I want to introduce a male character with a girly voice.

How to do it ?

I Have 2 things in my mind. (f.e)

1) JOHN, 18, tall, blonde, looking weak with a girly voice.

2) With a parenthesis in dialogues.

I Dont like the first option because i learn to show not to tell , and obviously i can't show his girly voice, and i dont like the second either because every time he speaks i have to add a parenthesis .

Thanks in advance.......

Quoted from Dimitris I want to introduce a male character with a girly voice. How to do it ? I Have 2 things in my mind. (f.e) 1) JOHN, 18, tall, blonde, looking weak with a girly voice. 2) With a parenthesis a dialogues. I Dont like the first option because i learn to show not to tell , and obviously i can't show his girly voice, and i dont like the second either because every time he speaks i have to add a parenthesis . Thanks in advance.......

I don't think you have to. Think of it like if someone has an accent. A permanent accent.

All you have to do is put it in the parentheses the first time they talk and the reader will know from then on.

At least, I think they should.

-Sean

Can John have a high pitched voice instead?

Quoted from jayrex Can John have a high pitched voice instead?

Hmm..... I think there is no difference! Do you suggest something?

Well, over here in England, people in Liverpool have high pitched voices.  They all do.  So the men there will obviously tell you there is.

What is the reasoning behind this girly voice?

If there is no other reason than just another human characteristic, then just write high pitched.  It reads better than girly voice.

JOHN (30) walks into a bar.  He's a frail and slender looking girlie man.  He finds one stool in a crowd of burly men.

                      JOHN
           (soft voice)
     Can I have an apple-tini, please?

The BARTENDER (30) an over-the-hill punker gives him a dirty look.

                     BARTENDER
     Think you can handle it?

The other patrons SNICKER.



Phil

I would do something like this:

JOHN, 18, tall, blonde stands weakly since his backbone is almost non existent.

To go with his weak spine is a mousy voice that squeaks something that sounds like

John
My name is Joan. I mean John. Mom wanted a girl. I woulda been called Joan.

And he goes on like this for awhile until the person in seat C3A next to him decides to trade with a MAN two seats up.

As the MAN sits down next to John, he tries to strike up conversation again.

Lucky for the MAN, he can't speak English. John will have to wait to tell his life's story to some other unlucky person some other time.

** And no, you can't show all that.  

Hope it helps a little, Dimitris.

Sandra

Quoted from Dimitris I want to introduce a male character with a girly voice. How to do it ? I Have 2 things in my mind. (f.e) 1) JOHN, 18, tall, blonde, looking weak with a girly voice. 2) With a parenthesis in dialogues. I Dont like the first option because i learn to show not to tell , and obviously i can't show his girly voice, and i dont like the second either because every time he speaks i have to add a parenthesis . Thanks in advance.......

Well, that's really easily actually.

Example:

JOHN: (Speaks with a girly voice)

Hello, all.

Quoted from Amin Example: JOHN: (Speaks with a girly voice)

Actually i think your example is wrong . I have never see this kind of format in dialogue or when you introduce your character....

But im not so sure ( only 99%).

P.S. Nice one piece avatar.

Quoted from Dimitris Actually i think your example is wrong . I have never see this kind of format in dialogue or when you introduce your character.... But im not so sure ( only 99%). P.S. Nice one piece avatar.

Well, I think of it as in a movie... think about it as if you are watching the scene in the film. How do you learn that fact about your character? Simple, you hear that character speak for the first time. I'm not sure how to format it... but establishing it when the character first speaks seems to me the only way. I mean, there is no other way to establish such a thing in a Movie, only in a novel.

Isn't the parenthesis there for one time situations where the character does something outside of his normal voice/action.  Wouldn't you have to establish it when your introducing the character?