| Author |
Message |
    
Perry Comer
Unity Member
Post Number:
1226
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 11:01 am: |   |
"Success in writing dialogue is one of the most rewarding aspects of the writer's craft." pg 110 Stein on Writing
He goes on to say the majority of writers write dialogue by instinct with little knowledge of the craft.
Dialogue and spoken words are not the same thing. Dialogue is a lean language in which every word counts. The purpose of dialogue is to move the story along or to have an impact on the reader's emotions.
page 120 -- Fowles, in commenting on his work* reinforces the point that dialogue is a semblance of speech rather than an attempt to duplicate it:
http://www.pacwriter.netfirms.com/ |
Trina Green
Awareness Member
Post Number:
3
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 03:43 pm: | |
}} I always find myself questioning the dialogne between my characters. Would they really say that? Is that a normal remark? And then one day it occurred to me that it was my book, and my characters so I would decide what was normal etc. It's still a struggle trying to ensure it's not aimless conversation. |
Teena Haywood
Awareness Member
Post Number:
4
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 05:39 pm: | |
Re: Dialogue
Trina
...when I began my last book, I wanted to make sure that it would be written in the Active, with approximately 60% dialogue and 40% narrative. Half way through editing, I found several passive phrases (I guess old habits are hard to break). Although, I'll read anything interesting, however I personally prefer dialogue to narrative. I also discovered that my manuscript contained a few phrases that were completely out of sequence. For example: I had one of my characters 15 years old in the 10th chapter then 13 years old in the 12th chapter and getting younger every day (smiles). My wonderful husband caught that little boo-boo. Keep in mind that this book is set in 18th century. So, he also caught a passage I wrote which stated that they were washing in a wringer type washer and drinking from a fountain...go figure.
Stein is correct, most writers, such as I, do write dialog by instinct. I still question myself as to whether a particular character in my book would say a certain thing. Or would they say it in that manner? But as you stated, it is the author's book and he/she has the authority to develop the character as he/she deems fit.
Teena |
Trina Green
Awareness Member
Post Number:
5
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 05:46 pm: | |
I have this rule after I write dialogne, I have to wait a day or two to come back and read it. It's weird but most of the time it sounds plausible with the fresh reading. Dialogne is tough for me, I'm better with scene settings and action. |
Perry Comer
Unity Member
Post Number:
1233
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 23, 2004 - 07:27 pm: | |
Stein - for those not familiar with him - was an editor for over sixty years at a major publisher and edited Pulizer and Nobel winners.
Dialogue in a historical setting has to reflect the period. You can't go by other novels, best to use a reference book. "Hello" was not in use until the telephone came into existence. Makes it tough to have characters say hello to one another without using the word. hee hee
http://www.pacwriter.netfirms.com/ |
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page