Speaking of Dialogue -Helping Young Writers Harness Spoken Words




Learning floats on a sea of talk and the world often presents itself to us in the form of stories. For every writer, dialogue becomes a powerful tool when the creation of stories is the focus. It is imperative for such writers to learn to write with their ears. In order to do this effectively they must become keen observers of people, intrigued by what they say and the way they say it. 

 To develop this ability requires close listening. It is a skill all writers need to develop. I have often suggested to young writers they must develop the ability to eavesdrop. On one occasion, I was informed by an earnest small boy that his parents had told him it was rude to eavesdrop. I had to quickly explain that writers had special permission to listen in to conversations. He seemed to accept my hasty response. 

 The use of dialogue in children's writing tends to settle in the margins. It is either feast or famine. We see examples where the writing consists overwhelming of conversation and very little structure, or in the other extreme, no dialogue whatsoever between the characters. It presents as a logical place to support the writer to gain a more nuanced view of the spoken word.

 Our ability to quietly capture pearls of authentic dialogue can be improved with practice. I find myself constantly capturing conversational fragments. Sometimes at home, sometimes out in the wider community. My notebook is a natural collection zone for such utterances. While I won't use every entry, I frequently strive for ways to weave such gems of dialogue into my writing.

 Here are some rules that might help your inexperienced writers to be more effective in using dialogue.
  • Keep those utterances short. Too many words will turn the reader off.
  • Use sentence fragments. After all this is how people often speak, so it's authentic.
  • Don't be afraid to use ellipsis to show suspension of thought.
  • Note the speed and voice clarity of the person speaking. 'Itsotouttheretoday' said the girl at the checkout almost as quickly as she scanned my five items.'
  • Be aware that speakers often interrupt during a conversation.
Dialogue should do at least these two things:
  • Reveal something about that person/character
  • Help to move the story forward
When a person/character speaks they may reveal something about themselves. However, they may also reveal something about another character. Their spoken words may also reveal something about a situation, a location or setting or a motivation (why). So, the words used need to be revealing.

 Dialogue is also great for creating a sense of difference or conflict between the character. This provides the story with more depth and the characters with points of difference. 


Don't overdo the 'he said/she said.' After a number of exchanges the reader will be able to work out who is speaking. Flowery tags such as 'she bellowed,' 'he snarled,' need to be kept to an absolute minimum. They will diminish the authentic nature of the dialogue exchange.

 Check out how other authors use dialogue. Document exemplars. The inexperienced writer need to HEAR and SEE quality dialogue.

 Teach young writers about internal dialogue too. This 'inside' voice is important. Too often the inexperienced writer only reveals the physical or outside world of a character, so the reader is deprived of the emotional inner world of any particular character.

 Teachers, take your notebook for a trip. Go out into the world, sit in a cafe, or any public place where people like to gather. Sit, listen and record the things they say in conversation with others. Collect fragments of dialogue floating around you. Do this on numerous occasions in order to ensure that your listening ability is being nurtured through practice.

 'The flooding continues. The town of Goondiwindi is now in the line of fire.'  (Radio Announcement with mixed metaphors.)

 'You must think I'm as thick as my Granny's soup if you want me to believe that.' (Cafe conversation.) 

 Share your finding with your students and encourage them to do the same thing. The playground, or the park might be a good place to begin their 'word search.'

Comments

  1. GOA Speakers25 February 2022 at 16:12

    This is the first time I am visiting your website. I would like to tell you that I am genuinely engaged by reading your blogs. Keep up the good work!

    Youth & Young Adult Speakers

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