The last book i've read was Ender's Game.
Going to read Speaker for the dead by Orson Scott Card.
Going to read Speaker for the dead by Orson Scott Card.
I need to cram as much information as I can into the dialogue to show how the main character thinks.
I know you asked Jim, but I'll chime in with my own answer. We'll see if Jim agrees
Emphasis is mine.
I think that right there is your first problem. Don't use dialogue as a method to cram information into the reader's brain. It's meant to be a conversation, like what between two humans. Dialogue naturally communicates--it's what it's there for, to communicate between two people. Let it do what it does, and bear in mind what would need to be said between two people. For instance, two good friends wouldn't have to say "So my boyfriend, whose name is Reginald..." They would know these things.
Hope that helps
I have a bit of a problem.
EDIT: Hey, not to be nitpicky but did you just call Calliopenjo, Jim?
But I did survive my three year sober anniversary.
Okay.
To be a writer you must be a reader.
What's the last book you read?
When?
I have a bit of a problem. I guess. The bottom line is that I've been told that the dialogue needs work. But the thing is, I need to cram as much information as I can into the dialogue to show how the main character thinks. To showcase her narrow view point.
1) Her opinion on gays and lesbians.
2) Her opinion on "lefties."
3) Her opinion about herself.
My problem, I need suggestions on where to start to fix it. I need for it to happen in a short span of time.
It always floors me when I find out that the last book someone read was "in July" or last year or something...
I go to the library about every three weeks, and seldom come home with fewer than five books. Fiction or non-fiction, whatever takes my fancy.
Read Yes Man in preparation for the movie release, devoured a book called Under Pressure: Rescuing Childhood from the Culture of Hyper-Parenting, and laughed my way through British History for Dummies.
Tomorrow I think it's time to return those and get new ones...
I'm too unorganized to go to the library--no matter my good intentions, I eventually let a book go seriously overdue and have to pay big bucks. I think of the bookstore (thrift store/yard sale) as a library where you can take as long as you want to read, don't have to return the books and there are no late fees .I'm too lazy to go to the liberry. That's what thrift stores and yard sales are for!
I wanted to ask this question, but I didn't want to make a thread about this. I don't want to start a debate over something so unimportant.
I know someone on this forum made this statement : Keep in mind that not everyone can create interesting characters.
I am not stating names or where it is. You'll have to look it up yourself.
Do you think this statement is true? It sounded very discouraging, but she might be right. I spent 4 months thinking about that, and I never had the courage to ask that.
Hoping no one over looked this.
Stephen King "Duma Key"
For all who are interested I just got back from a stay in the hospital. But I did survive my three year sober anniversary.
Of course not everyone can create interesting characters. Heck, most people in this world struggle to write a coherent grocery list. Now, if you're talking about novelists aspiring to publication, yes, I agree there too. I might be one of them. I know I write well, but I might not write well enough. I might not write character well enough.Hoping no one over looked this.
Jellyfish. We were in Florida a week before the storms hit. (Of course, the jelly was no longer alive, but it made for a cool pic.)Welcome back. I never noticed you were gone! And congrats on your 3 year anniversary.
What's that in your fingers in your avatar? It looks like an oyster.
Well done again.
I don't know. The statement sounded to me like this person can't make an interesting character and probably never will.
Wow...I knew that was a dumb question.
Uncle Jim, I have a burning question. I think I may be on to something, or maybe it's just me. Okay, when you write, do you have the "inner voice"? I don't mean your normal narrative voice, the one you hear when you read something, but kind of an outsider's voice. One telling you the story. I get that when I'm in a good flow. I get it when I'm not, but it doesn't seem as strong. I'm not saying that kind of thing is an essential part of writing, but I think it may be an essential part of MY writing. Anyone else have similar quirks?