tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post8492339786838354031..comments2024-03-09T06:15:04.254-05:00Comments on Rach Writes...: My A-Z of Writing Tips: Dialogue (Top 5 Tips)Rachael Harriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16764930101064527321noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-81818498106139072232011-04-12T13:18:51.550-04:002011-04-12T13:18:51.550-04:00Have you ever tried to write a pure 'Dialogue ...Have you ever tried to write a pure 'Dialogue Story'? Where dialogues only make your story move along. I've tried that in a <a href="http://nofretiri.blogspot.com/2010/05/creative-writing-dialogue-story.html" rel="nofollow">creative writing exercise</a>. You should try that, it's an interesting experience! :-)<br /><br /><a href="http://nofretiri.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow"><b>Karin @ Nofretiris Dream Of Writing</b></a>Nofretirihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13501880982112851227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-66923938788430954222011-04-06T14:08:29.160-04:002011-04-06T14:08:29.160-04:00Is it okay to have a sentence end with an exclamat...Is it okay to have a sentence end with an exclamation point and then add the words "so and so shouted" because you know...the exclamation point means shouting. Wouldn't it just be redundant?<br /><br />I'll give you an example: "More than you!" he shouts, pointing directly into a camera." page 24 of Suzanne Collins' masterpiece, "The Hunger Games". That's not the only place...she does it all over.<br /><br />She also says that "starvation is never the cause of death officially. It's always the flu, or exposure to pneumonia." Yeah cause I've seen pictures of starving people in Africa and in concentration camps and they are indistinguishable from someone that died of the flu, ya know Rach...<br /><br />Oh and she says, "For three days, we'd had nothing [to eat] but boiled water..." O.o... How is boiled water something other than nothing? And wouldn't it burn your mouth?<br /><br />Please RACH show me HOW'S TO WRITE LIKE THIS SO I CAN MAKES MILLIONS & MILLIONS an ppl will say ZOMGAH I CANNOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN IT IS AMZING!!!! :)<br /><br />But I digress. What I really came here to say is you are awesome <3 /hugs RachMichael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-4333060226619910272011-04-06T11:52:18.636-04:002011-04-06T11:52:18.636-04:00I would just add, speak your words out loud and ma...I would just add, speak your words out loud and make sure they sound authentic, conversational and not stilted. I probably write too much dialogue sometimes...I feel it's one of my stronger areas in writing. (but maybe it's just me...) :)Donea Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15393184831994368021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-85080602891725600442011-04-06T04:28:52.025-04:002011-04-06T04:28:52.025-04:00The is the second D post I've seen on Dialogue...The is the second D post I've seen on Dialogue - and I almost, ALMOST posted on Dialogue myself! Good thing I didn't :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06181241692016438730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-83990314134325094792011-04-05T23:40:48.461-04:002011-04-05T23:40:48.461-04:00I have made a habit of saying dialogues out loud. ...I have made a habit of saying dialogues out loud. This way I get to hear when dialogue is stifled and unnaturalSylviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05519691494230856599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-37914219222359610952011-04-05T22:45:01.203-04:002011-04-05T22:45:01.203-04:00THis is very helpful information! Dialogue always...THis is very helpful information! Dialogue always sounds better in my head than on paper.Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17147895890297100060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-63484625352171301592011-04-05T20:54:52.008-04:002011-04-05T20:54:52.008-04:00Thanks for the tips. To write effective dialogue, ...Thanks for the tips. To write effective dialogue, one needs to listen to a subject of the correct age, social economic class, etc. I find it helpful to use a lot of contractions in my dialogue and sometimes to omit pronouns at the beginning of sentences. For example, people don't typically say, "I will not go to the store" but rather, "I won't," "can't," etc. Also, if it's a teenage boy speaker, he will say as little as possible, "Not going!"<br /><br />So how does one become A Crusader?<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Joyce<br />http://joycelansky.blogspot.comCatch My Wordshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06338761214938263819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-21115861268202983692011-04-05T20:05:02.918-04:002011-04-05T20:05:02.918-04:00Great overview again, thanks!
By the end of the m...Great overview again, thanks!<br /><br />By the end of the month, you'll have written a booklet full of sound advice on writing.K.C. Woolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04047055661710059161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-13153812918238306762011-04-05T17:00:36.231-04:002011-04-05T17:00:36.231-04:00Good advice, Rach. I think attribution tags are ne...Good advice, Rach. I think attribution tags are necessary at certain times ... when you have characters in a lot of back and forth.<br /><br />I totally agree with you about information dumping in dialogue. Real people generally don't talk like that (unless they're college professors).<br /><br />I try to make dialogue as close to real life as possible ... characters cutting each other off, incomplete thoughts, poor English, etc.<br /><br />Great post :)PJ Lincolnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07585994900635456551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-40065141011707713622011-04-05T16:31:51.544-04:002011-04-05T16:31:51.544-04:00I'm a fan of writing dialogue. From a young a...I'm a fan of writing dialogue. From a young age, my teachers told me I had a flair for it so I've enjoyed it ever since.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00063058173619213791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-18808534509287900552011-04-05T13:01:32.812-04:002011-04-05T13:01:32.812-04:00I lurve writing dialogue! It comes more naturally ...I lurve writing dialogue! It comes more naturally to me than description, and I love hearing the scene play out in my head as I write. If I envision it, it helps create a more realistic conversation -- and avoid those infodumps we all hate.Faithhttp://www.boughanfire.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-22645436732636407322011-04-05T12:30:45.607-04:002011-04-05T12:30:45.607-04:00Yes, with you on the accents. Just say they have a...Yes, with you on the accents. Just say they have an english accent and trust your reader to imagine it. Also, someone told me once that they like to write out a conversation straight through without any tags or beats to make it flow better. And afterwards they go back and add them.Ruth Jossehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08664678990038670303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-69926406713780662712011-04-05T10:29:59.185-04:002011-04-05T10:29:59.185-04:00This is a great post. One thing that I try to avoi...This is a great post. One thing that I try to avoid when writing dialogue is having a huge narrative break in the middle of a conversation.Alicia Gregoirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06660125614529633284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-11918724220219505172011-04-05T10:24:14.170-04:002011-04-05T10:24:14.170-04:00Great tips to remember, very important. I love dia...Great tips to remember, very important. I love dialogue! Another thing is to be sure to resist making YA characters sound like adults. The vocab choice, and ways of phrasing things are diff! But definitely don't overdo the slang and teen-talk either. That's trying too hard. :)Carol Riggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14092209912983783974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-55010613291776167442011-04-05T09:36:44.611-04:002011-04-05T09:36:44.611-04:00I love writing dialogue and these are great tips t...I love writing dialogue and these are great tips to remember!Jaydee Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01069805915071090479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-37299471190177498772011-04-05T08:39:38.087-04:002011-04-05T08:39:38.087-04:00I love writing dialog. I also like using those dre...I love writing dialog. I also like using those dreaded "ly" words in the tags, so I have watch out for that.Bish Denhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13359927719391990534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-31068794491637435182011-04-05T08:29:05.352-04:002011-04-05T08:29:05.352-04:00Hah! Great tips - I didn't receive many of the...Hah! Great tips - I didn't receive many of these until later in life... Lol!! And one of the best dialogue tips kind of ties in with your tips 2 and 4. You can indicate who is speaking by having them talk, then do something, then talk: "Joe's dialogue." Joe does something (i.e., wring his hands, scuff his shoes on the ground, fiddle with an object, scratch his arm, whatever). "Joe's dialogue." The reader will know it's Joe talking without using "he said" plus you're breaking up the chit-chat with some action (which, of course, can also be used to set mood/tone or something equally clever)! ;-)Crystalhttp://littlebundleofcontradictions.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-54153142755612770072011-04-05T07:47:44.243-04:002011-04-05T07:47:44.243-04:00Thanks for the dialogue tips, that's a challen...Thanks for the dialogue tips, that's a challenge I still deal with.Sheila Silerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15284982582798743408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-944481783557881502011-04-05T07:43:46.398-04:002011-04-05T07:43:46.398-04:00All things we should know but seeing them in print...All things we should know but seeing them in print from time is both needed and appreciated.<br />Thanks for yor great reminders.Mary@GigglesandGunshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07350818228268801008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-51231646389480698722011-04-05T07:30:05.179-04:002011-04-05T07:30:05.179-04:00Thanks for the tips, dialogue always makes me craz...Thanks for the tips, dialogue always makes me crazy.Siv Mariahttp://sivmaria.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-35246616969054601892011-04-05T07:24:46.004-04:002011-04-05T07:24:46.004-04:00Nice post...I agree with your tips. I enjoy writin...Nice post...I agree with your tips. I enjoy writing dialogue and its usually what I have written down first.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00745154437500325502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-72643182920867151712011-04-05T05:50:06.673-04:002011-04-05T05:50:06.673-04:00Yes! Overdoing accents is a very bad thing. You ca...Yes! Overdoing accents is a very bad thing. You can add a little flavor here and there, but not too much!Samantha Véranthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07446488761214047647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-23406300549586447792011-04-05T05:42:15.466-04:002011-04-05T05:42:15.466-04:00Very good tips! In fact, I hadn't thought of #...Very good tips! In fact, I hadn't thought of #4, so thanks!The Words Crafterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14520267901489487512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-60159326370921026922011-04-05T05:09:19.954-04:002011-04-05T05:09:19.954-04:00Excellent tips, Rach.
My D is for dialogue too, ...Excellent tips, Rach. <br />My D is for dialogue too, and I've also referred to info-dumping in dialogue, similar to your 'shoving backstory in'. http://paulamartinpotpourri.blogspot.comPaula Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10040623635956769807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3380793708805406109.post-78024516470477252582011-04-05T04:40:27.356-04:002011-04-05T04:40:27.356-04:00I just read 'Never Let Me Go' and it seeme...I just read 'Never Let Me Go' and it seemed to be full of backstory exposition in the dialogue. I was appalled as it is heralded as such a good book! :O)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com