Shouts From Down Under

The gold people drop out of their minds

Language alert.


When ☮ The Grum Of Grums asked about showing versus telling earlier today, with the following question;

My question is simply, does dialogue help to increase showing where description tends towards telling? Especially if the dialogue contains some expressive emotional content and one or two unhackneyed metaphors and/or similes?

this caused me to think this over for most of today. It was a good exercise to nail this, to graps this puzzle, because as someone else said, when you clearly understand the underlying stuff behind this concept, when you really "get it", it'll transform what you write.

That's my own proven belief.

I overheard some conversations this morning when I was at work, nothing amazing or alarming in that, I don't go around eavesdropping on purpose, stalking people, or hanging around toilets or locker rooms, corriedors or cafeterias just to overhear some juicy gossip.
Nothing could be further from the truth.

Yes, I've spoken on this before. The stuff you hear locals do, say and sometimes think. (On a really quiet day.)

Well, there's the thing. You CAN hear people think. ☮ The Grum Of Grums put me onto this really.

You hear what they think through their body language, their mannerisms, the odd quirky things they do, comments, over reactions, physical actions, conversation topics, work ethic, standard of dress, I could go on all day, I think, listing stuff that points clearly to what someone is thinking.

Some stuff is just plain hilarious.

G'day mate.

How ya going mate?

Yeah mate yeah, good mate.

You did that (whatever) up at (whatever) this shift?

Sure did. It's all good.

(Third person chips in.) Hey did you get the (things) the other day, they were a good price eh?)

Yeah mate.

(Sounds of clothing rustling, boots and items going in and out of lockers, banging doors, keys jangling, general hubbub.)

Ok better get over there. They said last toolbox they cutting down so better run. Pfftt. Wankers

(Sound of third person leaving.)

First two continue conversation as before.

Shit he's a dickhead eh

Yep.


So, you can tell a lot of stuff by this conversation.

There are others, but, as usual, my time here on the computer is in 40 minute blocks, which is good, keeps me on my toes, but its time to log off.

Already.

Sparky