Recap of Bruce Overby presentation on Writing Dialogue for Impact
By Bill Baldwin
We welcomed Bruce Overby to our August meeting to share his insights on the use of dialogue in fiction. His background includes, in addition to a Master’s in technology, a BA in Journalism and an MFA in creative writing: certainly at home in Silicon Valley! His debut novel was The Cyclone Release. His second novel, Tristan 4 America, comes out in October.
Dialogue is not simply the quoted words of several people; it is a unit, the entire description of what is being said—or not said! It can include comments on tone of voice, the attitude of the speaker, hand gestures, body language; anything that conveys the actual experience of the words.
It is not simply a transcription of words. It is not like an audio or even video recording. You must shape the conversation, mold it, and recreate the experience, so that the reader feels as if they are actually there. Don’t include every word that might be uttered. Shape the words to deliver an impact, to deliver a punch!
You may ask (though I can hear you now only in my imagination) “Why use dialogue? Why not just tell the story without quotations?”
Dialogue is more immediate than description. It expresses characters directly, via their actual words. If you can convey the tone of voice, the expression of a person’s very self and attitude, the story comes much more to life.
Dialogue offers a break in the sound of the story, an actual break in the look of the page. Instead of lengthy paragraphs of description, the reader gets hit with short, alternating verbal jabs.
It is up to you how much dialogue to use. Different writers advise differing amounts. Some stories consist entirely of dialogue, other stories use none. Use your best judgement. Just make the dialogue as alive as you can.
What makes “good” dialogue? Several people prodding one another? Counter-point that keeps going? Agitation? Variety, not monotony, certainly! Different, distinct voices. Short lines, varying dialogue “tags,” irony, tension, unexpected comebacks!
Include non-verbal interactions: facial expressions, gasps, snarls, turning away, scowling: anything expressing genuine emotion!
Avoid the mundane. Alternate direct and indirect dialogue. Skip the boring and aim for the real interaction!
I was hoping you might hit back with your own reaction and thought—then I realized this is only me writing this. How might you counter me? How might your characters confront one another
verbally or emotionally? Make it so, make it happen: though dialogue!