 Drama: May 14, 2025 Issue [#13134] |
This week: Drama in a Single Line Edited by: Jayne  
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| Hello, I'm Jayne! Welcome to my dramatic explorations. Sometimes, a series of newsletters will interconnect, while other issues will stand alone. I strive to ensure they are informative but fun and do my best to spark your curiosity. Don’t forget to check out this issue's curated story collection! |
While there are plenty of instances of moving monologues, sometimes, one quiet, well-placed line delivers more than pages of backstory ever could.
Cracking emotional tension with a single, understated, and devastating line changes how we see your characters and how your characters see themselves. Once in a while, it changes how the writer sees that character, too.
For example, in Annie Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain, there’s the line “I wish I knew how to quit you.” While it’s now overly memeable to the point of cliché, at the time, it was crushing. In context, it’s a man willing to say, “This will destroy me, but I will keep coming back anyway.”
There’s also “I was not proud. I had no pride.” from Toni Morrison’s Beloved. The shame, trauma, and unbearable weight in one sentence is undeniable. The reader wants more story, of course, but there’s also a part of them that wants to take the character’s hand and softly say, “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything more.” That kind of reaction means you’re doing something right.
How Do You Make a Single Sentence Work for You?
 Earn it. A devastating line only lands if it’s backed by layered character development and real emotional stakes.
Underplay it. If a character confesses something raw, don’t shout it. Let the quiet be loud.
Underdress it. Don’t soften it in flowery language or otherwise over-decorate it. Let it stand alone.
Place it right. Mid-conversation? At the end of a chapter? Alone on the page? Use structure to spotlight it.
Think of these lines like fault lines. They quietly build tension beneath the surface, but suddenly, in a single moment, everything shifts around them.
The next time you’re monologuing your way to a big reveal or hard truth, ask yourself if the character would be better served by stripping their words back to a sentence or two.
As always, happy writing. |
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