the best way is “show it dont tell it.” its like 8th grade stuff but it REALLY helps.
ex: “he was mad at his friend.”
instead: “he clenched his fists every time he saw him now. his brow furrowed and sweat beaded on his head. he could barely stand the look of him…”
To write excellent dialouge, I’m a writer I KNOW, you have to keep writing and reckon about the book as if it is happening and then try to get inside the charactor’s head. My other advise is to keep writing don’t reckon about how it cames out then edit the spelling and grammer.
I hope this helps:
-Don’t use the same verbs over again. The most common verb used is: said. It really bothers me.
-Be sure to take breaks every couple of quotation marks to describe the person. Example: Her breathing slowed as she closed her eyes in effort to controll her rage.
-Use colorful language.
-In an intense arguement with dialogue between two characters, dont stop the dialogue. Example:
“You can’t go out at this late hour! And don’t even try to sneak out-”
“Why do you even care? You’ve by no means cared! All you ever do is sleep and eat and watch-”
“Shut your mouth!” etc. etc.
the best way is “show it don’t tell it.” its like 8th grade stuff but it REALLY helps.
ex: “he was mad at his friend.”
instead: “he clenched his fists every time he saw him now. his brow furrowed and sweat beaded on his head. he could barely stand the look of him…”
The “show don’t tell”
technique really helps
lol something like that always spices up a tale
When you show, don’t tell it, you don’t use quotation marks
Ex.
As she looked at me, she had a small tear running down her cheek, explaining what i have done. I shout as she runs “Wait,”
(notice, no quotation marks)
Let the characters do something and avoid the “talking heads syndrome.”
Avoid unwarranted dialog tags. (He, growled, chuckled, moaned, etc.)
If you use one of these every now and then, it adds flavor, but to much chokes the pace.
Have each character have his own way of speaking, but don’t have un- readable accents. (Yaw ma man we sur do it like a dis.)
Only say what is vital. Don’t have the character sit around talking about the weather. Just jump in.
Show body movement, facial expressions etc.
Now when you are all done, read it out loud onto a recorder and listed for a excellent flow. Writing is a modest like composition and some sentences and words just work better together.
The best way to write dialogue into a tale, although I’m as well terrible at this, is to use simpler words. Using less educated words brings a sense of intimacy between the characters and in turn a sense of a better perspective of the characters in their right disorder. Remember to enclose this with vivid imagery to seem as though the characters are speaking not four feet from the reader. Ex:
The night was one of stillness and silent tranquility. Only the moon’s bright streaks across the rippling lake and the faint cricket’s song dared to steal the beauty and pliability from his lover’s face. He stared deeply into his darling’s eyes as if it was the first time in years and softly spar, “You’re the only person I will ever reckon about for the rest of my days.” Her only response was that of a single tear of happiness, forever binding them together in like as the moon is bonded with the earth.
Note the drastic chat in diction. With far simpler words counting very simple words and contractions leads the reader to believe in a closer disorder to the characters.
the best way is “show it dont tell it.” its like 8th grade stuff but it REALLY helps.
ex: “he was mad at his friend.”
instead: “he clenched his fists every time he saw him now. his brow furrowed and sweat beaded on his head. he could barely stand the look of him…”
lol something like that always spices up a tale
Elements of Fiction Writing: Dialogue – by Lewis Turco
To write excellent dialouge, I’m a writer I KNOW, you have to keep writing and reckon about the book as if it is happening and then try to get inside the charactor’s head. My other advise is to keep writing don’t reckon about how it cames out then edit the spelling and grammer.
I hope this helps:
-Don’t use the same verbs over again. The most common verb used is: said. It really bothers me.
-Be sure to take breaks every couple of quotation marks to describe the person. Example: Her breathing slowed as she closed her eyes in effort to controll her rage.
-Use colorful language.
-In an intense arguement with dialogue between two characters, dont stop the dialogue. Example:
“You can’t go out at this late hour! And don’t even try to sneak out-”
“Why do you even care? You’ve by no means cared! All you ever do is sleep and eat and watch-”
“Shut your mouth!” etc. etc.
I hope I helped a bit. HAPPY 2009!!
As “B Astute” says
the best way is “show it don’t tell it.” its like 8th grade stuff but it REALLY helps.
ex: “he was mad at his friend.”
instead: “he clenched his fists every time he saw him now. his brow furrowed and sweat beaded on his head. he could barely stand the look of him…”
The “show don’t tell”
technique really helps
lol something like that always spices up a tale
When you show, don’t tell it, you don’t use quotation marks
Ex.
As she looked at me, she had a small tear running down her cheek, explaining what i have done. I shout as she runs “Wait,”
(notice, no quotation marks)
Let the characters do something and avoid the “talking heads syndrome.”
Avoid unwarranted dialog tags. (He, growled, chuckled, moaned, etc.)
If you use one of these every now and then, it adds flavor, but to much chokes the pace.
Have each character have his own way of speaking, but don’t have un- readable accents. (Yaw ma man we sur do it like a dis.)
Only say what is vital. Don’t have the character sit around talking about the weather. Just jump in.
Show body movement, facial expressions etc.
Now when you are all done, read it out loud onto a recorder and listed for a excellent flow. Writing is a modest like composition and some sentences and words just work better together.
Excellent luck!
The best way to write dialogue into a tale, although I’m as well terrible at this, is to use simpler words. Using less educated words brings a sense of intimacy between the characters and in turn a sense of a better perspective of the characters in their right disorder. Remember to enclose this with vivid imagery to seem as though the characters are speaking not four feet from the reader. Ex:
The night was one of stillness and silent tranquility. Only the moon’s bright streaks across the rippling lake and the faint cricket’s song dared to steal the beauty and pliability from his lover’s face. He stared deeply into his darling’s eyes as if it was the first time in years and softly spar, “You’re the only person I will ever reckon about for the rest of my days.” Her only response was that of a single tear of happiness, forever binding them together in like as the moon is bonded with the earth.
Note the drastic chat in diction. With far simpler words counting very simple words and contractions leads the reader to believe in a closer disorder to the characters.