Timeline for Writing compelling dialogue
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
14 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 20, 2018 at 20:11 | comment | added | rus9384 | Seriously, this style of writing is awesome if the narrator is close to become a schizophrenic. But not a person with meaningful thoughts. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 20:53 | comment | added | Wildcard | "Without the details about the character's background thrown in between, no one will really come to life." This is a false premise. The details actually prevent the scene from coming to life. They make it extremely dense and almost impossible to read. If you've only got 1000 words, stop trying to fill in every tiny detail and tell the story you want to tell. Make every word count and let the reader imagine the backstory however they wish. Readers have to contribute to the story to make it art, after all. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 15:08 | comment | added | wetcircuit | I'm not here to insult you. I'm trying to encourage you to communicate 1 thing clearly, and a 2nd thing subtly, rather than piling up a too-small plate with "a little bit of everything" that runs together into mush. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 15:03 | comment | added | Soha Farhin Pine | Well, I'm definitely not a true writer and I'm just trying my hand at short stories, so there's bound to be issues in it. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 15:01 | comment | added | Soha Farhin Pine | This is part of a short story which has to be under 1000 words. I don't have too much space to work in. It needs to be short and compelling at the same time. Without the details about the character's background thrown in between, no one will really come to life. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 15:01 | comment | added | wetcircuit | I disagree. The only way these people will come to life is by staying present in this scene with them. Having a word-limit is even more reason to stick with only what matters right here and now. You need to focus the scene on this moment between these people, not channel surf through worldbuilding and backstory. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 14:49 | comment | added | wetcircuit | Look at the picture in my answer. More signposts won't make this clearer to understand. You have way too much exposition clutter in the scene, including a flashback to his 1st birthday. This is not how people think while having a conversation. I don't "fill in" factoids about a person's childhood while making smalltalk. Show me the conversation and let it be awkward, rather than telling me each beat is awkward because of CHARACTER FACTOID A, CHARACTER FACTOID B... | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 14:43 | comment | added | Soha Farhin Pine | I thought you might be able to understand the context better. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 14:42 | comment | added | wetcircuit | The edits haven't changed the issue of scene/motive confusion, or my answer. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 14:41 | comment | added | Soha Farhin Pine | I added the 2 paragraphs that went before it. See the edit. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 14:40 | comment | added | wetcircuit | "Abrupt" and "booming". I do not have it wrong, these are your words painting a picture of her intent. If there is miscommunication to the reader how will you correct them? | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 14:38 | comment | added | Soha Farhin Pine | What you have got wrong is that she wasn't yelling at him at the start. She just spoke suddenly and loud enough for him to break out of his reverie and respond to her. | |
| Oct 18, 2018 at 14:27 | history | edited | wetcircuit | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
added 1342 characters in body
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| Oct 18, 2018 at 13:50 | history | answered | wetcircuit | CC BY-SA 4.0 |