“I’d thought she’d never get here.” Sally shot me a look as she sat down on the Adirondack chair next to me. She eyed me warily. “Were you talking to me?” “No. Why would you think that?” I paused, looked away. “She’s so paranoid.” “Are you schizophrenic?” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m sitting right here.” “Sheesh, touchy,” I said softly. Then, “What are you talking about? How are you?” I smiled. She stared at me like I’d turned purple. I laughed. “I was internal monologueing.” “Out loud?” “So you could hear it.” “Please tell me that’s not what you really think. I don’t mean to be late –“ “Calm down, Sally, it was just for teaching purposes. But if you were reading that, it would certainly add a bit of […]
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Conversations: How to make your dialogue pop!
“It’s so hot, I think I’m melting. I haven’t been able to write for three days.” Sally held a blended mocha, sweat glistening on her forehead as she plunked down on the Adirondack chair next to me. “Really? What, has your brain turned to mush? Are you fingers slipping off the keyboard?” She stared at me, frowning. “Ouch.” “If you want to be a writer, Sally, you have to press on. Do you want to be a writer? Or just a wannabe?” “I think I’m going to take my mocha elsewhere.” “There’s no crying in writing, bay-bee. I once wrote a book while living in a garage without plumbing, heat or electricity. Believe me, I had reasons not to write. You have to press on, like a mailman, through sleet […]
Read the RestConversations: Adding Punch to your dialogue by creating Meaningful Action
“You look upset,” Sally said as she sat down on the deck. She wore a white shirt, her hair pulled back in a sixties’ style headband and a sleek summer tan. I sighed, stirring my frappucino. “I just had a difficult conversation with my son about his driving skills.” “Did you argue?” “No. And that’s the problem. He said everything right. It’s what he didn’t say that bothered me.” She frowned. “We were driving into town. He was riding beside me, his elbow out the window, when I broached the topic. I mentioned that we’d seen him driving in town recently a little too recklessly, and if he wanted to drive our cars he’d have to slow down.” “And?” “He said, ‘Sure, Mom. Whatever.’” “That doesn’t sound–” “He was scrolling […]
Read the RestConversations: Subtexting and the flow of Dialogue
“My husband is driving me crazy.” Sally sat down on the Adirondack chair facing the morning sun, lifted her face to it, closed her eyes. “I just want to sit here and not talk.” I raised an eyebrow. “Did you have a nice visit to your mother-in-law’s house this weekend?” She opened an eye. “My husband and I rode home in two-and-a-half hours of stone silence.” “Ah,” I said. “Silence that speaks a thousand words. A form of dialogue in itself, which is what I wanted to talk to you about today.” “How is silence a form of dialogue?” “I’m certain you communicated, even if you didn’t use words, right?” She made a face. I laughed. “Great dialogue raises conflict and contains subtexting about the deeper issues of the story.” […]
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