviewing her edits. Like a used target at a shooting range there are red marks riddled throughout the page. And the right column is full of thoughtful comments. I appreciate her precision and thoroughness. Because I know every word she cuts, every crooked sentence she straightens, and every p… Read more
Tammy Ditmore is an excellent editor. My writing improved grammatically, in structure, and clarity under her skilled eye.
I highly recommend Tammy Ditmore to you. She has edited three of my books in the past two years. Each time, I have been impressed with her professionalism, and pleased with her ability to provide a polished text.
Personally, I feel the editing process is the most important aspect of writing–it can be a nightmare if the editor and the writer are not on the same page. … Tammy knows what she is doing, she is easy to work with, and she delivers on time.
I had a book manuscript that had a thorough edit by a copy editor, but there were many changes made and I wanted another set of eyes to look at it carefully. So I hired Tammy Ditmore to do a “final” proofread and flag anything that she found awkward, confusing or ill-fitting. That is a difficult job—to look both for errors and to comment, but that is what I needed. Tammy took it on and did a great job. Tammy also understands a schedule and finished the work on time—even ahead of time. Thank … Read more
Tammy Ditmore’s timely, thorough, detailed and accurate proofreading made my book print ready. She delivers high quality work on schedule and is a pleasure to work with.
I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your wonderful work. I marvel at your eye for detail and your ability to make a written text so much better.