Hi everyone. Me again! While working through the list of recommended reads so helpfully provided by some of you, I've decided to start a new ms too (when inspiration strikes and all that!). It's in the first person but I've noticed there's a lot of dialogue in it. Does anyone have any thoughts on dialogue and how much is too much. It reads ok to me, for now.
Thanks in advance :)
I have to agree with Jimmy. Every type of dialogue has it's place. The story I'm currently working on has a long waffly speech of no importance merely to emphasize that the main character is not listening. And I just love colloquial ums and ers and thingies. Try reading 'riddley walker' by Russel Hoban.
Adrian, how do you show that a character is long-winded by the way they DRESS???
If - in a novel - a long-winded character only speaks concisely, to the point (the point of the novel, say), and interestingly... then the novelist has failed miserably.
I agree with Lorraine.
An author should use only, 'he said', 'she said', in brief, two person conversations. Where it is obvious who is speaking there is no need for a reporting clause.
The use of, 'he said laughinlgy', 'she said decisively', are poor prose style. As descriptive narratives - they are epic fails.
Descriptive narratives as reporting clauses are rarely seen in contemporary novels. Better examples are, 'chuckled John' - 'We must act now,' she said.
Jimmy, if I wanted to describe a boring character, I would 'SHOW' it by the way they are dressed, their actions and mannerisms - not with long-winded speech.
Though, I personally, would avoid boring, uninteresting and nice characters.