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Principles on Dialogue
voodoo_pork 11/30/09, 19:57 | 
0 | Here's a handy, general list I've developed for myself about dialogue:
1. No small talk unless it compliments subtext (what's not being said shouts to the reader). If it's boring dialogue to you, cut it.
2. All dialogue must be from character and reflect personality.
3. Speech mannerisms, like accents, can help individualize a character, especially if you have many characters in the same scene. Don't go overboard because then it becomes a gimmick.
4. Speech tags (He said, she said) are not always necessary.
5. All dialogue must be earned and create dramatic tension in the scene, or have ramifications elsewhere.
6. Dialogue is like music. It needs to be rhythmic, engaging, and memorable. If it doesn't sound like it could plausibly come out of someone's mouth, it's not working. A narrative can have extreme dialogue but needs to be either plausible, funny, or working towards some larger, identifiable theme. | | Previous | Reply - Reply With Quote | | | | |
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