tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post7991847896287922292..comments2024-03-28T02:34:34.041-07:00Comments on Rachna's Scriptorium: Delivering Delectable DialoguesRachna Chhabriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-59181772338400164542010-09-12T19:02:34.785-07:002010-09-12T19:02:34.785-07:00Thanks for the post. I'am trying to gather di...Thanks for the post. I'am trying to gather dialogue books in an effort to improve my screenwriting skills, and this article is a good one. I am realizing there is no technique in dialogue writing. It should come naturally.Shridharnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-53242158275297363722010-09-09T21:50:18.945-07:002010-09-09T21:50:18.945-07:00Terri..I had a problem when I wrote my first book....Terri..I had a problem when I wrote my first book. My editor felt my dialogues were too long and complete. She felt no one spoke like that. She wanted shorter dialogues.<br /><br />Maybe your editor wants you to write little longer dialogues. Perhaps what you must be doing is keeping the dialogues abrupt, don't do that. When we talk we are trying to convey something. If the dialogues are in fragments maybe what you are trying to convey is not clear. Make sure that what you are trying to express in and via your dialogue is clear. Don't keep it short for the sake of it. Longer dialogues are perfectly acceptable. <br /><br />I will only be able to help you if I see a sample of your dialogues.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-29009210095089455722010-09-09T08:14:29.334-07:002010-09-09T08:14:29.334-07:00I am working to improve my dialogue. I was confuse...I am working to improve my dialogue. I was confused when this editor wanted all my sentences in dialogue to be complete--not fragments. That's not the way we talk and was unsure if I should make the changes. Ideas?Terri Tiffanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07771622379178654235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-39143216646327015042010-09-09T04:17:55.086-07:002010-09-09T04:17:55.086-07:00I love to write dialogue, too. As a matter of fact...I love to write dialogue, too. As a matter of fact, I did a post the other day where I said I write too much dialogue. I could write pages of it. And you're right, it does get boring if there is too much. There is a balance I have to find. And it is tricky. But reading books is a helpful teacher. <br /><br />Extremely thought out post. :)Robyn Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17356555082768185840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-34426465286466746442010-09-08T18:33:12.042-07:002010-09-08T18:33:12.042-07:00What great information. I'm actually a little...What great information. I'm actually a little nervous when I write dialogue, since I don't want to do any of the don'ts!Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-78894722616242434502010-09-08T07:24:12.566-07:002010-09-08T07:24:12.566-07:00GREAT insight about dialogue! This is invaluable. ...GREAT insight about dialogue! This is invaluable. I too need a respite between long narratives and long dialogue is not a winner in my book either. It's getting just the right balance of the two that creates a memorable experience. Well done!Tanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10518718614911804428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-27961541472403485802010-09-08T01:20:35.152-07:002010-09-08T01:20:35.152-07:00Oh, I thought I already commented on this post. I&...Oh, I thought I already commented on this post. I'm losing my mind. Great tips for good dialogue. Well thought out :)<br /><br />LynLynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-66386033438915753992010-09-08T00:31:20.458-07:002010-09-08T00:31:20.458-07:00Kim, I agree with you that dialogue should come ac...Kim, I agree with you that dialogue should come across as natural and as if you are overhearing an actual conversation rather than reading dialogue. <br /><br />Jody, making the dialog flow out of the natural story action is a lovely way of putting it.<br /><br />Talei, welcome to my blog. Long monotonous dialogues turn me off too. My eyes just glaze over and I am in a hurry to finish reading them.<br /><br />Elizabeth, I am working on trying to avoid overdoing on dialogue tags. <br /><br />Jai..I don't think I can write an entire book with just dialogues. I love my descriptive paragraphs too.<br /><br />Tabitha, I think some writers write dialogues without tags so well, we just know which character has said what. I am trying for that now.<br /><br />Karen, I realized how important dialogues are when I taught my students how to tackle dialogues.<br /><br />Melissa, Thanks for the retweet. Dialogues are indeed tricky and as they form an important part of our manuscripts they can't be overlooked.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-35857561894505927872010-09-07T19:49:46.093-07:002010-09-07T19:49:46.093-07:00Hi Rachna,
I enjoyed your post so much that I retw...Hi Rachna,<br />I enjoyed your post so much that I retweeted it (after Jody Hedlund) on Twitter. Dialogue is, indeed, tricky but so, so vital, as you point out! I had to rework my dialogue in my first novel, realizing that the true-to-life "ums" and "ahs" that we really use are totally distracting to readers. And here I thought I was being realistic. My revisions are MUCH better!Melissahttp://melissacrytzerfry.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-64062625928672861702010-09-07T19:25:06.026-07:002010-09-07T19:25:06.026-07:00Great advice! This would be a good post to bookmar...Great advice! This would be a good post to bookmark:) I think I may have to...Karen Langehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18177923284595298347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-41867238939413470872010-09-07T18:45:25.779-07:002010-09-07T18:45:25.779-07:00Great post. I agree with your points. When I am ed...Great post. I agree with your points. When I am editing my crit partners work these are the things I look for. That an the overuse of tags period. Sometimes you don't need any tag at all. Especially if we already know who is talking. Then it is just a tag for the sake of a tag.Tabitha Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08196816108272065974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-12958751978361936772010-09-07T15:46:50.162-07:002010-09-07T15:46:50.162-07:00I'm a dialogue junkie. If I could, I'd wri...I'm a dialogue junkie. If I could, I'd write an entire book in dialogue, but then that would be a script instead and I wouldn't know what to do with it...<br /><br />JaiJai Joshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04858987106548357551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-34151762877546474952010-09-07T10:54:30.608-07:002010-09-07T10:54:30.608-07:00As usual, I enjoyed your post, Rachna. I know how...As usual, I enjoyed your post, Rachna. I know how tempting it is to add a variety of tags, but you are so right: "said" and "asked" are almost invisible, while moving things right along. I also enjoy inserting body language along the way. It's one great way to keep the character before the reader and much better than eye and hair descriptions.Elizabeth Varadan, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01708206753256682635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-26159089570266888312010-09-07T04:57:12.523-07:002010-09-07T04:57:12.523-07:00Great post! I agree natural actions work well wit...Great post! I agree natural actions work well with dialogue. I do get turned off by dialogue which is monotonous and you do get the feeling that author had waffled just to fill the chapter. Repeating dialogue tags is one guilt I'm trying to avoid. Thanks so much for sharing these great tips!Taleihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07317577935549931974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-49774858868622606812010-09-07T03:48:31.596-07:002010-09-07T03:48:31.596-07:00Just tweeted a link on Twitter about your post!Just tweeted a link on Twitter about your post!Jody Hedlundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424307540530719614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-33716247842727601932010-09-07T03:46:36.428-07:002010-09-07T03:46:36.428-07:00I agree, I think that pages of dialog can get bori...I agree, I think that pages of dialog can get boring as if the writer listened in on a phone conversation, with nothing else happening. So, I think that making the dialog flow out of the natural story action is what we should strive for! Thanks for a great post Rachna!Jody Hedlundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12424307540530719614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6083612851716281896.post-77310853368889508232010-09-07T02:57:39.283-07:002010-09-07T02:57:39.283-07:00Fantastic post and lots of food for thought. I mus...Fantastic post and lots of food for thought. I must say that dialogues is something I have had to work on in my writing. I think dialogues are difficult in that as you say they need to come across as natural and as if you are overhearing an actual conversation rather than reading dialogue. I tend to read alot of my WIP out aloud when editing but especially so with my dialogue. If it does not sound right to my ear, it will not sound right to my reader.<br />Thanks for the insight Rachna.<br />-KimAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com