Non-American 'Voice'

Sean Wills · Aug 8, 2010

My current WIP is in first-person present tense, which means it relies pretty heavily on the main character's voice coming through clearly. So far I think I've been doing a fairly okay job of it, but just recently I've been wondering how people are likely to react to a voice that's distinctly non-American. The main character of the novel was born in Ireland but has lived in England for just over half of his life, so he has a slightly odd mixture of slang and different ways of phrasing things.

Now, there are obviously other books out there where the MC is not American and the language they use reflects that, but the majority of YA is still written from what I would see as a distinctly American sensibility. (And it's cultural as as well as linguistic - I still find it jarring every time I read about a sixteen or seventeen year old high school student with their own car.)

I'm curious about how others on the forum feel about reading books with a more British or Irish or whatever flavour to them - is that something you'd seek out, avoid, or not care one way or the other about? I will heap gratitude upon anyone who can come up with published examples of what I'm talking about here, because I'm drawing a blank!

NoGuessing · Aug 8, 2010

I read non-American centric stuff. I find books like Tomorrow series and Once Were Warriors refreshing. I'm writing an urban fantasy set in NZ, so go for it.

Three of the biggest YA series are from the UK: Potter, Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider.

Sean Wills · Aug 8, 2010

NoGuessing said:
I read non-American centric stuff. I find books like Tomorrow series and Once Were Warriors refreshing. I'm writing an urban fantasy set in NZ, so go for it.

Three of the biggest YA series are from the UK: Potter, Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider.

I hadn't considered the Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider books, although I'd contend that none of those three are exactly what I'm talking about. They're all set in the UK, but the Artemis Fowl and (in particular) the Alex Rider books are still fairly generic in the way they're written. (NOTE: When I say 'generic' here I mean 'they sound fairly similar to most of the books around them on the shelves', not 'they're bland/bad'. I'm not aware of many people reading them and getting tripped up by any major cultural differences from what they're used to.

To give you an example of what I mean, I was writing a scene yesterday where the MC reflects on the fact that another character has just 'gotten a bollocking'. That phrase is used pretty widely in Ireland and (as far as I'm aware) in the UK as well, but I'm not sure if it would be familiar to anyone from elsewhere. I could easily write a book that's full of stuff like that, and I probably will because it's fun, but I'm wondering how people from, say, America would react to it.

shaldna · Aug 8, 2010

NoGuessing said:
Three of the biggest YA series are from the UK: Potter, Artemis Fowl and Alex Rider.

bear this in mind.

Also, just to note, I like reading about people from other cultures and areas, not just america or even the UK. it opens up a whole new world and seeing that through someone elses eyes is refreshing and interesting.

I write all my work primarily set in teh Greater Belfast area.

inkspatters · Aug 8, 2010

What NG said.

But also, lit agent Mary Kole did a post that kinda addresses this http://kidlit.com/2010/08/06/international-writers-and-international-settings/

And if you trawl through Ask Agent, I seem to remember Kathleen Ortiz saying something about this as well.

While Harry Potter is a UK series it would probably be good to note that it was edited so that US kids would understand it. Some of the UK slang in it wouldn't have made sense to US readers. When I buy US books in Australia, sometimes I see things that are Aussie-isms in them (eg chips for fries) and wonder whether they've been edited in the same manner.

Ryan_Sullivan · Aug 8, 2010

I'd be interested in it. But, usually publishers like for books to not be distinctly "American" or "English" etc. if they are looking to publish them in both places. Its certainly not impossible, but it's a big stretch to have a book go international, and it tends to be either huge books, or books that aren't distinctly locational that make it.

Kevin Brooks comes to mind as having some success here, and I'm not sure, but what about Bog Child? Also, Tana French, in adult books seems to have overcome that gap.

ghost · Aug 8, 2010

My book takes place in Canada and America and I have a UK agent. She sold it to the UK first. One publisher turned it down because it was too American but Macmillan and Orchard both bid for it.

I don't think it really matters. It's the story that counts.

Danthia · Aug 8, 2010

If that's your narrator, that's your narrator. It'll be what makes your book your book. If the story is good, and the voice is strong, no one will care. I read all the time about editors looking for culturally diverse books.

Stunted · Aug 8, 2010

That sounds great! I would really like that. But maybe you should be sure to have context clues so that American readers can figure out what the slang means.

("context clues." I sound like an English teacher.)

ShootingStarsMag · Aug 8, 2010

I'm thinking of the UK Georgia Nicholson series where "Georgia" gives readers in the U.S. a glossary in the back...the book isn't changed, but all the words they might not understand are spelled out clearly in the book. I think something like that would be very helpful. Honestly, I'd love to read more books with characters from Europe or other countries besides the U.S. I understand a lot of the slang already, but for those that wouldn't? A glossary would be very helpful and then you wouldn't have to worry.

Smish · Aug 8, 2010

I like to read books with non-American voices. I love Melina Marchetta's books, for example. As long as the voice is authentic and engaging, a few unfamiliar phrases or cultural differences aren't going to be a problem.

NancyH · Aug 8, 2010

Home of the Brave won some kind of award and it is first person ESL (English as a Second Language) voice, though set in the US. It is fantastic, imo.

Sean Wills · Aug 8, 2010

Ryan_Sullivan said:
I'd be interested in it. But, usually publishers like for books to not be distinctly "American" or "English" etc. if they are looking to publish them in both places. Its certainly not impossible, but it's a big stretch to have a book go international, and it tends to be either huge books, or books that aren't distinctly locational that make it.

Kevin Brooks comes to mind as having some success here, and I'm not sure, but what about Bog Child? Also, Tana French, in adult books seems to have overcome that gap.

Ooh yeah, I'm surprised I forgot about Kevin Brooks. I like his stuff. I haven't read Bog Child, mostly because it's about The Troubles and Irish writers seem incapable of writing about that without getting really political, really boring or really both. I might try picking it up at some point anyway, though...

Thanks for all the great replies! I'm glad to hear that people generally either wouldn't mind a distinctly non-American narrator or would actually enjoy one, and I'll be sure to check out the examples people mentioned.

Just a quick reply to this in particular (which I already quoted above):

But, usually publishers like for books to not be distinctly "American" or "English" etc. if they are looking to publish them in both places.

That's something that surprised me about one of the reviews I read of Gemma Malley's The Declaration. The reviewer said something about it being 'very British', which I found odd because I didn't think it was at all. Yes, it's set in England, but nothing about the characters or the story scream 'This is aimed at a British audience', especially given that all of the action takes place well over a hundred years in the future. I think reading that review made me wonder if some people are that sensitive to cultural differences, but it looks like whoever wrote it was an anomaly rather than the norm.

jmascia · Aug 8, 2010

I wouldn't worry about it, as long as it is a story with a character that kids can relate to, I think it will be a fine story. That, I think, is the main point. It can have a very American voice, but if you write about the son of Bill Gates, who loves his dad and gets everything he wants and is perfectly happy, it doesn't matter that it's an American voice, because he's a character no one can relate to.

Ryan_Sullivan · Aug 8, 2010

Yeah, don't worry about it. Content isn't as important as being able to understand it. I have an English friend, and I don't understand a single thing he/his English friends post on facebook. It's like another language to me--and that's what you want to avoid. Other than that, it's fine.

True · Aug 8, 2010

When I read your question, I immediately thought of a recent book I tried to read but couldn't get through because some of the things didn't make sense. The author was from Wales. Fine by me, but if I can't understand what's going on, then I'm not going to bother trying to read it. I was literally sitting there, rereading the sentence and the surrounding sentences, trying to figure out what they could possibly mean. It was a waste of time, and although the story sounded interesting, I couldn't get through it. I then had my sister--a more avid reader--try to read it, and she had the same problem. My advice is, write what you want to write but make sure people will be able to understand it. Provide context clues as another person said. Had the author put more context clues in the paragraphs, I would've moved past page 6. But that isn't to say I've never read a book that wasn't 'non-American' before, because I have--and plenty of times--but they were able to provide enough context clues that I never even realized they weren't actually written by an American author. Um, whatever that means. And like another person said, I very much enjoy stories set in other places besides America.

Kindness · Aug 8, 2010

Sean Wills said:
I still find it jarring every time I read about a sixteen or seventeen year old high school student with their own car.)

Gets to me every time. >< It just feels weird seeing kids in cars

Gedaechtnis · Aug 8, 2010

Heck, sometimes I understand UK English better than American. Go for it. People who care THAT MUCH about "gotten a bollocking" probably aren't worth it.

Sean Wills · Aug 9, 2010

Kindness said:
Gets to me every time. >< It just feels weird seeing kids in cars

I know! It's particularly weird when you get someone that young who seems to think owning their own car is a necessity. Here (and I'm guessing over there as well) it's fairly common for someone to be in their early twenties and still not own a car. I'm in that boat, actually - I haven't even got a license. That's one of the cultural differences I was talking about.

Also True, do you happen to know which book that was? I'd be interested in seeing what you're talking about in context, if possible!

lastlittlebird · Aug 10, 2010

I like reading things with a distinct voice, no matter where that voice is from. And I second the Tomorrow, When the War Began series (by John Marsden) as a good example of popular books with a strong, first person non-American voice (narrated by an Australian teen, difficult at times for even us Kiwi's to understand!).

amlptj · Aug 11, 2010

ok a few of my favorite series and books are how you described. For example I had to read Cooper Beach for school, absolutely loved it! The non-american voice didnt bother me at all.

Now on the other hand i'm currently reading the last book from Children of the Red King, a series i've been reading since i was 12. The author is clearly not american and she never quite says what part of the word the books take place in but i'm fariy certian its somewhere in England. I love the series, and am re-reading them right now so i can remember more stuff before i read the last book, but there are times that i wished she explained things better because i have no idea what's going on!

For ex: the school years in the book! The MC joins the school at the age of 10. But they call him a second year and then kids only a year older then him are said to be juniors. In america those terms are reserved for highschool and college and 11 is way to young to be a junior who should be 16! And the different school terms... mind boggling!

But other then that small hiccup i dont have a problem with the differnt words or sayings. I think a non-american voice is perfectally fine! Just maybe remember that americans might not understand some common stuff like over seas school systems and such and maybe remember to give it a slight explanation!

shaldna · Aug 11, 2010

Kindness said:
Gets to me every time. >< It just feels weird seeing kids in cars

I had a car at seventeen.

of course I didnt get a licence until I was 20. But the laws here are slightly odd when it comes to driving.

edit : i can also drive a tank and an articualted lorry. but for some reason I'm not allowed to pull a trailer.

Sean Wills · Aug 11, 2010

shaldna said:
I had a car at seventeen.

of course I didnt get a licence until I was 20. But the laws here are slightly odd when it comes to driving.

edit : i can also drive a tank and an articualted lorry. but for some reason I'm not allowed to pull a trailer.

Wow, you can drive a tank? :0

ex_machina · Aug 14, 2010

Sean Wills said:
Wow, you can drive a tank? :0

THE MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION IS IF YOU CAN BLOW STUFF UP TOO

On a more serious note, I happen to love British jargon.

As a reverse example, Elizabeth George wrote the Lynley mystery series, and she was an american writing, placing, and characterizing her book in England.

I'm guessing talent, effort, and research transcend borders.

True · Aug 14, 2010

I love books set in England, and I just love the way they speak/write in general, so books that are "English" (or whatever it would be called) are as easy for me to read as books that are "American." Same thing goes with Australian set novels and novels with Australian jargon. However, those books were books where the context helped me understand anything I didn't already know. I guess I have to read more of the same kind of books set/written in the same places, and I'll eventually understand it.

Non-American 'Voice'

Buzz

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