One of the more difficult skills for a writer to master is dialog.

Clearly, dialog is not the written presentation of words in the same manner we speak them. Few of us in "conversation" will even use complete sentences. Yet, the sentence fragments we normally communicate with are certainly not acceptable as written dialog.(The notable exception - In a script we often see fragments or short, choppy sentences in scenes of high emotion or excitement.)

On the other hand, dialog that approaches prose sounds like a speech.

Might help to listen to others actually talk - listen to how the words are strung together - for meaning - for effect - for speech quirks, and verbal shortcuts. Make your dialog "real" - put us in the same room with your characters.

DIALOG TELLS THE STORY - EXERCISE:

Find that fine line between the-way-we-speak and the-way-we- write to complete a DIALOG Exercise using a MINIMUM of other written material.

300 words or less, write a scene between two characters. When the scene ends we should know the central conflict between these two, and a great deal about their personalities.

We've done this exercise a couple of times and the results have been spectacular. Good luck!

Alex Quisenberry's wrap-up
Posted on: March 30, 2003

Dialogue tells the story - Wrap-up

   300 words or less, write a scene between two characters. When the
   scene ends we should know the central conflict between these two, and
   a great deal about their personalities.

Most did an excellent job of doing THIS part of the exercise. The plot lines we got from this group was as varied as I've seen (this is our third time to run this exercise) - from ending life support, to explaining a plane crash to a child, young brothers who want the same toys, a wounded sister (and portals), military conflict, a lady saying a forceful goodbye, a scared daughter calling her Mom in the dead of night, a psychic with powers that others would control, a missing-mail alert, two teachers discussing the dumping-down of education, ketchup and mustard, etc. I read most. Enjoyed them all.

   DIALOG TELLS THE STORY - EXERCISE:

   Find that fine line between the-way-we-speak and the-way-we-write
   to complete a DIALOG Exercise using a MINIMUM of other
   written material.

I was looking for dialog that came out of our characters in such a way that a "minimum of other material was necessary" to tell a story. And I gave an example: two guys in a car, one was injured, the other was driving perhaps a little too fast out of his concern. In the example there was NO other written material, but that was not a requirement, merely a direction.

I'd say we all learned a little more about "dialogue" in the process of writing our Sub and looking at the ways others handled this writing skill.

I closed the instructions by writing:

   We've done this exercise a couple of times and the results have
   been spectacular. Good luck!

I think you may have outdone yourselves. Outstanding work.

Good luck with the next exercise. Rhéal's Free-for-all.

Alex Quisenberry