Pet Peeve #53 - Lousy Accents
You finally get an idea for a story. Not just a story – an awesome story. The story that could really get your name out there, you think. Your story is about a writer (heh) who gets to travel through time to the very time he was writing about! Oh, goodie.
Given the time and location difference, many of your characters will talk differently to your main character. Given this, you decided to do what you’re sure many authors before you have done before you: use accents!
How about I stop you right there, okay? Accents are not something to do lightly. Unless you have done your research, any attempt you make at using accents is either going to be heavy-handed or just plain wrong.
Let’s say you’ve done your research. Okay. Kudos to you. Even so, a lot of writers use too much.
“Och, laddie! Ya dinna think I was gonna be as thuck as tha!� might sound like it’s just the right thing for your story, but do you really want to write all the characters speaking with an accent at that or around that level? Because you’re going to have to. Consistency is everything.
If you decide that yes, you can write all your characters at that level of accent throughout your piece, you still have something to think about it: Is your reader going to want to read almost every character speaking like that throughout your story?
Hm. Computer says no.
Accents can be a wonderful addition to fiction if done right.
Never assume you can do it right until you’ve talked to someone who has studied the time period, language, etc.
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