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Hello everyone! My name is Robin and I'll be your guest editor for this week's edition of the For Authors newsletter.
Quote: “It occurs to me that our survival may depend upon our talking to one another.” -- Dan Simmons |
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Dialogue
Who said what, and where were they when they said it? How did you, the author, tell us what was being said? When it comes to dialogue, I can talk all day. Here are a few easy things to remember to help you when you incorporate dialogue into your stories.
1. Remember, start a new paragraph when a new character speaks.
Example:
“Can Summer cover for me?” Spring asks, her voice weak and hollow."
“No,” Mother Nature says, “She’s AWOL. Some concert down in Australia or something. Don’t worry. You just take care of yourself sweetie. I’ll take care of things around here.”
“Autumn?”
“She’s busy. Off with her boyfriend."
2. While you can use words like said, says, asked, cursed, or yelled, try to avoid repetitiveness. Also, It's always a solid idea to limit the use of adverbs like quickly,. An effective solution to both of these is to explain your character's behavior around his or her dialogue.
Example:
“Oh My Gosh!” She tapped her index finger several quick times against the glass window of the driver’s side Toyota Corolla. “That’s the guy.” Like I’m supposed to know. Before I can respond, she answers, in the quick speed, never take a breath until you’ve spit out five sentences, delivery...
“Three shots skinny, no foam latte. You know!” She gives me a quick glance. “I told you about him yesterday." She scrunches up her brow, “The creepy guy?”
Here, the author chose to describe how quickly the teenager talked, instead of using the word quickly.
3. Or, you can describe the tone your character used when he or she was speaking. And you can describe how he or she reacted to the situation / enviroment.
Example:
Veronica’s meek voice hardened when she saw the note. “Yes. My note said the same.”
Anita watched Veronica's face carefully. "You must have been quite excited to see Jack after all these years. And terribly disappointed when Samuel told you Jack had already given his charm to another woman."
Veronica nodded. Her eyes glittered with fury. "I waited thirty years for that man."
the author could have said Veronica said meanly... Instead, we are given additional information about Veronica's character, as well as a clear picture of her while she is speaking.
4. Make sure your character's words fit the character. For instance, small children wouldn't use words like distinguished, or nevertheless. A group of kindergarteners wouldn't sit around and discuss the economy. On the flip side, teenagers are probably discussing fashion, text messaging, dates for Friday night and how much they hate their parents.
If you want to engage your reader, mix it up and use all of these methods. Then, when all is said and done, read your work out loud. Your ear will catch any discrepancies. Furthermore, you will get a better feel for what your reader is receiving.
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Age-appropriate dialogue:
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Here is a great example of not much said, but what is said leaves a lasting impression:| | | Invalid Item
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Simple yet effective use of dialogue:
All-round excellent dialogue:
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If you're looking for creative ways to challenge you when it comes to improving your dialogue why not try this:
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For Authors: February 13, 2008 Issue [#2224]
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