Is it against the rules to...

There are no rules.

Well, there are maybe, but you should break them. If the chapter works, it works. No one can tell you no if that's what you want to do.

Whole plays are done in monologue. Go for it.

Is the character saying anything worth hearing?

So why even ask us?

Not that we don't enjoy feeling like advisory councils, but it sounds like you have a pretty good idea of what you're doing.

slhastings said:

Patti-

Yes. It is very important to the story. (And, very interesting)

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Mark Jeffrey had a character talk in I believe most of chapter 10 of his novel "The Pocket and the Pendant" and while this monologue was crucial to the story it also had a lot of exposition in it. Some people consider it the weakest part of the novel.

Then of course, there's also the fact that a chapter can be as long as you want it to be. If your chapter is one page long, I wouldn't worry at all about how long the character is speaking. If it's longer, just make sure the reader notices the other characters listening.

Wonder no more. Your characters can talk their heads off if they want to - and if you allow them to. Just make sure their conversations are worth listening to.

slhastings said:

have one of your characters talk almost through out an entire chapter???

Just wondering.

Thanks

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I'm glad you asked this as I can be heavy on the dialogue. Good and necessary dialogue, of course.

Dialogue

If it works, do it. Just be aware that a talking head seldom works, and it's likely you're doing a lot of telling, rather than showing.

I am always the advocate that anything is fine so long as it works.

That said.

If your character is telling a story to someone, then you may want to occasionally interject a: "But what happens next?" asked Lucy. Or a: He paused for a moment and filled his glass full to the brim. Well a little over the brim, which then stopped the story entirely until Benjamin could get him a roll of paper towel. When they had finally cleaned up the mess, Josh continued . . .

Or even you may want to consider: "And then the dragon was upon us!" "What did you do?" Josh leaned over the table and explained in great detail the battle that followed, how he had thought himself a dead man until that strange cloaked figure had entered the scene. "Who was it?" asked Lucy breathless. - see how instead of writing in first person all about the battle ie "I grabbed at his leg, but he was too quick for me, so then I had to dive out of the way as he . . ." which could just go on and on, you can get to the heart of the story much more quickly summing stuff up in one sentence of "and explained in great detail the battle that followed"

You see what I mean? The thing about exposition is that it can get tiring really quickly. However it also depends on the manner of the exposition. If the person telling the story is telling a story and not just a list of facts. If the story itself is entertaining and told well, then you should have no problem.

Good luck!