Formatting Dialog - Help!

Tia Nevitt · Nov 20, 2006

I have a completed children's picture book that consists entirely of dialog. It is aimed at prekindergartners.

How do I format this thing? With dozens of "he saids/she saids"? Or can I format it as a play (which is what I have done so far) and let the illustrator make it plain who is talking?

I want to get this thing sent off, but I have been dithering because I cannot find the answer to this question anywhere.

Thanks in advance!

Tia

Elektra · Nov 20, 2006

Forgive me, but doesn't all dialogue defeat the purpose of a book?

Silver King · Nov 20, 2006

Elektra said:
Forgive me, but doesn't all dialogue defeat the purpose of a book?

How so? As long as it's written and on the page, it's narration, not a tape recording.

Tia Nevitt · Nov 21, 2006

It is all dialog in the manner of He Bear She Bear and The Eye Book. As in He Bear She Bear, I envisioned that an illustrator would make it plain who was doing the talking. However, since I am not attempting to illustrate this thing, I'm not sure how to format the text.

Does anyone have any advice?

Tia

RhinoMom · Nov 21, 2006

Hi Tia:

How many characters are doing the talking?

I just looked through my daughter's (she is almost 3) books and usually there are dialogue tags, such as "I asked," "She said," etc. But in the case of one person talking where the dialogue served as narration, there were no tags.

I think tags help attribute the dialogue and make it less confusing for this age group...

Tia Nevitt · Nov 21, 2006

I should have mentioned that before. There are 3 children and they are running around the neighborhood having an "alphabet scavenger hunt".

Formatting Dialog - Help!

Tia Nevitt

Anywhere but here, anywhen but now

Elektra

Don't Call Me Sweetheart

Silver King

Megalops Erectus

Tia Nevitt

Anywhere but here, anywhen but now

RhinoMom

Tia Nevitt

Anywhere but here, anywhen but now