  Action/Adventure
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At a playwrights' workshop I attended, one of the assignments we were given was to write one side of a phone conversation which heightened the tension of the drama. "It must be relevant to the action of your play. It must do something for the plot." It isn't easy, balancing the amount of information given with the sense of suspense. Also, info-dumps became our biggest problem.
In a play, the audience hears the one-sided phone conversation (or one side of any conversation). In a story, it could be a character overhearing something, or, if told from a first-person viewpoint, it could just reveal what 'I said'.
Well, for our assignment, we had to write the dialogue, and have people guess who the speakers were and the context.
Here are some samples:-
1. "Really? ... Goodness! ... I can't believe it! ... He didn't seem the sort ..."
Guesses - someone made a pass at the speaker; someone borrowed $10,000 and didn't repay it ...
2. "Okay I guess. ... Yeah. ... Yeah ... Hmmmmm. Bye."
Guesses - the speaker has to attend a party he doesn't want to go to; he has had to agree to something creative/work-related he doesn't really believe in.
3. "Now wait a minute! You mean to say you're not ..."
Guesses - about a million! Impersonation; being stood up on a date; a parent and teenager - and so many more.
Those were the easy ones! 
Now try these:-
a. "Hey! How's ... Wait a minute, you crying? ... Oh. Oh. ... I'll be right there."
b. "Hi. ... What? ... Come on, it can't ... I just meant ... Okay, okay. Sorry."
c. "Hello. ... Uh? .... But - but - tomorrow? ... But you said ... Yes, I know, but ..."
d. "Hi! Yeah, I know it's you. ... Wait, reception is bad or something ... hello? Hello? ... What? Why?"
JK Rowling fans will recall the scene in Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince - Harry, Ron and Hermione overhearing Draco Malfoy's conversation with Borgin. While both sides of the conversation were revealed, Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't see what was happening, thus making for the suspense. Quote - "Tell anyone, and there will be retribution." "There will be no need for --" "I'll decide that. Well, I'd better be off. And don't forget to keep that one safe, I'll need it." - Unquote.
So, here are a few tips on writing one side of a conversation:-
1. Always know what the other side of the conversation is. You need to have the exact words in your head, to write the side you're working on.
2. Be true to the speaker's origins. For example, in India, idioms are often translated literally from the native tongue. Thus, "my nose will be cut" implies that "I'll lose face". So, write the conversation the way the speaker would speak.
3. Let silences speak for themselves. In a play, it's easy, the actor pauses. In a story, silence could be represented by a - dash "----" or a punctuation mark - "?? !!"
4. Use 'loaded' words ('accused' ...?; 'everything? Lose everything' ...?) and 'ordinary' words ('maybe' ... 'early' ...) as needed.
One side of a conversation gives you great control of how much you reveal and how much you hide, taking the plot forward to exactly where you want it to go. Try it!
Sonali |
Some neat conversations! (Thanks "The Dialogue 500" )!
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Entries to "Project Write World" that had to be in the interview format, that is, conversations.
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More items by Writing Dot Com authors - conversations in various forms.
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Some all-time favourites!
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Feedback for "Action/Adventure Newsletter (November 18, 2009)"
humdedum
Thanks!  I was laughing, falling out of my chair through the whole newsletter! Was this the Comedy Newsletter too? Thanks for sharing this insightful sugestion - think of everything as an adventure. Thank you!!! Always: Hummy
Thanks, Hummy! Great to hear from you! |
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Action/Adventure: December 02, 2009 Issue [#3416]
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