![]() ![]() Sometimes, you may want to give crucial information to your reader, such as an element of the backstory, and dialogue may seem like a convenient way to do it. Overburdening dialogue with too much exposition If you struggle to find the right balance, try listening to some audiobooks and paying close attention to how other authors write dialogue. Of course, including an occasional “um” to make your dialogue sound natural doesn’t hurt, but definitely don’t do it in every sentence in your effort to imitate real speech. Basically, you want your dialogue to sound real but not actually mimic reality. This makes for commendable loyalty to realism, but dialogue needs to be less messy than it is in real life. Because our natural way of talking consists of a lot of ums, you-knows, and mid-sentence subject changes, many writers assume that the “right” way to write authentic dialogue is to reflect these tendencies. The way we speak in real life doesn’t actually make for great dialogue on the page. With that in mind, think carefully about your characters’ unique voices and make sure that any departures from their usual way of speaking are conscious decisions that won’t unnecessarily confuse your reader. If Hermione did start to speak out of character under suspicious circumstances, it’d help the reader figure out that she was under a spell. Idiolects are a helpful concept when writing dialogue, because they also help you mark when something out of the ordinary takes place. Remember that every person (and every character) has their own idiolect, their unique voice-like a linguistic fingerprint. What would make very little sense is if she suddenly started swearing at everyone in Hogwarts or making ten grammatical mistakes in each sentence. Take Hermoine Granger, the unapologetic know-it-all in Harry Potter-she might be an organized person, but she’ll sometimes be impulsive. While behaving "out of character" is something that does happen, it’s really jarring for a character to start speaking like a totally different person. A character's unique helps readers connect with them. Stepping out of characterĮvery fictional character has their unique quirks and mannerisms-this could be their vocabulary (e.g., regional slang or occupation-specific jargon), their behavior, or even their tone of voice. Here are some common dialogue writing mistakes that you can avoid: 1. However, written dialogue isn’t quite the same as its spoken counterpart and can thus be tricky for many. Effective dialogue can greatly enhance a story, reveal a character’s motivations, and move the plot forward. Dialogue is a powerful tool in a writer’s arsenal. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |