Comments on: Dialog http://www.scottroche.com/blog/2009/12/dialog/ Author, Podcaster, Kilt Wearer Sat, 10 Jul 2010 17:41:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: debdorchak http://www.scottroche.com/blog/2009/12/dialog/comment-page-1/#comment-61 debdorchak Fri, 25 Dec 2009 00:34:34 +0000 http://www.scottroche.com/blog/?p=107#comment-61 I love writing dialog. When it's between my own characters there's a real conversation going on in my head. What helps me is to see each response from that character's POV, so it's a constant gear switching going on in my head between however many characters I have in one scene. Two is pretty comfortable and I can keep that up for a while. I was on an RPG board once where I had almost a dozen characters in one big scene and that was mentally exhausting.<br><br>I also find the more you travel and visit other cultures helps make your dialog sound more natural. I have a flair for picking up languages and local "color", I absorb it like a sponge. There's nothing I like better than people watching, listening to the way people talk, how they react, the gestures and facial expressions they make. In a way it's like sketching with words.<br><br>Every so often when I'm at my favorite outdoor coffee shop or out anywhere that people gather, I find myself listening to the conversation, taking notes in my head on a unique turn of a phrase or a witty comeback. Sooner or later, I'll use it somewhere. I love writing dialog. When it's between my own characters there's a real conversation going on in my head. What helps me is to see each response from that character's POV, so it's a constant gear switching going on in my head between however many characters I have in one scene. Two is pretty comfortable and I can keep that up for a while. I was on an RPG board once where I had almost a dozen characters in one big scene and that was mentally exhausting.

I also find the more you travel and visit other cultures helps make your dialog sound more natural. I have a flair for picking up languages and local “color”, I absorb it like a sponge. There's nothing I like better than people watching, listening to the way people talk, how they react, the gestures and facial expressions they make. In a way it's like sketching with words.

Every so often when I'm at my favorite outdoor coffee shop or out anywhere that people gather, I find myself listening to the conversation, taking notes in my head on a unique turn of a phrase or a witty comeback. Sooner or later, I'll use it somewhere.

]]> By: debdorchak http://www.scottroche.com/blog/2009/12/dialog/comment-page-1/#comment-52 debdorchak Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:34:34 +0000 http://www.scottroche.com/blog/?p=107#comment-52 I love writing dialog. When it's between my own characters there's a real conversation going on in my head. What helps me is to see each response from that character's POV, so it's a constant gear switching going on in my head between however many characters I have in one scene. Two is pretty comfortable and I can keep that up for a while. I was on an RPG board once where I had almost a dozen characters in one big scene and that was mentally exhausting.<br><br>I also find the more you travel and visit other cultures helps make your dialog sound more natural. I have a flair for picking up languages and local "color", I absorb it like a sponge. There's nothing I like better than people watching, listening to the way people talk, how they react, the gestures and facial expressions they make. In a way it's like sketching with words.<br><br>Every so often when I'm at my favorite outdoor coffee shop or out anywhere that people gather, I find myself listening to the conversation, taking notes in my head on a unique turn of a phrase or a witty comeback. Sooner or later, I'll use it somewhere. I love writing dialog. When it's between my own characters there's a real conversation going on in my head. What helps me is to see each response from that character's POV, so it's a constant gear switching going on in my head between however many characters I have in one scene. Two is pretty comfortable and I can keep that up for a while. I was on an RPG board once where I had almost a dozen characters in one big scene and that was mentally exhausting.

I also find the more you travel and visit other cultures helps make your dialog sound more natural. I have a flair for picking up languages and local “color”, I absorb it like a sponge. There's nothing I like better than people watching, listening to the way people talk, how they react, the gestures and facial expressions they make. In a way it's like sketching with words.

Every so often when I'm at my favorite outdoor coffee shop or out anywhere that people gather, I find myself listening to the conversation, taking notes in my head on a unique turn of a phrase or a witty comeback. Sooner or later, I'll use it somewhere.

]]> By: spiritualtramp http://www.scottroche.com/blog/2009/12/dialog/comment-page-1/#comment-51 spiritualtramp Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:06:25 +0000 http://www.scottroche.com/blog/?p=107#comment-51 For me I guess it gets down to knowing and regularly conversing with people with a variety of beliefs. I have friends and family just about everywhere on the spiritual spectrum. I also strive to remember that my characters are people. Even if they aren't real there are people out there who (I hope) would identify with at least one of them and I try and respect that person. Does that make sense/answer your questions?<br><br>How goes writing Guardians? For me I guess it gets down to knowing and regularly conversing with people with a variety of beliefs. I have friends and family just about everywhere on the spiritual spectrum. I also strive to remember that my characters are people. Even if they aren't real there are people out there who (I hope) would identify with at least one of them and I try and respect that person. Does that make sense/answer your questions?

How goes writing Guardians?

]]> By: Kimi http://www.scottroche.com/blog/2009/12/dialog/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Kimi Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:43:04 +0000 http://www.scottroche.com/blog/?p=107#comment-50 Thanks for talking about this and I'm going to have to take a listen to your Chap 16 to get an idea for when this becomes an issue in Guardians. Any hints on how you maintained that balance? What was the thought process for your characters? Thanks for talking about this and I'm going to have to take a listen to your Chap 16 to get an idea for when this becomes an issue in Guardians. Any hints on how you maintained that balance? What was the thought process for your characters?

]]> By: spiritualtramp http://www.scottroche.com/blog/2009/12/dialog/comment-page-1/#comment-49 spiritualtramp Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:18:32 +0000 http://www.scottroche.com/blog/?p=107#comment-49 So all good writers are closet stalkers? ;-) Thanks for the comment! So all good writers are closet stalkers? ;-) Thanks for the comment!

]]> By: Jenny H http://www.scottroche.com/blog/2009/12/dialog/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Jenny H Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:05:50 +0000 http://www.scottroche.com/blog/?p=107#comment-48 I love writing dialog and creating a realistic exchange that helps further the character development without too much tagging. One of the most helpful dialog writing tips, for me personally, is people watching. Sitting in a coffee shop, restaurant, bus station, wherever, and just listening to people converse is so useful for a writer looking to get a handle on their dialog skills because you really hear how people stop, interrupt each other, linger on thoughts, etc. Great stuff, Scott. I love writing dialog and creating a realistic exchange that helps further the character development without too much tagging. One of the most helpful dialog writing tips, for me personally, is people watching. Sitting in a coffee shop, restaurant, bus station, wherever, and just listening to people converse is so useful for a writer looking to get a handle on their dialog skills because you really hear how people stop, interrupt each other, linger on thoughts, etc. Great stuff, Scott.

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