| One of the nice things about being an
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| | never use "whom" in speaking or writing
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| author is that we can break
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| | because I want to see
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| any rule we want. (I just did.) It's
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| | the distinction scrapped, but that's
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| part of our job description.
| |
| | another story.)The dialogue portion of
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| Language changes through usage --
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| | VIGILANTE JUSTICE isn't difficult to
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| definitions, spelling, grammar
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| | describe. The hero is a self-destructive
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| -- and authors can help it do this. But
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| | cop named Gary Drake. He
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| on the other hand, we
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| | is based on a real-life cop, my little
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| have to have some sort of agreement on
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| | brother. So his dialogue
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| the language or we won't
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| | was easy because, in my mind, I always
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| be able to talk to each other.When we as
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| | heard Gary speaking in
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| authors break a rule or two, it's not
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| | Barry's voice.For my other characters, I
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| because we're
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| | had to find some other voices. For
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| ignorant. It's because we have reasons
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| | example, the voice of Doctor Garrett
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| to break them. That's one
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| | Allison is, to me, that of
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| of the joys of writing.Having said that,
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| | Michael Jordan.That's right, people.
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| now I'm going to explain some rules.
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| | When I write, I literally hear voices in
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| There are
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| | my
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| two types of writing in your novel.
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| | head.As a beginning writer, and not a
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| There is your narrative and
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| | very good one, I read some advice
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| there is your dialogue. The rules for
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| | somewhere saying you might want to cut
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| the two are not the same.For example,
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| | photos out of magazines and
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| comma use. In dialogue, it's not so
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| | use them when writing your physical
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| difficult. Put
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| | description, in case you can't
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| in a comma wherever your speaker pauses
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| | form a mental picture of your
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| in his/her speaking. In
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| | characters. I've used this technique,
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| narrative, you have to consult the style
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| | and with some modification I've extended
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| guides and hope that you
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| | it to voices.As an author, you should
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| and your editor, working as a team, can
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| | always play to your greatest strengths
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| sort it all out.NARRATIVEA cop thriller
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| | while working to improve your
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| like my VIGILANTE JUSTICE has a simple
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| | weaknesses. I know many authors who
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| set of
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| | think visually, and I envy them that.
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| rules for the narrative portion.
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| | I've read some stuff that
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| Third-person, straightforward
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| | can make you feel you're skiing down a
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| writing, light on adjectives and
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| | snow-covered mountain when
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| adverbs, easy to read and
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| | it's actually 85 degrees in your flat
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| grammatically correct. Sentence
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| | and you've never skied in
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| fragments are acceptable if
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| | your life.One author told me that when
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| communication is achieved, and you'll
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| | he writes, he literally sees movies
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| note that I use them often
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| | in his head, then just has to type them
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| in this article. Why? Simply because
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| | really fast because
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| it's more effective that
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| | that's how they're playing. Lucky him!
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| way.To a degree the genre will help you
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| | My novels first come to me
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| identify what's appropriate.
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| | in snippets of dialogue. Every character
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| For a cop drama, write in the dry style
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| | has the same voice at
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| of a journalist. For
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| | that stage. (My voice, of course.)Tight
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| horror, a bit of hyperbole may be
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| | dialogue is one thing I enjoy when I
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| acceptable in the most dramatic
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| | read. Here are the
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| sections. For romance (not my genre),
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| | characters at some sort of verbal
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| you can probably use lots
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| | showdown. I know them, I know
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| more adjectives (swollen, heaving,
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| | their motives, I can read between the
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| throbbing, etc.) than you'd
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| | lines and know what's being
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| normally dare.When I wrote RISING FROM
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| | left unsaid. I can just feel the tension
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| THE ASHES, the true story of Mom raising
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| | in the air. I'm not so
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| my brother and me alone, I tried to
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| | much mentally picturing bulging veins
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| adopt a "childlike voice"
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| | and angry glares as I am
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| early in the narrative. As the character
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| | just feeling the spoken words.I also
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| of Michael the
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| | have an excellent memory of voices. I
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| storyteller grew older, I abandoned that
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| | always have. Like a
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| childlike quality. (An
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| | dog remembers scents or an artist
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| entire book of that would get old fast
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| | colors, it seems, I can
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| anyway.)When I wrote AN AMERICAN REDNECK
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| | remember voices. If I hear an unfamiliar
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| IN HONG KONG, the humorous
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| | song on the radio but
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| sequel, I once again used first person
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| | I've ever heard that singer before, I
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| narrative. But the
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| | can tell you who it is. I
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| narrative of RISING is first person only
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| | can tell you that the guy doing the
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| in that it uses "I"
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| | voice of Gomez Addams in the
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| instead of "Michael." Michael is only a
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| | original Addams Family cartoon is now
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| camera. It still follows
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| | doing one of the voices in
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| all the rules of "conventional"
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| | the Tasmanian Devil's cartoon series. I
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| narrative. In REDNECK, I threw
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| | can spot an actor like
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| most of the rules out the window.I used
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| | Andreas Katsulas no matter what species
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| what one author referred to my as
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| | of rubberized alien he's
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| "conversational" tone to
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| | playing, because I recognize his voice,
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| maximum effect in REDNECK. This fellow
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| | although really that's no
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| author felt like he wasn't
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| | great challenge in his case.(For the
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| so much reading my book as just
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| | record, if you've read THE CHRONICLES OF
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| listening to me tell some stories
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| | A MADMAN,
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| over a few beers. That's exactly what I
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| | Ahriman looks and sounds like Andreas
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| wanted.When I wrote the sequel to
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| | Katsulas. Clyde Windham is
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| REDNECK, another bit of humor called
| |
| | Dennis Franz. Wendy Himes is some girl
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| WHO MOVED MY RICE?, I chose to keep that
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| | who sold me some horse
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| same narrative style,
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| | feed about 15 years ago.)But just
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| which I'd spent three years perfecting
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| | "hearing" the voices (if you're able)
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| in my newsletter.In RISING, while I was
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| | isn't enough. The
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| the "first person" character, I wasn't
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| | words themselves will be different
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| really the book's focus. In REDNECK and
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| | depending on who's speaking
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| RICE, I am. Center stage,
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| | them, even if they're relaying the same
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| in the spotlight. Using more of a
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| | information.To get back to VIGILANTE
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| "dialogue" style in what should
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| | JUSTICE, Gary Drake doesn't use a lot of
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| have been "narrative" allowed me to
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| | words. He almost never describes his own
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| focus the reader's attention
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| | feelings, and if he does
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| on the first person to a greater degree
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| | he always feels guilty about it. He
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| than simply describing him
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| | speaks with a Southern drawl.
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| ever could. You may love me or you may
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| | He tends to use a single swear word, and
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| hate me, but you'll know
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| | that word is "f*ck."Marjorie Brooks, on
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| me and you'll laugh at me. Or, in the
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| | the other hand, mentions feelings and
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| case of RICE, you'll feel my
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| | uses
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| frequent confusion. I had to write that
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| | whichever swear word is the most
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| from "my perspective"
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| | accurate, except that she never
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| because it was often the only one I
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| | says "f*ck." Doctor Allison doesn't use
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| understood.If you want to see such a
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| | as many contractions as
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| technique used to maximum effect, I
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| | the rest of us do. These are things I
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| recommend A MONK SWIMMING by Malachy
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| | kept in mind as I wrote
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| McCourt. (I read it after
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| | their dialogue.Who remembers Mr. Spock?
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| writing REDNECK, by the way.) It's about
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| | His speech sounds like written language,
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| an actor who gets drunk
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| | very grammatical and correct, and that's
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| and does very bad things to himself and
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| | deliberate. He's a
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| his family, and it's
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| | scientist, he's logical, and for him
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| amazing just how much I laughed out loud
| |
| | language is a tool to be used
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| reading it. Doesn't
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| | with as much precision as possible. That
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| sound like a funny subject, does it?
| |
| | isn't just a different
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| It's not, and yet it is,
| |
| | style of dialogue; it helps define his
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| thanks to his unconventional narrative
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| | character.In THE CHRONICLES OF A MADMAN,
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| style.To tell you the truth, I don't even
| |
| | Ahriman used fewer contractions
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| think McCourt "wrote" that
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| | than the rest of us and he avoided
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| book. I think he just said it all into a
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| | sentence fragments. He
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| tape recorder and
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| | probably even knew the difference
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| transcribed it later. It reads that much
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| | between who and whom or lie and
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| like "a guy at the pub
| |
| | lay. That's because he's intelligent,
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| telling a tale." If he used the grammar
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| | you see. It kinds of goes
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| checking function in
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| | with the territory when one is evil
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| MSWord, I bet it underlined every
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| | incarnate.During an edit I did of a
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| sentence. And, bright fellow
| |
| | sci-fi book, I saw that the author wasn't
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| that he is, he ignored them all and
| |
| | using contractions in dialogue. I made
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| didn't change a word.If you're going to
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| | many suggestions that he
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| use a more conversational tone in your
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| | change the dialogue of the humans to use
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| narrative, don't think that means you
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| | those contractions,
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| just write something down
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| | except when military officers were
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| and don't have to edit it. You still
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| | giving orders, because
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| have to organize your
| |
| | order-giving officers tend to be more
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| thoughts, and that means rewriting.
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| | "serious" and "thoughtful"
|
| While your style may be
| |
| | than folks just being regular folks.I
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| unconventional, you have to make the
| |
| | also suggested to this author that he
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| ideas easy for the reader to
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| | change nothing about the
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| follow.(I'm not entirely serious when I
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| | "stilted" speech patterns of his aliens.
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| say McCourt just spoke into a
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| | English isn't their
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| tape recorder, and even if he did that
| |
| | native language, you see, and one thing
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| doesn't mean the rest of
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| | I've noticed from living
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| us can get away with it.)In the case of
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| | in China is that the locals don't use
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| narrative, you have the choice. If you
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| | nearly as many contractions
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| want to
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| | as I do. So I thought that added
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| spotlight the storyteller to maximum
| |
| | realism. Plus, the contrast
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| effect, you can go with
| |
| | should help the readers keep everybody
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| first person and let the storyteller's
| |
| | straight even if they aren't
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| narrative and his dialogue
| |
| | consciously aware of why.I remember in
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| read the same. If you'd prefer to "move
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| | one edit where I read some character
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| the camera" back a bit,
| |
| | saying, "I am
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| make the narrative conventional in
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| | an historian." Oh, I hate that phrase. I
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| contrast to the dialogue. As a
| |
| | hate anyone ever putting
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| rule, this reader likes contrast,
| |
| | "an" in front of a word that begins with
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| because he gets bored reading
| |
| | the consonant "h." It's
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| the same thing over and over again
| |
| | terribly pretentious and arrhythmic. As
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| unless the style is really
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| | I kept reading the
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| special. Or perhaps you can find a point
| |
| | book, I quickly learned that the
|
| somewhere in between.Every story has a
| |
| | character in question is
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| way that it should be told for maximum
| |
| | terribly pretentious. Nobody else in the
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| effect.
| |
| | book was throwing "an"
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| Maximum effect in the author's eyes, of
| |
| | in front of "h" words. It was a
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| course, as it's a
| |
| | deliberate contrast on the
|
| subjective thing. Keep it in mind as you
| |
| | author's part, and it worked quite
|
| write. Make the call,
| |
| | nicely.CONCLUSIONI suppose the point of
|
| stick to it, change it if it's not
| |
| | all this is, remember the difference
|
| working. It might even be okay
| |
| | between narrative and dialogue.In the
|
| to be inconsistent, but only if you do
| |
| | case of narrative, you're simply trying
|
| so deliberately. Just keep
| |
| | to describe what
|
| stuff like "ease of reading" and
| |
| | happens. There is a famous quote of some
|
| "maximum effect" in mind and be
| |
| | sort that says, "Great
|
| creative.DIALOGUEHave you ever read a
| |
| | writing is like a window pane." Stick to
|
| book where the dialogue reads like
| |
| | that maxim unless you
|
| narrative?
| |
| | feel you have a good reason not to. If
|
| I hope you haven't. But as an editor
| |
| | you've got what it takes
|
| I've seen such things, and
| |
| | to make your writing style superior to
|
| they're very ugly.Do you know why
| |
| | the conventional, and if
|
| they're so ugly? Because they remind the
| |
| | your story allows it, let that style be
|
| reader
| |
| | an asset of your writing.
|
| of the one thing an author does not want
| |
| | Otherwise, just stick to the rules until
|
| to remind the reader of.
| |
| | you master them.In the case of dialogue,
|
| Namely, that every character on the page
| |
| | you're trying to write something that
|
| is a puppet under the
| |
| | sounds like what the characters would
|
| author's control.As readers, we put that
| |
| | actually say, but a bit
|
| thought aside so we can enjoy reading.
| |
| | more organized because "real" speech can
|
| "Willing suspension of disbelief," to
| |
| | be boring. Give every
|
| quote the phrase an English
| |
| | character his/her/its own voice.Am I
|
| teacher used when describing the
| |
| | joking when I say "its?" Not entirely.
|
| performance of Shakespeare's
| |
| | THE CHRONICLES OF A
|
| plays. If the author ensures that the
| |
| | MADMAN contains a short story, written
|
| reader can't suspend
| |
| | in first person from my
|
| disbelief, the book will not be read.
| |
| | dog's viewpoint. But then again, I would
|
| Stilted dialogue is one of
| |
| | never call Daisy an
|
| the quickest ways to make that
| |
| | "it."There's a stylistic decision you
|
| happen.I've decided that writing dialogue
| |
| | can make in narrative, by the
|
| is the hardest thing we do.
| |
| | way. I always refer to animals as "he"
|
| It's certainly not something we can go
| |
| | or "she." Some authors
|
| look up in a style manual
| |
| | always use "it."In dialogue, you can let
|
| like Strunk or Turabian.What are the
| |
| | some characters always say he or she,
|
| rules? "Make it sound real." But with the
| |
| | and let others always say it, to
|
| corollary,
| |
| | contrast the feeling with the
|
| "not too real because people always say
| |
| | unfeeling. (My heroes never call an
|
| um and er and crap like
| |
| | animal "it.")In the end, the goal is
|
| that." Oh yeah. That explains
| |
| | always the same. Make your writing as
|
| everything! End of my article,
| |
| | easy to read as you can. Keep that in
|
| right?Nope. I'm still writing
| |
| | mind, and always keep
|
| it.Ideally, the greatest of the great
| |
| | learning, and you won't go
|
| creators of dialogue will have
| |
| | wrong.Copyright 2005, Michael
|
| every character "speaking" in a voice so
| |
| | LaRoccaMichael LaRocca's website at was
|
| distinctive that he/she
| |
| | chosen by WRITER'S DIGEST as one of The
|
| need never identify the speaker. Okay,
| |
| | 101 Best Websites
|
| that's enough fiction.
| |
| | For Writers in 2001 and 2002. His
|
| Back to reality. None of us are writing
| |
| | response was to throw it
|
| dialogue that well, are
| |
| | out and start over again because he's
|
| we?People use a lot more contractions in
| |
| | insane. He teaches
|
| speech than in writing.
| |
| | English at a university in Hangzhou,
|
| They're faster. More sentence fragments,
| |
| | Zhejiang Province,
|
| too. People very often
| |
| | China, and publishes the free weekly
|
| use the wrong version of lie/lay or who
| |
| | newsletter WHO MOVED
|
| whom in speaking. (I
| |
| | MY RICE?
|
