The Clinic!

[itslikenature]

Hello fellow writers.  How's the world treating you?  Well I hope.  We are going to talk dialogue today.  If there is one thing that I have trouble with, it is writing dialogue.  Sometimes it looks correct one way, other times it makes me scratch my head.  So for todays trip to The Clinic, can you tell me which dialogue is written correctly?

Comments

[peskywhistpaw]

If I'm not mistaken, it would be:

"I want to go the the beach," she said, putting on her sunglasses. "You know the ocean."

I assume you're not continuing the same sentence, so you use a period. If you are continuing the sentence, then you use a comma. (Then there's also that tricky thing with dashes that always feels like more trouble than it's worth.) At least, that's how I was taught. I may come to find out that's totally wrong.

Dialogue is actually the thing I'm [theoretically] best at in writing, but I know a lot of people struggle with not only writing it, but formatting it. I guess I just somehow got the rules of it pounded into my brain when I was young, so I don't struggle with it as much. [At least, not that I know of.]

[itslikenature]

This is correct. But there are other times when I just go "what?" Thank you very much for your input. It's wonderful to see this discussion off to such a great start.

I don't suppose you have any little rules of thumb you would care to share? Any catchy little sayings that would help us remember our dialogue writing rules?

[peskywhistpaw]

No real rules of thumb, I'm afraid. Just that if it's the same sentence, use a comma to separate, if it's not, use a period.

[itslikenature]

Your input was greatly appreciated. We miss your writing here and hope that you'll find a song to write from again very soon. :)

[peskywhistpaw]

Sorry I haven't been around for ages. I keep seeing the challenges, and then time gets away from me. I can't believe the community was created in 2009! Feels like just yesterday.

[itslikenature]

I know how that is. Trying to manage real life and keeping up with fandoms and blogs it tough. I know!! Where has time gone? I miss Stace though.