Wright’s Writing Corner: Interior Dialogue
Not to be confused with interior decorating. The lovely and talented L. Jagi Lamplighter holds forth on the merits of saying what your characters think.
Interior Dialogue: Readers don’t trust dialogue. Have your characters think, and have what they think be juxtaposed to the dialogue, showing a new angle.
This one I learned the hard way.
When I first started writing novels, I was under the impression that the best writing was like a screen play, all dialogue. So, I set out to write just that…as much dialogue as possible with description in between.
I would figure out what the character wanted or was thinking and I would write it down as something he said.
Back then, I had two friends reading my work—the same two who set me right about senses (Von Long and Danielle Ackley-McPhail). When I finished a chapter, I would send it to them, and, invariably, they would write back, along with a request for more sense impressions, “What is he thinking?”
To which, I would stare at the page in absolute puzzlement and then, gesturing at it wildly, cry out, “But I just told you what he was thinking! He said it out loud!”
This one I learned the hard way.
When I first started writing novels, I was under the impression that the best writing was like a screen play, all dialogue. So, I set out to write just that…as much dialogue as possible with description in between.
I would figure out what the character wanted or was thinking and I would write it down as something he said.
Back then, I had two friends reading my work—the same two who set me right about senses (Von Long and Danielle Ackley-McPhail). When I finished a chapter, I would send it to them, and, invariably, they would write back, along with a request for more sense impressions, “What is he thinking?”
To which, I would stare at the page in absolute puzzlement and then, gesturing at it wildly, cry out, “But I just told you what he was thinking! He said it out loud!”
Then, one day, it struck me.
They did not believe him.
Read the whole thing here: http://arhyalon.livejournal.com/110286.html
About John C Wright
John C. Wright is a practicing philosopher, a retired attorney, newspaperman, and newspaper editor, and a published author of science fiction. Once a Houyhnhnm, he was expelled from the august ranks of purely rational beings when he fell in love; but retains an honorary title.
February 17, 2010 @ 3:23 pm
