As Much As Needs To Be Said

[jimkeller]

Originally published at ipse illum dicto. You can comment here or there.

I taught dialogue in my creative writing class yesterday. One thing I’ve noticed over the years that I’ve always found interesting about dialogue is this: poets tend to be very good at writing it. And I had come up with a hypothesis about why that is, and I decided to test it

Comments

[stacymckenna]

This is why I laugh when people kvetch about Sarkin or Whedon's dialogue. No, it's not in ANY way realistic. But it's what we want to hear. It's what sounds good when actors say it out loud.

[jimkeller]

I know, right? Sorkin especially writes characters who I believe, totally, can say exactly the right thing at exactly the right moment in a way no mortal human could. It's magical and great fun to watch. If I want reality I'll look out the window.