Dialogue

      In order to tell the difference between *real* conversation and the dreaded Background Thinly Disguised As Conversation, ask yourself:

      • Is the action of the story being advanced by the conversation? (Action = Change of situation). If no, there's a good chance you've just done a BTDAC.

      • One of the most significant and usual actions caused by conversation is changes in the characters. Is this happening? Has the attitude of the listener changed, especially his attitude toward either the speaker or the subject of the speech, as a result of what was said? If no, that's a good indication that the conversation was uneccessary.

      • Are the conversants accomplishing the purpose they want to accomplish? If they don't seem to HAVE any purpose other than talking or "informing" that's a pretty good indication that it's a BTDAC.

      • Is what they are talking about something that it is reasonable to assume they would have had the chance or reason to talk about in the past? If so, BTDAC.

      • Avoid chunks of exposition: if one person delivers a speech with more than half a dozen sentences in it, or we have half a dozen lines without any significant input by any other person, you are probably lecturing. Examples of non significant input: "Oh." "Are you sure?" "What happened to..?" or other phrases that basically say "Tell me more."

      Don't EVER use the phrase "As you already know..." except in broad satire :)

      Don't have one character tell another about something that already happened, UNLESS the listener is changed in some important way by hearing, especially if it changes his attitude or feelings about the speaker or the subject of the conversation.

      For each sentence spoken, ask yourself; what is the speaker trying to accomplish? If the answer is nothing more than "to inform to listener of " then you need to seriously rethink his motives. It's true that sometimes people just talk to be talking, or to pass on information but this kind of conversation seldom has any real place in a fiction story.

      If it is dialogue the POV is hearing he should have some detectable or deduceable reaction to it. If he doesn't care, why should we? If the POV is speaking, what is the effect he wishes to produce in the listener? Does this effect advance the story? If not, consider leaving it out.

      Read your dialogue out loud. It should sound natural.

      Try to avoid colloquialisms and accents unless you are trying to emphasize a stereotype. Absolutely don't use them for the POV. Remember, accents are meant to emphasize a difference. From the POV's perspective, he doesn't HAVE an accent.

       

       

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