Jan 03 2008
Introducing Conversation Thursdays
I’m not a novelist. I’m a dialoguist. I write dialogue first and then add the fixings. I spend time listening to real life conversations, paying attention to the pacing and word usage of those around me.
This exercise allows me to write believable dialogue. In the past, I have posted conversations I’ve had with friends. I will continue to share those experiences and will also begin to share random conversations I overhear.
It’s my hope that you will also learn the structure of dialogue along with me. And of course, get a few laughs. Here’s a conversation I overheard recently:
Teen #1: Peter is a homosexual.
Teen #2 unphased: He finally came out?
Teen #1: No, but everyone knows so he’s out whether he realizes it or not.
Teen #2: That is soooooooooooo true.
Teen #1: There is nothing wrong with being a homosexual. My brother is metrosexual.
Teen #2: Metrosexual? What’s that?
Teen #1 after thinking for a few seconds: A metrosexual is a guy who likes to wear purple.
Teen #2: Oh, one of those.
If you have conversations you’d like to share, please email me at auriacortes(at)gmail.com. I’ll post a random conversation every Thursday.
I have said before in response to your conversation post with ‘friend’ that it struck me as Woody Allenish. After saying that, I realized that these conversations remind me of parts of his book “Without Feathers” that I read and re-read several years ago. You might enjoy it, if you have kind of a warped sense of humor like I do. But keep up on this Conversation Thursdays thing, I like the idea of virtual eavesdropping.
I do have a warped sense of humor like you do, but I boycot Woody Allen. You know, because of the Mia Farrow and Soon-Yi situation.
If you come across interesting conversations, shoot me an email.
That sounds like a fun idea. Like Doug I’m also a little nosey.
I am a verbal person. (am told) The dialogue part is easiest for me, description-I suck; partner is polar opposite, we used to imagine we would collaborate—no can do. My blog (I think) has a funny conversaion with my mom. I could, hey, you just gave me a great idea, write a book of my talks with mom; when I try and write them I laugh so hard, well, untoward things happen.
I respect your feelings about Woody, but I still love his movies, well, recent ones been a bit off—-look at it like his payback. He will never be the old Woody.
I write simply. I’m not a fan of description which is why I have a hard time writing it. Well, it’s not that I’m not a fan. I do enjoy reading great descriptions, but when I read them I realize I’m reading a book. That takes the appeal away from me as a writer. I don’t want my readers to be taken out of the story due to description usage.
A few months ago, I submitted a scene to my writing group. One of the writers mentioned that he liked the way I describe things plainly and simply. He said that he would have taken a paragraph to explain what I did in one sentence (and I was showing, not telling). I appreciate his comments because that is my goal - to be descriptive but not take the reader out of the story.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Woody fan (well, not of the Allen variety anyway), but back in the day, he had some good stuff, the pre-incestuous Woody did.
“I’m not a Woody fan (well, not of the Allen variety anyway)…”
Doug, I love you.
Funny. I boycotted WA too!
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