Napoleon Dynamite and "Voice"

I'll admit it--I liked Napoleon Dynamite. I've heard a lot of complaints that the movie didn't have a great plot; it was just a quirky geek doing silly things. But I liked it. It wasn't the story of the outsider trying to break into the popular world where the cool and truly worthy kids lived. Napoleon wasn't seeking his comeuppance like so many other teen movies seem to do--think Confession of a Teenage Drama Queen or in my day Sixteen Candles. In these stories the gratification came from showing those popular kids how cool the main character was and thus winning approval and acceptance into their flawed world. In Napoleon Dynamite, Napoleon didn't care that he didn't fit in. All that mattered to him was being himself and being a good friend to Pedro. Sure he danced in front of the whole school and they cheered wildly for him, but Napoleon didn't need such affirmation. He was happy just to be himself. That was what I liked. And it's so much more true to life--snotty people will be snotty to us whether we show up to the 20-year reunion in a Jaguar or not, because they're snotty people.
So, what does this have to do with writing?
We all can learn a lesson from Napoleon--be yourself when it comes to writing. Write in your own style, with your voice. I'm not talking about the mechanics of plot or pacing; I'm talking about how you tell your story. If you try to imitate your favorite author, you'll sound like a cheap imitation. Instead be true to your own unique voice and remember that your voice is as worthy of being heard as anyone's, be it Stephen King or J.K. Rowling.

More tomorrow,
Traci DePree