Editcast 02 – Dialogue
Editcast 02 posted 12 Oct 2009
Kelley talks about using dialogue to reveal character and advance the story.
See Nicola’s companion post on dialogue.
Posted by: Kelley
Editing, mentoring and coaching for writers
Editcast 02 posted 12 Oct 2009
Kelley talks about using dialogue to reveal character and advance the story.
See Nicola’s companion post on dialogue.
Posted by: Kelley
Thank you for this! It was VERY useful.
Our pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it.
Brilliant! Not only educational but I found it entertaining as well. Well done.
You sure pack a lot into five minutes. I agree, that was very useful. I’m weak on elements outside the dialogue–like facial expressions and tone. I did wonder, though, when you edited it to “with a speculative look,” if that isn’t a bit vague. Do you have an opinion on whether one needs to physically describe the expression–furrowed brow or something?
By the way, do you take requests? How about an editcast on how to describe facial expressions? One I come across constantly, pursed lips, I have no idea what that actually looks like! Maybe just me…
Thank you all! Glad you enjoyed it.
@Elaine, I think sometimes using an emotionally-descriptive phrase is more effective than a specific facial expression, even though it is more general. The thing is, a furrowed brow can mean any number of things: anger, confusion, speculation, judgment, etc. And it’s a particular facial expression that gets used a lot in fiction because it can express so many different feelings. In this way, the description is specific, but it’s still a bit of a writing cliche.
But since we all as individuals have our own way of facially expressing emotions, sometimes being specific about the underlying emotion will allow us as readers to fill in the expression with our own ideas, our own muscle movements. I can actually sometimes feel my face wanting to try out expressions when I read… and sometimes as a writer, it’s better in my opinion to give readers that freedom to put their own stamp on the character sometimes.
You know those drawstring bags you make at camp when you’re a kid? Imagine someone threading a string through above your top lip, and below your lower lip, and then pulling the string tight as if closing a purse. That’s the extreme version of pursed lips. The basic notion is that all the muscles around one’s mouth are tight. It’s a feeling I associate with being frustrated, disapproving, or sometimes extremely focused. But your comment — that you don’t actually know what it looks like — is exactly why I think that sometimes it’s better to use the emotional/general description and let people fill in their own body language.
I’ll think about a facial expressions editcast. It’s a great idea, and we are always open to requests.
[...] Let’s talk. No really, it’s all about dialogue. Dialogue can sometimes make the difference between awesome or bland characters. Striking the right balance is a technique, so head over to Sterling Editing where you can find three great posts: How Not to Write Dialogue; How to Write Dialogue; and a nifty Editcast on Dialogue. [...]
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““Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader. Not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon. – E.L. Doctorow.
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