All Questions
81 questions
35
votes
10
answers
11k
views
My story is written in English, but is set in my home country. What language should I use for the dialogue?
I'm an amateur writer from the Philippines. I am writing a novelette for an international writing contest. My story is written in English, but is set here, in my country, with my POV character being ...
28
votes
10
answers
4k
views
Using colloquialisms the reader may not be familiar with
I'm from Ireland, most of my stories take place in Ireland, and many of my characters will speak with Irish accents and/or dialects to varying degrees. For the most part I think this is OK, and can ...
- 1,944
22
votes
5
answers
6k
views
I'm getting tired of "he said" "she said" in dialogue; how do I get around it?
I get tired of "he said", "she said", "they replied". Is there a better, but still reasonable way, to indicate dialogue?
- 809
19
votes
11
answers
7k
views
How to write realistic female dialogue
I just can't make my dialogue sound like it's being said by a woman. As a friend of mine pointed out, "This woman talks just like you, Jack."
I tried imitating the speech patterns of various females ...
- 1,329
19
votes
7
answers
114k
views
Must every piece of speech get its own paragraph?
I've had a few people read pieces of narrative writing I've done, and they seem to take issue with the fact that I sometimes put a piece of speech inline with the rest of a non-dialogue paragraph, ...
- 589
18
votes
9
answers
4k
views
Referencing modern pop culture in science fiction
A geek today is quite likely to reference the pop culture of 30 years ago: "Do or do not, there is no try", "Beam me up, Scotty" and "Ground control to Major Tom" are easily and commonly recognisable. ...
17
votes
9
answers
6k
views
Does misspelling words for the sake of bad English improve the immersion or distract the reader?
I am trying to write a character that speaks English poorly. I do not want to grossly misspell words for sounds or use bad grammar. I find those techniques to sound juvenile and the bad grammar is ...
- 3,739
14
votes
4
answers
9k
views
Has anyone ever written a novel or short story composed of only dialogue? [closed]
The participants describe everything needed for the story to continue, within the conversation. The environment, the emotions, everything. The reader gets to "see" it all through their words.
Has it ...
- 251
14
votes
4
answers
21k
views
How to create varying, yet realistic, speech patterns
Different characters speak differently. If someone reads me a letter written by an immediate relative, I can tell right away who wrote it. I believe --and correct me if I'm wrong-- that giving each ...
- 1,329
14
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Striking the balance between dialogue and narrative
I am participating in National Novel Writing Month this year. I have never in my life written so much of a single story. Although I am supposed to tell my inner editor to shut up this month, she is ...
- 1,995
14
votes
2
answers
668
views
What are methods to refer to something that happened but did not make it onto the page?
As writers we're supposed to know more about our stories than the words that make it onto the page. Can a character refer to something that happened, but happened off-page? As the writer, I know that ...
- 23.8k
13
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Writing 19th century upperclass English dialog
I was recently rereading bits of Pride and Prejudice and the dialog is absolutely brilliant. How can I learn to write dialog that sounds like it is from this general era? For example are there any ...
- 233
12
votes
5
answers
2k
views
How should dialog be formatted?
Is there any "official" rule that I should keep in mind when formatting character dialog?
Line breaks, placement of quotes, mixing dialog with action descriptions etc.
For example, I want to build a ...
- 1,411
11
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Using "show not tell" while characters are planning for something that happens
In a narrative I'm writing, the characters have to plan an escape from a facility. The thing is, they'll be doing the actual escape in the chapter following them planning. I know usually the right way ...
- 1,185
11
votes
4
answers
861
views
How do you avoid the problem of all the characters in your story sounding the same?
There's a common flaw that I can easily detect in amateur writing, (and of course my own) which essentially boils down to all the characters "sounding the same", dialogue-wise anyway. Trying to ...
- 301
11
votes
2
answers
493
views
Colloquial speech in pre-modern setting
Following this question, I'm struggling with writing the speech of pre-modern (in my case - 5th century) noble-born children among themselves.
Characters who are well-educated would not be making ...
10
votes
8
answers
4k
views
Is italicizing parts of dialogue for emphasis ever appropriate?
Is it ever appropriate to use italics to emphasize parts of dialogue to show which words the speakers is putting emphasis on? I used to do this quite frequently, but I was told that this was a sign of ...
- 4,664
10
votes
9
answers
77k
views
How to convey (screaming) hysterics in dialogue
It happens to most if not all of us. Something extremely emotional happens to us and we're just hysterical. Logic doesn't work. You contemplate punching a wall because that will help . . . somehow. ...
- 337
10
votes
2
answers
816
views
What is generally the accepted format style for telepathic communication in the midst of verbal communication?
At this point in my story, it's already been revealed that 2 characters share a telepathic link with one another that allows them to communicate to each other with their minds.
"Now before we ...
- 1,042
8
votes
7
answers
436
views
What aspects of written dialogue are important when giving characters a unique voice?
I have a project that I am working on in which I need to write quite a few fictional informal email correspondences between pairs of characters. I am not using these characters in any other context.
...
7
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What is the correct way to write dialogue? [duplicate]
When writing dialogue I usually just make one character say whatever I want them to say and then write "said" at the end, but I feel like I'm doing it wrong.
What is the correct way to write ...
- 149
7
votes
6
answers
47k
views
How to simulate someone talking with a full mouth?
If, for example, someone said : "How are you today?", how would you go about "translating" this into sounding like they were talking with a full-mouth? Like, phonetically.
- 2,041
7
votes
5
answers
305
views
Trudy said - or - said Trudy?
Hope someone can tell me if there are any "rules" about placement of the verb 'said.'
As any avid reader knows, 'said' regularly appears before and after the subject who is speaking. Is ...
- 551
7
votes
4
answers
535
views
How do I apply Hemingway's dialogue techniques to my own writing?
I open Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises at random (chapter 9).
'I haven't seen you since I've been back,' Brett said.
'No.'
'How are you, Jake?'
'Fine.'
Brett looked at me. 'I say,' she said, ...
6
votes
5
answers
3k
views
How to write a character who's better than you at sounding professional and doublespeak
I have a character who is an expert at using language to his advantage. Both in terms of doublespeak, subtle put downs and deliberately avoiding the point and making the conversation about something ...
- 607
6
votes
5
answers
19k
views
Using dashes in writing dialogue
Does anyone use em dashes (or two hyphens) to denote speakers in dialogue passages? Joyce does this as does William Gaddis. Many others. I practice it, but my only "conceptual understanding" ...
- 1,008
5
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Ways to show someone is whispering without using "he whispered"
I've seen a lot of advice that says you should scrap all non-'said' dialogue tags. I can see the value of this, but I'm not sure how to make it work in every instance.
It's pretty easy to show things ...
- 607
5
votes
5
answers
36k
views
How should I write "shush" in a narrative?
I said shshshsh! I know I could say shush, but there are times when I really have to say shshshshsh. What would be the best way of writing this. Maybe Shhhhhh?
- 183
5
votes
4
answers
839
views
Is it dull to have a world where all characters cannot speak properly?
I am thinking about setting my story in a postapocalyptic world where all art and literature are gone, and people are mostly illiterate. People lost the ability to formulate deep thoughts, became ...
- 3,837
5
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Is inner monologue a bad way to show character traits?
Is directly showing a characters inner thoughts and conversations with themselves too telly or cheesy?
- 351
5
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Are there exceptions to starting a new paragraph for every speaker?
I know that it's one of the golden rules to start a new paragraph every time there's dialogue from a new speaker, but my conundrum is this: what if the two bits of dialogue are sharing a sentence?
...
- 51
5
votes
5
answers
608
views
How do you handle slang with questionable spelling?
Imagine the following common conversation:
Q: What are you up to?
A. The usual
Now imagine it spoken by certain kids these days:
Q: What are you up to?
A: The yooooshj.
My question pertains to the ...
- 333
5
votes
4
answers
1k
views
Can dialogue be put in the same paragraph as action text?
I'm a beginner writer, trying to learn fundementals. I'm editing some work now and I'm confused about proper formatting of paragraphs with dialogue.
I know that you should start a new paragraph when ...
- 51
5
votes
2
answers
492
views
Using comma splices in dialogue
At university, it was drilled into us to avoid comma splices like the plague, but I keep seeing them in all different types of famous, best-selling novels.
I read things (all in dialogue, in inverted ...
- 979
5
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Proper way to punctuate an abrupt stopping of speech?
I'd like to properly punctuate one of my characters being stopped in speech, followed by a sentence that explains that the character didn't have time to finish. It's going to be something like this, ...
- 569
5
votes
2
answers
180
views
How to write dialogue where only some of the words matter?
Occasionally in a novel, you have a point where there is dialogue, but only parts of it matter. You usually see this where the hero conveniently catches only the words he needs to hear:
He could ...
5
votes
5
answers
5k
views
How to format multiple inner voices, differentiating the text from dialogue? and omnipresent inner voice
For the occasional use of inner voice, Italics are usually recommended.
However I have a protagonist who is speaking with himself all the time, and Italics use quickly becomes tiring and distracting....
4
votes
5
answers
520
views
Punctuating Thoughts
Following my question here I am still unsure if it is a 'hard and fast' rule to italicise thoughts.
My preference is to use normal quotation marks, so that if a person is thinking in a dialogue ...
- 1,430
4
votes
3
answers
604
views
Internal Dialog - First or Second Person
I'm writing a story in third person. When writing internal dialog, should I use first person or second person? Does it matter? Should I be consistent in the entire story? Should I be consistent for a ...
- 631
4
votes
1
answer
207
views
Writing a third person limited protagonist without any inner dialogue
I want to write a protagonist that thinks as I do; that is to say, without any inner monologue. I don't even think in images either. It's just abstract thoughts for me. If a place reminds me of my ...
- 41
3
votes
6
answers
280
views
Can I use spoken English at some places over 'technically accurate English' in a general fiction?
I have written my novel as a 'first person singular' and in past tense. There are lot of times in it where I have written it as I will say it while speaking. I have used phrases which have implied ...
- 2,399
3
votes
3
answers
880
views
How to write English in Merlin (TV Series) style?
I find the writing style of the show Merlin to be very good, and much better than current/modern English usage. Details about the show can be found at IMDB's Merlin page, and Wikipedia's entry about ...
- 131
3
votes
3
answers
913
views
Should ending punctuation be put before or after an ellipsis? Compare ?..., ...?, !... and ...!
Through reading some self-published novels, I have noticed some writers in their character dialogue put an exclamation mark or question mark before an ellipsis and sometimes after. However I am not ...
- 41
3
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Quotes or no, for Hiccup
I have a character unleash a monster hiccup in a scene. I'd like advice regarding whether or not it should be in quotes.
Here's the scene, in summary
"Hiccup!" Jane tried not to look embarrassed.
[...
- 808
3
votes
4
answers
894
views
How to deal with cliche dialogue?
The following is from a story I'm writing:
"Goodbye Choco," my mother said, to end the prayer, “may your soul
rest in peace,” and crossed herself.
“Sorry I couldn’t come earlier,” I said. “I’...
- 12.4k
3
votes
4
answers
364
views
Trying to figure out the correct type punctuation for dialogues
I'm currently writing a story which so far is going well, but I reached a point in the story where I don't know how to proceed. When a character is talking, I write their dialogue just like this:
"...
- 33
3
votes
2
answers
281
views
Indent dialogue to make text look less blocky
I am writing a story but I am trying to indent the dialog because right now it looks like a chunk of text.
My text is
Then a figure under the box moved behind Professor to which John yelled “...
- 279
3
votes
2
answers
557
views
How should these be formatted? In quotes or italics?
I have a dilemma here and I hope any one of you can help me with this: I have been using double quotation marks for dialogues and italics for internal dialogues but I have no idea how to categorise ...
- 45
3
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Mixing dialogue and action in the same paragraph?
I know you can add dialogue to the same paragraph as an action to show who's talking, but what happens when a character is making a speech and it's broken up by actions (hand movements, looking at ...
- 31
2
votes
4
answers
274
views
Doing walls of text dialogue right
Shakespeare did it, he did it quite a lot of times, but there are a few problems with it:
He was a screenwriter in an age, where we couldn't afford building enough sets (or cities that don't catch on ...
- 3,347