Tag Archives: A-Z challenge

A-Z Challenge: D is for Dialogue

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Raymond Alexander Kukkee
© 2013  Raymond Alexander Kukkee Escribano                                          Escribiano  Portrait of Jean Miélot  c.1456   D is for Dialogue. Let's talk about dialogue. That is what it is, conversation between two people. it may be conversations held between two or more people, or between groups of people. As writers, we have to create dialogue. "In the written form, dialogue is usually presented in quotation marks," he said. "get it?" " I got it."  I said. That was dialogue. Nice, ordinary dialogue. Conversational. Direct.   Some trendy writers over-use the word 'dialogue' as a verb. It seems unnecessary. "Monsieur Louie LePtuie-Plumpkin,  I desire to dialogue with you"  the man in the purple smoking jacket said arrogantly, stumbling as he turned away. "Shall we dialogue this very afternoon?" "Uh-huh."  Only if you leave the booze in  the desk, sir,  Louie thought to himself. That did seem a bit unnecessary and fancy, did it not?  . "I'd like to talk to you about that"  will usually suffice.   How about you?  Do you ever use  'dialogue' as a verb? If you do, hopefully it has been used correctly. Meantime, let us keep our dialogue between characters realistic. Practice writing dialogue as it occurs in ordinary conversation. How do your characters really speak? Is the dialogue true to their character?   Let's listen in on this dialogue. "Hi, Jack!  Better get used to it, as of this morning, Sammie isn't on the writing team anymore--she called in and quit!" "No!.... boss, I...thought that might happen, --we better talk about this," Jack said,  " I talked to her last night.  Someone upset  her yesterday.  Too bad, her writing on this project has been very good." "---Hers was better than mine, --and certainly better than yours, boss, you're a terrible writer." George said, overhearing their dialogue through the open door. He poked his head out the door and laughed. " George,-- you're right,   I'll call her back this afternoon, give her a raise, and tell her she's back on the team." "Okay boss, thanks", George said,  " -- she's pretty hot,--Oh, and she overheard me dialoguing about wanting to play footsies  with her last week, oh, she's hot! - We won't regret bringing her back,-- will you boss? George winked and grinned rubbing two fingers together. "No, George, I won't regret it at all,  but you might.  She's a better writer than you are anyway, so I'll give  her your office. Find yourself a new job, you're fired."  "--But boss--no, --no, wait,  let's dialogue about that, can't we dialogue about that?  Awe, c'mon boss, I was only dialoguing." "Let me know if you ever decide to talk it over and change your neanderthal attitude, George,--go pick up your last check, bye-bye!" See?  That's what dialogue should be about. Just talking.  That's why D is for Dialogue.   Is that Incoming I hear?   Photo credit    Wikimedia commons
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A-Z Challenge: C is for Characters

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Raymond Alexander Kukkee
© 2013 Raymond Alexander Kukkee   [caption id="attachment_1134" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Cowboys on Horses, Remington, Frederic, 1861-1909. Cowboys on Horses, Remington, Frederic, 1861-1909.[/caption]   "Great characters are more likely to be main characters"   C is for Characters.  It seems as writers we are always attempting to generate new, exciting, and informative material for articles, stories and yes, even for  novels like The Fires of Waterland. I feel obligated to  mention that, because the story line in FOW is built upon characters and the specific characteristics of characters. Why is 'Fletcher Carnival Williams' named as he is?  You'll find out. He's a character. Character-building can be a challenge.  If we're lucky, it comes naturally;  if not, it can be a struggle to create characters that speak to the reader. Individuals, to be memorable characters, must surreptitiously  or otherwise work their way into the mind of the reader-and stay there. That tall girl with an eye-patch  will remain in the mind; her bland band of generic wall-flower friends gossiping at the doorway will not. Content depends upon characters; clarity and a good story line  demand the establishment of characters offering a  brand to be remembered. Well-created characters offer something distinguishable from others. Their individual characteristics may be  quirky, or they may practice an unusual habit. They may have a contrary appearance, sport something  weird, even perhaps in-your-face and  rare,  and unique. They are different, unlike their associates, identifiable --but above all, they must be memorable. Why is that necessary?  To cut to the chase, you want to make all  content  exciting and memorable. To wit,  John Smith and  Bill Brown as a pair of dusty horseback riding fools out west  would hardly be memorable characters in a posse of thirty men, but Thistlefoot John Smith and  Bill 'Rosie-nose' Brown would likely occupy the mind of the reader far beyond their initial introduction. Great characters are more likely to be main characters, lead the posse, capture the bandits and save fair maidens in runaway wagons. "Let's try and catch up to Thistlefoot and Rosie-nose,  boys!"   That's why C is for Characters.    Is that Incoming I hear?
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