tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post6852988451887489125..comments2023-12-26T18:33:04.681-08:00Comments on Writability: How (Not) to Write DialogueGabe (Ava Jae)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04778524723148508140noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-29952559921643585702013-02-25T05:31:51.611-08:002013-02-25T05:31:51.611-08:00Thanks, Leaf! That's a good addition, particul...Thanks, Leaf! That's a good addition, particularly if they continue to talk about irrelevant things for pages. Entire chapters, even. WHOLE BOOKS. <br /><br /><br />Yes, that's a great suggestion. :)Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-79459639686311943572013-02-16T14:44:49.846-08:002013-02-16T14:44:49.846-08:00Nice addition, Robin!Nice addition, Robin!Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-44476692749600274242013-02-14T19:24:02.077-08:002013-02-14T19:24:02.077-08:0011. The characters don't need to reply to each...11. The characters don't need to reply to each other logically. They should just blurt out anything that moves the plot. Seriously, it bothers me when a character doesn't acknowledge something in a conversation "just because".Robin Rednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-40000181559533066132012-09-03T07:37:50.616-07:002012-09-03T07:37:50.616-07:00Love this! Thank you for the laugh, Jeff. :)Love this! Thank you for the laugh, Jeff. :)Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-33045234103046526582012-09-01T17:59:36.007-07:002012-09-01T17:59:36.007-07:00Just to clarify (not that it's needed, request...Just to clarify (not that it's needed, requested, desired, or appropriate [in other words, it isn't wanted]), brackets instead of parentheses would be the correct form of punctuation in this case, I think. Furthermore, I already incorporate all of the above in my writing, yet no one wants to read it. Hmm....Jeff Martennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-35932521126566342522012-08-21T08:18:10.209-07:002012-08-21T08:18:10.209-07:00Thank you, Grace! I'm going to try to remember...Thank you, Grace! I'm going to try to remember to sneak "fairy poo" or something of the like into a tweet someday just for fun. :DAva Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-46037701278610241902012-08-21T08:17:32.986-07:002012-08-21T08:17:32.986-07:00Thank you so much! ^___^Thank you so much! ^___^Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-40919226777052674912012-08-21T08:17:14.793-07:002012-08-21T08:17:14.793-07:00Thank you, Caster! Glad to see you picked up on th...Thank you, Caster! Glad to see you picked up on the sarcasm before the post scared you away. :) <br /><br /><br />Welcome to the Writability community! Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-16902651175338775822012-08-21T08:16:45.975-07:002012-08-21T08:16:45.975-07:00I feel like those "swear" words would be...I feel like those "swear" words would be fun to use, if you could manage to sneak them in there without it looking out of place. It would have to be a very particular story for it to work, but it'd be entertaining (to me at least) nonetheless. <br /><br /><br />As for the "like" and "dude" thing, I know what you mean. Thankfully I haven't encountered that in any of my reading as of late, but it sticks out like a sore thumb when it happens. One of my favorite aspects of <i>The Fault in Our Stars</i> by John Green is that his teenage voices sounded completely authentic--he used "like" and other teenage mannerisms, but he didn't overdo it.Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-80347781829214617062012-08-21T08:13:27.437-07:002012-08-21T08:13:27.437-07:00I feel like the second point is a trap a lot of ne...I feel like the second point is a trap a lot of new writers fall into, and I can certainly understand why. It <i>seems</i> like it'd be cliche to keep using "said," but it's one of those sneaky little exceptions. Yay for the invisible said!Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-85673240917317500232012-08-21T08:11:08.315-07:002012-08-21T08:11:08.315-07:00You're not the only one to mistake this for a ...You're not the only one to mistake this for a serious post at first--which is why I make sure to include the note at the bottom. :)<br /><br /><br />Thanks for commenting, Brian! So glad you enjoyed the post after you recognized the sarcasm. ^_^Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-73674264724222572982012-08-21T08:09:29.378-07:002012-08-21T08:09:29.378-07:00Precisely. ^_^Precisely. ^_^Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-52651401968280777322012-08-21T08:09:16.297-07:002012-08-21T08:09:16.297-07:00Glad to hear you enjoyed the post! I agree that yo...Glad to hear you enjoyed the post! I agree that you can definitely cut back on dialogue tags--the sarcastic bit just came in with never using them at all. :)<br /><br /><br />And yes, the immortal "don't use said." It does seem to reappear despite many attempts at killing it.Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-26920603775342524082012-08-21T08:07:31.352-07:002012-08-21T08:07:31.352-07:00Those are great additions! :D I especially love th...Those are great additions! :D I especially love the repetition bit--makes for great cadence. Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-18139208689125722462012-08-21T08:06:06.320-07:002012-08-21T08:06:06.320-07:00Parentheticals are a great way to include those oh...Parentheticals are a great way to include those oh-so-important character feelings/ruminations/random tangents. But only if you have a parenthetical to explain your parenthetical. Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-25859330595794225562012-08-20T18:48:33.531-07:002012-08-20T18:48:33.531-07:00Yes! Use ALLLLLL the memes! Yes! Use ALLLLLL the memes! Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-39639873228078816032012-08-20T18:47:26.217-07:002012-08-20T18:47:26.217-07:00I think the rules are a tad different when you wri...I think the rules are a tad different when you write informally, but I can see how the multiple punctuation mark thing could be tempting, especially in an informal setting. Sometimes it's fun to just watch the exclamation and punctuation marks fly across the screen...Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-7037739365535056072012-08-20T18:45:40.157-07:002012-08-20T18:45:40.157-07:00Thank you, Joe! As I enjoy writing them and people...Thank you, Joe! As I enjoy writing them and people seem to enjoy reading them, it's a win-win. :)Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-87662489068227164442012-08-19T21:54:00.552-07:002012-08-19T21:54:00.552-07:00Surely most any book would be improved with a line...Surely most any book would be improved with a line or two about "fairy poo." :-P Another brilliant how (not) to post, Ava!Grace Robinsonhttp://twitter.com/StorytellerGRLnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-88092630609700133482012-08-18T21:07:52.609-07:002012-08-18T21:07:52.609-07:00I'm tweeting this. It had to be done. This pos...I'm tweeting this. It had to be done. This post was too good.E.B. Blackhttp://twitter.com/writerblacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-74232756376180857162012-08-18T18:11:14.750-07:002012-08-18T18:11:14.750-07:00Well done. I was getting pissed but it was enough ...Well done. I was getting pissed but it was enough to make me see what other moronic advice was being peddled here. When I got to 3 I became suspicious. Nice way to hook a first time reader!Caster Rowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-50590813446986132912012-08-18T15:43:20.853-07:002012-08-18T15:43:20.853-07:00I now aspire to write with the words "fairy p...I now aspire to write with the words "fairy poo," "fiddlesticks" and "shish kabobs." Great post! The other thing that annoys me is YA fiction that doesn't get what it's like to be a young adult - you know, the kind that uses "like" and "dude" way too much.Emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-59085251040743381882012-08-18T09:33:35.321-07:002012-08-18T09:33:35.321-07:00Oh man...THANK YOU for number two! I made that mis...Oh man...THANK YOU for number two! I made that mistake so many times when I was starting out, and even know I know some new writers who think color-coding and snatching away "said" in every given moment for something the thesaurus gave them is a good idea. It's notttt, but they never listen.<br /><br /><br />Great post, as always!Darth Lolitahttp://enkindledwithchains.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-11758522137916223042012-08-18T09:25:03.532-07:002012-08-18T09:25:03.532-07:00Hahaha. Oh my! I was reading and getting hot, then...Hahaha. Oh my! I was reading and getting hot, then steamy, and hit the boiling point at guidance #9..."Oh yeah...Julia did say 'sarcastic" LOL!!! Thank you for an entertaining post. Happy Saturday to All. :)Brianhttp://twitter.com/CharlieNitricnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-48588025346063727862012-08-17T16:25:20.609-07:002012-08-17T16:25:20.609-07:00Totally agree. Remove dialogue tags when you can, ...Totally agree. Remove dialogue tags when you can, but not when you can't. Haha.Kiersi Burkhartnoreply@blogger.com