 For Authors: July 23, 2025 Issue [#13259] |
This week: The Secret of Dialogue Edited by: Lilli ☕  
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"My work is like a dialogue between me and unseen powers, like alchemy."
~ Cai Guo-Qiang
"I must discipline myself. I must be imaginative and create plots, knit motives, probe dialogue - rather than merely trying to record descriptions and sensations. The latter is pointless, without purpose, unless it is later to be synthesized into a story. The latter is also a rather pronounced symptom of an oversensitive and unproductive ego."
~ Sylvia Plath
"Nothing teaches you as much about writing dialogue as listening to it."
~ Judy Blume
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The secret of dialogue is that it's read with the eyes, not heard with the ears. This means it is perceived faster than when you listen to it. Although spoken language can be intriguing and provocative, it can sometimes be wordy, vague, even awkward. The little "uhms", "uhs", and "you knows" can slow down the impact for readers, just as they do in real conversations. All those filler words and phrases can be a distraction. Where real conversations depend on an exchange of information, fictional dialogue must create character and tension, advance the story, and keep the reader engaged.
Fictional dialogue is like a tightly edited movie trailer: every line, every word, is chosen for maximum impact, to reveal character, hint at conflict, and propel the plot forward, without the "uhms" and "you knows" of everyday speech that would dilute its message. It's designed to be efficient and potent, unlike the spontaneous, often meandering flow of real-life conversations.
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| | | The Jar (13+)
A woman finds inspiration. Rated for the bar setting and a man drinking a pint. :)
#2343951 by Wickedfugitive  |
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Comment(s) from my last "For Authors" newsletter: "Show, don't tell."
Stik to My Own Beat  said:
I wonder if there are more creative ways to depict the "show don't tell" concept, such as how it can be used in non-fiction writing or what the limits look like (*coughUmbertoEco*). It could also be discussed from the perspective of people with aphantasia or other forms of a limited version of a mind's eye.
 Thank you for this comment and suggestion. Excuse me while I explore the rabbit hole! |
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