Make Dialogue Work For You. Day 17 of the Total Writer Transformation
I used to think dialogue was one of the most difficult parts of writing a story. But the more I wrote, the more natural the dialogue felt. Now I'm able to write a much as a client asks for without sounding forced or trite.
Dialogue, or the natural conversation between characters, is one of the most important parts of a story. It propels your story forward (think: show, don't tell) and is the biggest thing that causes your readers to have an emotional reaction. Publishers rarely even consider a fiction manuscript without a heavy portion of dialogue.
To help master writing dialogue, you must do two things:
Listen to conversations. When you go to a restaurant eavesdrop on your fellow diners. Pay attention to the natural flow- the give and take of a conversation between two people.
Practice. Write dialogue. All the time. Especially if it's your weak spot.
Today's Challenge
Write a story entirely in dialogue. Make the readers feel the story just by what the characters are saying (and not saying) and how they're saying it. See how long you can keep the story going using only dialogue.
Images via Pexels
Be a Better Writer in Just One Month! Join the 31 Day Writing Challenge to transform your writing and your life!
Day 1 The Truth About Making Time For Writing
Day 2 How to Incorporate Ideas From Life in Your Writing
Day 3 Master the Art of Captivating Your Readers
Day 4 Banishing Distractions
Day 5 Get Your Writing Noticed!
Day 6 The Importance of Morning Pages
Day 7 Why You Should Write Even if You're Not a Writer
Day 8 How to Personify an Object
Day 9 How to Use Writing Prompts to Improve Your Skills
Day 10 Why You Need an Email List
Day 11 There is a Best Time to Write!
Day 12 Your Future Path
Day 13 Do You Know How to Eat an Elephant?
Day 14 Soliloquy Speaking: Bring Depth to Your Characters
Day 15 The Red String- You and Your Readers are Connected
Day 16 Pardon Me, What Did You Say?
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I appreciate your support :)
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The above is THE BEST way to get a storyline! I also LOVE when I am sitting in a restaurant or other venue where there are a lot of people and I'll pick out one person or couple and by watching their body language; coming up with a background of them. I let my mind tell their story to me.
Writers are the worst eavesdroppers, aren't we?! Lol!
...like every Tuesday, you mean? lolol
😂
(humor not pedantry!)
Oh my. Lol. Yes, even on Tuesdays ;)
Gratzie' ;)
Dialogue is difficult to write, partly because of all the punctuation! That said, I use it quite often when I write anecdotes into my posts. Something that I think is important for dialogue that is written to be read, as opposed to spoken, other than the punctuation, are the adjectives/modifiers that describe some of the expressions and/or connotation that the author wants conveyed, and which are sometimes not always conveyed in just the words.
You are absolutely correct, dialogue is difficult to convey without the extras. This exercise helps to bring that awareness :)
@arbitrarykitten i have some thing for your challenge.
If you enter a task to write on any meaning full picture . like to explain different point of view of a single picture is also a tough job .
I will help a writer a lot in understanding and focusing and also this thing will sharp there mind.
Such as me posting an image and everyone writing a different description, then everyone comparing? To see how different the perspectives are?
Yep . but upload some picture and give task to explain these picture to audience so that will help them to think as a writer and as audience and also help to build new ideas also it will help them to write there own views . which is pretty good thing for a writer.
Ok, yeah. That sounds like a good plan- I'll definitely post this, thanks!
Welcome
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Great advice. I start stumbling with lots of dialogue just with the: he said, she replied, he answered, she said, yelled, gasped... I kind of start losing the flow of my writing when I try to capture that part of the dialogue. I know I just need to practice more. I will make more effort to focus on dialogue for a while, just to feel more comfortable with it.
My writing instructors told me to stop using all the extras, and stick to the basics- he said, she replied, she said. By simplifying and eliminating the he retorted and she bellowed I found it really did clean up the page, as well as helped the reader flow through the dialogue in a natural pace.
Hahaha today task is much more difficult .
@arbitrarykitten you do such an amazing job . keep it up .
Dialogues are very difficult to write .
They need more attention and care . that how the reader understand and how it be fun for them . and how it attract the reader to read more.
Yes I Love when @arbitrarykitten teaches you how to be successful as a writer (Blogger).......