tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post5723133043420105349..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Do You Have Too Much Dialogue? Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-15406518006086221332022-12-30T09:57:54.467-05:002022-12-30T09:57:54.467-05:00Oh good! I love dialogue, and use a lot of it. My ...Oh good! I love dialogue, and use a lot of it. My first passes in a scene are more dialogue than anything else. <br /><br />The problem isn't so much a lot of dialogue, but a lot of "empty dialogue," which is dialogue that does nothing but fill space. <br /><br />Here's an article I wrote on that to help you there: http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/06/talking-on-empty-perils-of-empty-dialog.html<br /><br />Yes, dialogue should serve the story in some way, but fun banter is a common way to show chemistry between characters, so it works, even it it's "just" banter. Banter can help characterize. <br /><br />Trust your gut :) And your crit partners or beta readers. Write the amount of dialogue that feels right to you. You can always tweak it later if readers point it out as not working for whatever reason. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-75028004899296236522022-12-25T20:17:21.757-05:002022-12-25T20:17:21.757-05:00I know this article was written a while back but I...I know this article was written a while back but I've always had the issue of wondering if I'm overusing dialogue. I saw videos saying each line should reveal something and that useless banter was bad. <br /><br />I misinterpreted this as having characters conversing for too long being bad so I had extreme writer's block because I doubted my skill. This article helped me to open up my mind a whole lot as my lines were actually important for character development and were actually good. <br /><br />Thank you for your useful input. I'll be sure to credit you when I've finished the whole thing.Danielnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-65345009862900231522020-11-20T06:01:41.338-05:002020-11-20T06:01:41.338-05:00Don't do it. Just don't.Don't do it. Just don't.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06842810431959101654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-72099754478912573262018-01-31T14:14:00.215-05:002018-01-31T14:14:00.215-05:00Every Thursday I have indie authors talking about ...Every Thursday I have indie authors talking about the process, so I suggest you start there and read up on it. There are plenty of low-cost options. Amazon doesn't charge anything to publish your book, though you'd want to spend some money on getting a cover designed and the manuscript edited and proofread. <br /><br />Here's a link to get you started: http://blog.janicehardy.com/2014/05/14-questions-to-ask-before-you-self.html<br /><br />And another that talks about costs: http://blog.janicehardy.com/2013/07/what-you-really-want-to-know-about-self.html<br /><br />And here's the full list of all the self publishing articles. You can read up on what you need to.<br /><br />http://blog.janicehardy.com/search/label/indie%20authorsJanice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-45832352816438949372018-01-31T13:55:34.739-05:002018-01-31T13:55:34.739-05:00Thank you. I plan on self-publishing my writing. D...Thank you. I plan on self-publishing my writing. Do you know how I don't have to spend alot of money for it? Ms. Albinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-71627918574568647972018-01-23T09:19:02.269-05:002018-01-23T09:19:02.269-05:00You might look for ways to break up the text more ...You might look for ways to break up the text more so it's not one big block. Readers tend to skim when they see that much text. <br /><br />You can add some thoughts from the POV character as they react to this story, or have someone ask a question, or stop the speaker to add a detail. Listen and watch how people tell stories and notice the breaks and pauses they do. <br /><br />The goal is to make it sound like a person talking and not like you're reading a summary of something. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-47967365793729325232018-01-07T13:56:37.930-05:002018-01-07T13:56:37.930-05:00I have a question in my WIP. I have two priestesse...I have a question in my WIP. I have two priestesses telling the evil sea deity's story. <br /><br />Example: <br /><br />The evil sea deities’ parents had the gray death long ago when he was a human and a prince,” She continued. “The evil sea deity when he was mortal was named Ruben as in his name before he was born. His parents Jacqueline and Aland were getting older,” <br /><br />Priestess Cara replied. “It took a lot of tries for the queen before she could have children, if she did it, it would be a difficult pregnancy and it was. Long after Ruben was born, the king and queen spoiled there child until he got older and had adventures of his own. One day King Aland was on a hut getting food but what had happened… was his friend shot a bow and arrow into his leg. Then blood gushed from that wound. Priestess Seraphina got out the bow and arrow and then cleaned it. The king was in bed for a few days and he was getting angry so the maid named Opal went to the market place to sell what she had made. Opal made bread, cheese, and some tea that was in a basket. Lucian Raphael, a bird merchant had a lot of different birds and ones who could sing so Opal talked Lucian Raphael into trading bread and cheese for one of the birds that was blue and gray and green,” She drank some water before continuing the tale. “This bird was in a cage. It was brought to the king. The bird sang and sang for the king until one night. The kingdom grew ill with this unknown illness until their bodies became grey and they died. Then the priestess Seraphina told that no one could come into the palace. Everyone in the kingdom was died and on one was alive. The bird was sick with the grey death so the bird died too. One day, Ruben came back to the palace. Not a soul was alive the kingdom was in shambles. He vowed on finding the name of the guy who gave the birds to his parents. Ruben wanted revenge for what had happened. “ <br /><br />Priestess Zarya went on. “The maid Opal left the kingdom when everyone was sick and then she fell into the sea and she was changed into a mermaid with an indigo tail. Lucian Raphael died from an eel-like creator zapping him with electricity when Ruben found him and became the evil sea deity from the eel-like creators master a dark priest with magic powers. Then Ruben wanted to find the descendant of Lucian Raphael who he thought to be Princess Leilani. Lucian Raphael’s descendant was a mermaid named Luciana,” <br /><br /><br />Is there a way for me to revise this? <br /><br />Thank you. Ms. Albinanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-75203946242308315802016-04-11T09:00:40.159-04:002016-04-11T09:00:40.159-04:00Most welcome, glad it helped :)Most welcome, glad it helped :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-25479399250819207912016-04-08T20:19:01.092-04:002016-04-08T20:19:01.092-04:00Oh my gosh this is exactly the type of help I'...Oh my gosh this is exactly the type of help I've been looking for half the day. Thank you so much!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5358402036282299542015-01-06T11:32:23.645-05:002015-01-06T11:32:23.645-05:00Thank you!! The zooming out advice is great. Also,...Thank you!! The zooming out advice is great. Also, reimagining what is considered "action" is incredibly helpful!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14849186903948260385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-63319686696978384942015-01-06T08:10:34.009-05:002015-01-06T08:10:34.009-05:00It can be a handy too for sure. It can be a handy too for sure. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-79782239509186829812015-01-06T08:10:19.055-05:002015-01-06T08:10:19.055-05:00Thanks, hope it works out well for you.Thanks, hope it works out well for you.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-67283767043518942142015-01-06T08:10:06.644-05:002015-01-06T08:10:06.644-05:00Thanks! I think writers do a lot of things to avoi...Thanks! I think writers do a lot of things to avoid breaking a "rule" sometimes, and it's good to remind ourselves that it's the story that matters most, and as long as we focusing on the best storytelling we can, the rest usually works itself out.<br /><br />Good luck with your edits.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-19850669740185492352015-01-06T08:08:17.742-05:002015-01-06T08:08:17.742-05:00Hoe it works well for you ;)Hoe it works well for you ;)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-69712129404485255022015-01-05T17:09:14.511-05:002015-01-05T17:09:14.511-05:00Wow, I love the idea of zooming out. I do it all t...Wow, I love the idea of zooming out. I do it all the time by accident, now that can have a purpose!H. R. Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06715450637785127208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-1659786926257006382015-01-05T15:13:03.312-05:002015-01-05T15:13:03.312-05:00Fantastic tips Janice, I will take all of it and u...Fantastic tips Janice, I will take all of it and use it for my Nanowrimo draft. Thank you.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09838899709566995304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-48239028735576303022015-01-05T15:01:57.166-05:002015-01-05T15:01:57.166-05:00I like the way you presented your case. Shrinking...I like the way you presented your case. Shrinking page size down so you can compare several pages for line-length is a brilliant suggestion! I think this phenomenon is caused by over-zealous devotion to the "show, don't tell" mantra. <br /><br />My very fine editor, Renee Vaughn, spotted this flaw in my manuscript right away, and I am doing my best to correct that. Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02063337064422578885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-53884356474041769962015-01-05T11:32:12.423-05:002015-01-05T11:32:12.423-05:00Great suggestions! I'll have to try that visua...Great suggestions! I'll have to try that visual test on my next MS.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.com