To Be or Not to Be, or Why Passive Voice Makes Me CRAZY

So. I bet you've heard about a little niggling problem called passive voice. Simply put, a passive sentence is . . . well, actually, that's my problem right there. Passive voice is generally considered a bad thing in writing because it puts the action at arm's length, thus sucking the life from your MS. Most sources agree on that point, but not everyone agrees about whether or not passive voice should be eradicated in every instance, or what construes a passive sentence in the first place.

Wikipedia has pages and pages of info about passive voice, including lots of examples of when passive voice is an appropriate construction. The Elements of Style by Strunk & White illustrates passive voice in several concise paragraphs, while making it clear that passive voice must be avoided at every opportunity. And then there's Steven King, who wonderful little book On Writing contains some of the best writerly guidance I've ever read--he hates passive voice. He seeks to destroy it at every turn, and recommends that I do so as well.

And yet, I've read an article that claims three of the four passive voice examples used by Strunk&White are not passive constructions, and that the authors actually mangle the guidelines for sentence construction quite thoroughly. And I've certainly dealt with a fair number of critique partners who seem determined to eradicate every form of the verb "be," even though its presence alone does not indicate a passive construction:

A lot of people think all sentences that contain a form of the verb “to be” are in passive voice, but that isn't true. For example, the sentence "I am holding a pen" is in active voice, but it uses the verb “am,” which is a form of “to be.” The passive form of that sentence is "The pen is being held by me."

So. Lots of people are worried about passive voice. Most are convinced it's not the way to go. Some are comfortable spotting it; others are clearly confused about how to identify it at all. And I'm left staring at my MS, wondering if I should chop up my sentences and force them into forms that I'm not entirely sure are warranted. I mean, an obvious passive is easy to shoot down:

The tent was filled with people

becomes

People filled the tent

But what about trickier forms of passive voice? Longer sentences with prepositional phrases sprinkled in and questionable subject-verb relationships. I stare at those sentences, fiddle with them, and then go back to what I had before. For me, the answer to those questions will come with beta reader feedback. If and when my critique partners see evil passive voice messing up my story, I'll fight the good fight. Until then, may your verbs be active, and your sentences clear.

As Steven King said (paraphrasing here):

The body should not be carried into the kitchen. It's a body for goodness sakes! It's not doing anything! Tell me John and Suzie carried the body into the kitchen, and I'm interested.

MMGM: Turtle in Paradise, Jennifer L. Holm

Turtle In Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With lines like, "But I'm not lucky as an orphan," Turtle in Paradise packs a lot of punch into a short, sweet story. Jennifer Holm is a master at making each and every sentence count. Once you begin reading Turtle's story you won't want to stop.

When her Mom takes a domestic job that doesn't allow kids, eleven-year-old Turtle is sent to live with relatives she's never met in Key West. It's 1935, and jobs are scarce. Everyone we meet is feeling the hurt of the Great Depression in one way or another. Turtle is amazingly resigned to going and doing as she's told, having followed her mother from one lost cause to another--whether that be jobs or men.

Once in Key West, Turtle finds herself surrounded by strangers who quickly become something more. As she faces new challenges and old ghosts, she begins to open up and fight for what she really wants. You cannot help but cheer for Turtle, even though perfect endings only happen in the movies.

The pace and imagery of this novel are captivating. Holm knows how to show us only what we need to see, and how to make it come to life in very few words. 1930's Key West is a very different place from the Key West I visited as a tourist in the nineties. I could feel the sticky atmosphere and taste the local foods.

Holm lets us experience the world through Turtle's eyes, and it is fascinating. Her take on dialogue between children is also admirable. By the end of the novel, I felt like I really knew these children, and that life, and I was indeed sad to leave it behind.

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You can find all of the other wonder Marvelous Middle Grade Monday reviews here! If you're interested in participating, MMGM is the creation of author Shannon Messenger, and you can find more info on throwing your hat into the ring on her website!

The Paris Wife, Paula McLain

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of Hadley Hemingway, Ernest's first wife. I was thoroughly captivated by this novel. These people, so mythic and influential in the sphere of writing, were at one time just teenagers. They were in love. They were tortured. They ached for each other, for success, for inspiration. This is the first story I've read about Ernest Hemingway, and though I'd like to give him a solid smack in the face, I'm sure I will read more.

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Addicted: Louie C.K.

Great comedians teach you so much about great writing. Louie C.K., Jeff Dunham, and Daniel Tosh are my favorites these days. No, a couple of those aren't very clean acts. And the other one's downright nasty. But their writing is phenomenal.

Louie C.K. turns out a brand new act every year, as well as his T.V. show Louie, and all the other funny sh*t he says in all the interviews he gives. He's prolific, and the quality of his work is really amazing. I aspire to that.

If you haven't checked out his latest act, it's available to download on his website for a super reasonable $5, which comes out to about 25cents per viewing (yeah I'm a big fan).

Here's Louie C.K. on mortality as a theme in his comedy:

It's kind of like being on a bus to Pittsburgh and I say, "I wonder what time we're going to get to Pittsburgh?" And everyone's like, "What? Why are you talking about Pittsburgh?" Well, it says it on the f---ing tickets and on the front of the bus. That's where we're going. Aren't you interested that we're all headed there?

The Twits, Roald Dahl

You know what Roald Dahl has that every writer wants? Voice. He has voice for freaking days. The Twits has so much voice that I laugh just as much as my son when we read it together. If you have yet to meet the Twits, be prepared. They are about the nastiest couple of people you will meet. Hilariously nasty . . . spectacularly written!