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Improve Your Dialogue by Anthony White
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Improve Your Dialogue |
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Education
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We talk a lot, possibly too much sometimes, yet very few writers find it easy to write good, convincing dialogue. I'm going to look at a few ways that we can improve the words our characters say, and how they say them. The first step in improving our written dialogue is to stop talking for a few minutes and listen. Listen to the rhythm and metre of words people say. Quite often words will contradict the tone in which they are said, or bounce out in peculiar ways, depending on the speakers mood. Take a note of whether someone is happy or sad, then listen to how they speak. Do they drawl or clip their words? Do they say less, or more? Do they start to get defensive and turn everything into an accusation or a question? Do words they associate with the particular mood they are in start to fill their sentences? Take time to listen carefully. Often people mispronounce words for humorous effect, or repeat themselves subconsciously (something I'm guilty of whenever I tell a joke). Listen out for quirks in peoples diction, something that they do that makes you think, 'only such and such does that' then work them into your character's voices. And while you're sat there contemplating the finer points of your friends speech patterns, make a note of how they move. Do they use their hands to reinforce certain words, or pause in unusual places to think or to make a point? If you're writing some dialogue a novel, make sure you mention how people move when they say something. If you have a long sentence that someone wouldn't normally say in real life, or a long sequence of people just talking, break it up with some actions. We give an awful lot away with our little ticks and subconscious motions. Quite often what we don't say is more important than what we are saying. People will often talk around a subject if they are scared of tackling it head on. How to they move in this situation? Do they cower or look away, or put a brave face on it and act with false bravado? Both of these reactions will change the words that they say and the way in which they'll say it. But both will also hint at deeper secrets as the reader realises the character is avoiding something. Finally, try to avoid using anything other than he/she said, or said [character's name] to end a piece of dialogue. Use only these, or if it's clear who's talking, don't use any attribution at all. 'He asked', 'she stammered', 'he queried' and so forth all break the reader away from the narrative. If the person stammers, have them stammer; if they asked a question, you don't need to reinforce it by telling the reader that they just queried something. There is some debate over whether 'said John' is better or worse than 'John said'. I don't think there's much in it myself, I just try to mix them up or use which ever flows the best. Good dialogue should carry the story and the reader along at a fast pace, do everything you can to keep up with the reader and they will thank you for it. dissertation service
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