Characters in a good novel really carry the story along more than any other concept in writing. A problem I too often see in my clients' writing is stale dialogue; the kind that sounds like every character is the same person.
Have you ever listened to people while at a party or in a crowd at the store? People speak in this country with many wonderful dialects. Learning to incorporate different ways of speaking will cause your characters to jump off the page appearing to be actual people. This is very important. Your readers must be able to identify and relate to those characters that drive your story.
How to do this is not complicated. When you are fleshing out your characters, do so with a notebook. Take your time and brainstorm about what kind of person each character is from appearance, career, education, family influence, idiosyncrasies, nationality, etc. By researching and developing your characters, you will come to know them like best friends. These fictional characters will actually lead you as you write.
For example - Your antagonist is an uneducated young man, rough, with a mental disorder. Which dialogue should you use to bring this character to life?
"I won't do it, no matter how you try to convince me. In fact, you are causing me great turmoil." Michael sat down, crossed his legs and sighed.
Or ?
"Hell no I ain't gonna do dat! No way, man. What, you's think I'm a freakin' idiot? You really on my nerves, man. Hey man, I gotta a gun that'll fit in yer fat mouth real good, if you's don't shut up." Michael paced back and forth, mumbling to himself, picking something off his shirt that wasn't there.
The first example isn't true to the Michael character at all. He sounds like any other person on the street, giving you no clues to his real personality. However, the second example tells you a few things about him; the manner in which he speaks shows that he is uneducated, angry, and rude. His actions tell the reader that he is seeing things that aren't there, showing - not telling - that he has a problem with reality. In just a few sentences of dialogue, you have given the reader valuable information about Michael that would take an entire page to tell in narrative form.
Affective dialogue will move your story along much faster than writing paragraphs of description that could end up stalling your story. Dialogue is active writing that will put your readers in touch with your characters unlike any other story dynamic. Being true to your characters, and how they relate to the rest of the story, will be the most important writing dynamic of your book.
Jillanne Kimble is the Acquisitions Editor for Kimble McKay Literary Arts Group. They help writers become authors in the traditional publishing industry through time-tested methods, full support, and their huge databases of agents and publishers who are looking for new talent. You can reach her at http://www.kimblemckay.netfirms.com; or http://www.kimblemckay.netfirms.com.
cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareIt would be very selfless or noble of me to... Read More
Chaos and confusion come when established rules and procedures are... Read More
If your cash is running out fast and you have... Read More
If you are reading this article then you probably have... Read More
No matter what your fifth-grade English teacher says, some grammar... Read More
~TYPES~You Want Us to Write What? Understanding the Task AssignedWhich... Read More
11 Secrets from an Experienced InterviewerOne of the unwritten rules... Read More
FIVE MINUTES ... Is All You Need ........to phone a... Read More
When you get stuck for ideas, and the words won't... Read More
Want to write an article or book, but are stuck... Read More
Dave, I just got a contract for a book... Read More
Sit back, and imagine what it feels like to be... Read More
Started a book and then got bogged down? Like many... Read More
If you're targeting an educated, more affluent audience with your... Read More
During the years that I've been teaching writing and participating... Read More
You're writing a story set in your local city, but... Read More
The Benefits of Co-Publishing There are a number of publishers,... Read More
The freelance writing market is a growing market to be... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?You are plotting the story. You write... Read More
Writers often get stuck because they make assumptions about writing,... Read More
Many of us dream of writing a book. Why not.... Read More
All your publishing options are as follows:--Conventional publishing--Vanity or subsidy... Read More
What do you mean, you don't have a website yet?... Read More
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More
Compiling a list of the history's ten best writers is... Read More
limo O'Hare Glen Ellyn ..It is certainly true that we don't get a second... Read More
Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio... Read More
When I was young, I used to talk to myself.... Read More
The purpose of this article is to consider Print-On-Demand publishing... Read More
We've all seen those ads that grab our attention and... Read More
So many clients come to me as a book or... Read More
Whether you're interviewing for a new job, trying to woo... Read More
FERRETING OUT WORK You keep hearing that there's work out... Read More
Typically when falling asleep in bed at night great thoughts... Read More
Simply put, it is the art of writing scripts for... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?What a plot is and what a... Read More
Writing is a personal and introspective process. To share with... Read More
Connectors -- conjunctions, punctuation, and transitional phrases -- allow readers... Read More
Have you ever wondered why certain writers are able to... Read More
Agents and publishing houses have their best interests at heart,... Read More
There is no doubt that a staff writer enjoys advantages... Read More
Do you know what a query letter is? If so,... Read More
Every writer expends a great deal of creative energy developing... Read More
A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few... Read More
Writing for the web is very different from writing for... Read More
Open up your favorite calendar and circle today's date.Why? Because... Read More
I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More
"If you want to change your life," Harry Beckwith wrote... Read More
Do you want to publish something? An article, a non-fiction... Read More
In the words of Aristotle, "happiness is self contentedness helping... Read More
Writing |