Challenge 03/JT
My apologies for being so late in arriving with this challenge. I shall probably grouse about the reasons in my own LJ, but for now, I'd better get on with it.
Challenge number three is in the Just Technical category. Your task this month is as follows: pick three (or more) characters. These must include the pop boy whose 'voice' you find it hardest to grasp-because after all, this is a *challenge*, yes? If you feel very brave, pick the three you find most difficult! Think of it as practice for Make The Yuletide Gay, in which you will of course be handed the pairings you least wanted to write...
Your fic is to be a scene with lots of dialogue that involves all three (or more) characters. The Technical aspect is that you are to pay special attention to the dialogue tags-try to make sure you lead your reader through the dialogue so that it is always clear who is speaking, but without making the 'tags' obtrusive.
Ready? Okay, then, off you go. Ficlets to be posted to this community by November 25th, with the header Challenge 03/JT and your name, and lj-cut, please.
Dialogue tags are intended to lead the reader through dialogue, so that she always knows who is speaking and how the conversation is going. Ever read a pageful of one-liners with no "so-and-so said" anywhere in sight? Didja get lost? Well, that is what we want to avoid.
The classic tag is the simplest. He said.
The word 'said' is more or less invisible. When writing, you can repeat it as often as you need to.
You can, occasionally, add an adverb or an adverbial phrase. Chris said, morosely or Lance said, in a voice that dripped with sarcasm. This is most useful where it isn't clear from the actual words of the speech what the mood or intention of the speaker is-don't overdo it.
You can also substitute synonyms for 'said'. Your character can mutter, whisper, shout, bellow, etc. But please, make sure that the word you use actually means 'said'. If it actually means something else, it won't do! And do not do this very often. Save it until you *have* to use a more colourful verb than 'said'.
You don't have to 'tag' dialogue with the 'he said' formula. You can interrupt your morsel of dialogue with an action instead. Thus: "That's dumb." Chris reached for the last doughnut. "You should probably sue." However, be careful with this. It is easy to make it look as though you think 'laughed' or 'shrugged' or 'pondered' is a synonym for 'said', so make it clear that this is an action carried out by the person who is speaking. (Getting the punctuation right will help.)
And of course, your dialogue does not *always* need a tag. If it is clear who is speaking, you can omit the tag. This is why the challenge requires at least three people in the conversation!
For a bit more on tags, try
http://palidormedia.com/james/editor/lesson1.html
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=36188954&postID=1148792196283268143
http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/tip4.html
http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/said.shtml
And this is for tips on dialogue:
http://www.pammc.com/dialogue.htm
Challenge number three is in the Just Technical category. Your task this month is as follows: pick three (or more) characters. These must include the pop boy whose 'voice' you find it hardest to grasp-because after all, this is a *challenge*, yes? If you feel very brave, pick the three you find most difficult! Think of it as practice for Make The Yuletide Gay, in which you will of course be handed the pairings you least wanted to write...
Your fic is to be a scene with lots of dialogue that involves all three (or more) characters. The Technical aspect is that you are to pay special attention to the dialogue tags-try to make sure you lead your reader through the dialogue so that it is always clear who is speaking, but without making the 'tags' obtrusive.
Ready? Okay, then, off you go. Ficlets to be posted to this community by November 25th, with the header Challenge 03/JT and your name, and lj-cut, please.
Dialogue tags are intended to lead the reader through dialogue, so that she always knows who is speaking and how the conversation is going. Ever read a pageful of one-liners with no "so-and-so said" anywhere in sight? Didja get lost? Well, that is what we want to avoid.
The classic tag is the simplest. He said.
The word 'said' is more or less invisible. When writing, you can repeat it as often as you need to.
You can, occasionally, add an adverb or an adverbial phrase. Chris said, morosely or Lance said, in a voice that dripped with sarcasm. This is most useful where it isn't clear from the actual words of the speech what the mood or intention of the speaker is-don't overdo it.
You can also substitute synonyms for 'said'. Your character can mutter, whisper, shout, bellow, etc. But please, make sure that the word you use actually means 'said'. If it actually means something else, it won't do! And do not do this very often. Save it until you *have* to use a more colourful verb than 'said'.
You don't have to 'tag' dialogue with the 'he said' formula. You can interrupt your morsel of dialogue with an action instead. Thus: "That's dumb." Chris reached for the last doughnut. "You should probably sue." However, be careful with this. It is easy to make it look as though you think 'laughed' or 'shrugged' or 'pondered' is a synonym for 'said', so make it clear that this is an action carried out by the person who is speaking. (Getting the punctuation right will help.)
And of course, your dialogue does not *always* need a tag. If it is clear who is speaking, you can omit the tag. This is why the challenge requires at least three people in the conversation!
For a bit more on tags, try
http://palidormedia.com/james/editor/lesson1.html
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=36188954&postID=1148792196283268143
http://users.wirefire.com/tritt/tip4.html
http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/said.shtml
And this is for tips on dialogue:
http://www.pammc.com/dialogue.htm