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Q&A Can a first person protagonist be the writer's alter ego?

It depends entirely on whether your voice is an interesting one. We all tend to believe our own voices are more interesting than they really are. Despite all the talk about expressing oneself, what...

posted 8y ago by Mark Baker‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2020-01-03T20:41:49Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/23589
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T05:14:01Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/23589
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T05:14:01Z (almost 5 years ago)
It depends entirely on whether your voice is an interesting one. We all tend to believe our own voices are more interesting than they really are. Despite all the talk about expressing oneself, what readers really want is something interesting to them, and there is perhaps a better chance that you will find something interesting to write about out in the world rather than between your ears.

But that said, all fiction is really in the author's voice -- in the author's words. To say that any other voice is speaking is a conceit. However outward looking the author may be, it is still their telling of what they saw and how the interpreted it.

So in the end this issue is probably not your voice, but what part of your thoughts and observations that voice expresses. If it is inward-looking and self indulgent, most readers will probably not be interested. If it is outward looking and honest they may well be.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2016-06-27T11:43:51Z (over 8 years ago)
Original score: 1