Confessions of an Eavesdropper - Dialog

Confessions of an Eavesdropper – or Learning to Write Like People Talk

Pamela Smith Hill

Four things to dialog:
1) Pacing - The give and take of real conversation
2) Character - Most important of dialog
3) Rhythm - Pacing
4) Vocalbulary – Intertwined with character


Good dialog: Have to practice eavesdropping on everybody and copying tidbits of dialog into a notebook you keep with you wherever you go
Eg. Mall
Restaurant
Bus

Sometimes you get caught eavesdropping.

When people uncomfortable they lapse into cliche. Even though it’s dialog and people use cliches in dialog, it’s generally better not to use cliches in dialog.

Pacing

Don’t want dialog going on and on.

Catch essential flow and ebb of dialog.

Way people really talk:
3-line rule: Never write more than 3 lines of dialog at a time

Study award-winning screenplays -> strong dialog
-> screenplays back to 1930’s


If section of dialog too long break it into chunks
. More emotions in smaller segments:
Emotional side to pacing:
Dialog capitalizes on emotion of character
*In danger: Talks faster -> shorter sentences; 3 lines too long
Or short lines mixed with long
** Less dramatic -> longer sentences
Vary dialog with emotions

Can intersperse dialog with actions -> actions speak louder than words

Passionate love scenes: If you useo make dialog meaningful try metaphors; 9 out of 10 times it’s better to go with action.

Exception to 3-line rule:

Can have characters talk too long naturally – (for example if character is supposed to be long-winded purposely as part of their personality)

Rhythm

Def: How sound changes perception of language – how language is different from the way people talk:

1) Sound words can give totally different tone
Get beyond barrier of writing->Despite fact we are writing, our characters are doing the talking
2) Good conversational language always sounds good
3) Conversational language relies on power words; 1 or 2 words that carry the strength of the dialog
4) Use contractions

Can break rules of grammar if you know full well you are doing it and it works.

Read every piece of fiction aloud. Read, read and reread again. Put some time periods between readings.

Character

How do you make a character say what you want them to say?

Know character inside and out;
If don’t know them, write a backstory for one character.

When character does something you don’t expect -> good thing
(Character more unstable -> write it all in dialog)

If we write about a particular culture we need to know it
Have character speak in subculture the way they should speak

(Her opinion: Best fiction mixes comedy in with drama)

Can use exposition and indirect dialog if regular dialog doesn’t seem to work



Tags

Use “said” 9 times out of 10 – invisible to reader; can interject with action

Traditional way: Put each new chunk of dialog belonging to one character in its own paragraph

Dialects

Research:

Look at good films or read from a source;
Look at non-fiction films







*(Research if necessary – if need real stuff)