tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post582508696782686881..comments2024-03-28T01:44:27.279-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Talking about TalkingDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9698296131304537132009-04-01T12:46:00.000-06:002009-04-01T12:46:00.000-06:00I just read a wonderful scene in a Joe Lansdale bo...I just read a wonderful scene in a Joe Lansdale book, The Bottoms, where a boy is eavesdropping on a conversation between his parents. He can't see them, only hear them, and the whole three or four pages of dialogue has no attributives. The dialogue is so well written that it is clear who is speaking. That is seamless writing. :-)Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-86098120340325079342009-04-01T11:00:00.000-06:002009-04-01T11:00:00.000-06:00"when I reread I had no Idea who was saying what a..."when I reread I had no Idea who was saying what and I had only written it minutes before" - you totally made me laugh!Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-68920369180125813682009-03-31T22:02:00.000-06:002009-03-31T22:02:00.000-06:00I get lost when the conversation gets past three p...I get lost when the conversation gets past three people. When I write I have went as high as four speaking, when I reread I had no Idea who was saying what and I had only written it minutes before. I believe that writing good dialogue is difficult and the more people sitting around the table talking, the more difficult. Two people talking—He said—She said – still works for me.Neil A. Waringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01806771906152936599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-27694007288198585262009-03-31T14:03:00.000-06:002009-03-31T14:03:00.000-06:00It really is an enviable skill. I'm editing a book...It really is an enviable skill. I'm editing a book now where the author does a good job of writing conversations involving multiple participants.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-5641233053406716902009-03-31T13:05:00.000-06:002009-03-31T13:05:00.000-06:00Dean Koontz and Stephen King are both adept at doi...Dean Koontz and Stephen King are both adept at doing the multiple-character-conversations thing. They can get a group of people in dire jeopardy together in a room full of chaos and deliver easily followed dialogue. An enviable skill!<BR/><BR/>--Lisa<BR/>http://authorlisalogan.blogspot.comLisa Loganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18259624498661417075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-47892729545925078512009-03-31T12:10:00.000-06:002009-03-31T12:10:00.000-06:00What a great exercise. I love it when we have big...What a great exercise. I love it when we have big family gatherings, trying to keep track of what everyone is talking about. Dialogue is so fun to create.Jenny Melzerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11235663870008150355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-49281740840620744002009-03-31T11:55:00.000-06:002009-03-31T11:55:00.000-06:00Shelley, looks like 6 may be the tipping point.Shelley, looks like 6 may be the tipping point.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-48689587705926050772009-03-31T11:36:00.000-06:002009-03-31T11:36:00.000-06:00One of the most skillful authors whose works I edi...One of the most skillful authors whose works I edit tried to include about six people in a discussion, and it was a mess. When she reduced the number of three, she solved the problem, so I definitely concur with your point. Good post.Shelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04605196832676173145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-71393404000353888972009-03-31T11:19:00.000-06:002009-03-31T11:19:00.000-06:00Lauri, you are so right! (grin)Morgan, dialogue is...Lauri, you are so right! (grin)<BR/><BR/>Morgan, dialogue is a wonderful way of bringing out the personality of characters. So true.<BR/><BR/>L.J., it would indeed be hard to have a 6-way conversation in a book. I'm sure you were able to make changes or suggestions as to how s/he could correct the messy situation!Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-59575604969029177782009-03-31T09:42:00.000-06:002009-03-31T09:42:00.000-06:00Helen if we wrote about real life no body would re...Helen if we wrote about real life no body would read what we wrote.Laurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11112458658109887868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-65507649387018462112009-03-31T08:36:00.000-06:002009-03-31T08:36:00.000-06:00I came across this problem in a manuscript I evalu...I came across this problem in a manuscript I evaluated recently. The scene was a meeting of detectives involved in a murder case. There were at least six people talking and it was too hard to follow. Realistic, but unworkable in fiction. I try to keep my taskforce scenes to four detectives or fewer, with one of them usually not saying much.<BR/>http://ljraves.blogspot.comL.J. Sellershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-1512771514714457382009-03-31T06:51:00.000-06:002009-03-31T06:51:00.000-06:00I love doing dialogue. It's a lot of fun making ch...I love doing dialogue. It's a lot of fun making characters unique that way.<BR/><BR/>Morgan Mandel<BR/>http://morganmandel.blogspot.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.com