tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post8335270278579365499..comments2024-02-13T05:45:21.290-05:00Comments on Champagne Book Group Blog: Say it TightKat Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17403674744943719495noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post-42860164530366199522013-09-04T10:43:51.397-04:002013-09-04T10:43:51.397-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Nikkihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08682040969965800663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post-5165187527218594932013-09-04T10:42:42.577-04:002013-09-04T10:42:42.577-04:00Good fix, Graeme. Does anyone besides me still hav...Good fix, Graeme. Does anyone besides me still have a pin-cushion?Nikkihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08682040969965800663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post-21244176172908261172013-09-04T09:11:27.567-04:002013-09-04T09:11:27.567-04:00Hi Gary,
Great point!
Indeed dialogue can be twe...Hi Gary,<br /><br />Great point!<br /><br />Indeed dialogue can be tweaked, though sometimes you can do things in dialogue that wouldn't work in narrative, depending on the character. I usually say dialogue out loud and ask if it's the way someone would talk. Even then, if it sounds right, I then ask if it would annoy me to listen to them talk that way, in which case I might consider presenting them differently. Keep in mind that, although you are representing real-life talking with dialogue, you also have readers who have to slog through it for hundreds of pages, so as a writer you want to be considerate of your reader and tweak accordingly.Browng34https://www.blogger.com/profile/13687131439250620317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post-22908528476932806632013-09-04T09:09:00.596-04:002013-09-04T09:09:00.596-04:00Hi Nikki,
That's a good point, showing a diff...Hi Nikki,<br /><br />That's a good point, showing a different aspect of editing: research. I suppose the simplest fix would be to just cut "in all directions" then let the reader's imagination kick in, although if I was adamant about wanting to present a higgly-piggly image I'd have to pick another comparison.<br /><br />Maybe:<br />Finger-length, black tubes lined the box, poking up like needles on a pin-cushion.Browng34https://www.blogger.com/profile/13687131439250620317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post-17964124440219268942013-08-29T07:52:31.314-04:002013-08-29T07:52:31.314-04:00Helpful post, Graeme. I especially appreciate your...Helpful post, Graeme. I especially appreciate your excellent examples, because we all know that showing is better than telling.<br /><br />My only quibble is with the porcupine. Quills point neatly toward the tail unless someone is stupid enough to annoy the animal. Then they bristle outward in a tidy radial shield, not all higgly-piggly as implied in "poked up in all directions." I admire porkies.Nikkihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08682040969965800663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post-88215648710879032612013-08-28T19:42:22.984-04:002013-08-28T19:42:22.984-04:00Graeme,
I assume that the characters' vernacu...Graeme,<br /><br />I assume that the characters' vernacular in dialogue can still be tweaked at times to show his or her lack of command of the English language or unique regional slang while using these suggestions in the narrative, correct?<br /><br />Gary EddingsNovel Novelisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11215903808609080107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post-31650156905530137292013-08-28T17:31:27.082-04:002013-08-28T17:31:27.082-04:00Hi Laurie,
It's a subtle touch that makes all...Hi Laurie,<br /><br />It's a subtle touch that makes all the difference. Thanks for adding your comment!<br />:)Browng34https://www.blogger.com/profile/13687131439250620317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5417933958332866867.post-12762214141501247622013-08-28T15:34:46.577-04:002013-08-28T15:34:46.577-04:00Show the story using dynamic words is something I ...Show the story using dynamic words is something I repeat a lot to folks. Thanks for taking the time to spell it out, Graeme. :) Laurie Templehttp://www.laurieryanauthor.comnoreply@blogger.com