Sunday
Jun172012
Dialogue Should Be Brief
1. Dialogue should be brief.
2. It should add to the reader’s present knowledge.
3. It should eliminate the routine exchanges of ordinary conversation.
4. It should convey a sense of spontaneity but eliminate the repetitiveness of real talk.
5. It should keep the story moving forward.
6. It should be revelatory of the speaker’s character, both directly and indirectly.
7. It should show the relationships among people.
ELIZABETH BOWEN
Posted on 
Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 12:03AM
Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 12:03AM
Reader Comments (2)
It's interesting that, in contrast to ideal fictional dialogue, real conversations have wasted words, unnecessary repetition (eg 'could you just remind me...') and is often mundane. And yet...and yet real conversations are powerful, can be memorable and challenging to how we currently see the world. Should we try to cut out the ordinary bits of our real daily conversations? Maybe it's impossible. Comments?
"There wasn't any point in elaborating. Either they get it or they don't."
She stared blankly at him and said nothing.
"Why use all these words? All this detail? Nobody is going to read it, and if if they do they won't remember any of it."
She turned away, crumpling the page in her fist as she returned to the laptop.