But there’s one sound everyone knows, what does the author say?
Yes, Yes, I am aware it is the lamest song bastardization I’ve done yet. Face it, it’s the weekend, the only person who’s going to read this is my husband. Yet, I post on in the hopes that you will prove me wrong. I would love to be more than a work day distraction.
So dialogue. Really fun panel, great chemistry. I wrote pages of notes in between laughing heartily, which I will distill for you here. (laughter not included)
-Does it sound like something people would actually say minus the “um,” “uh,” “like,” and “yeah.”
-Read your dialogue out loud. Listen to conversations and write them down. Read really bad books and read the dialogue out loud for what not to do.
-Change your character’s speech pattern for the situation at hand. Do you talk to your significant other the same way you talk to your brother?
-Use distinct dialogue and reaction to cut down on the he said-she said. By the same note most of the time it should be obvious how something was said it is written right.
-Balance information dropping disguised as dialogue with moving the plot forward via dialogue. The conversation shouldn’t go on too long from one person, unless they are actually lecturing for some legitimate reason.
-Choreography of dialogue: each conversation should reveal character or move the plot forward. Leave out the small talk, unless it is needed in the plot. (For example I have a character who loves to make small talk so he can control the situation. It reveals his character and is needed in my plot.) Each exchange should progress the goal.
-A characters voice should reveal it’s individuality and evoke the feel of the time period.
-Watch for unexpected or unintended double meanings.
Finally I will leave you with this thought from Simon R. Green on point of view. (http://simonrgreen.co.uk)
1st Person gives an immediacy to the story.
3rd Person gives multiple points of view.
2nd Person is just whack.
T.A. Henry 