safari invasion

A tip that I would have regarding writing dialogue, especially in important, pivotal scenes, would be to read from Shakespeare prior to writing it. Anything at all will do. It has quite the effect I have found, very effective. Give it a shot.

Cora Windover

it all depends on what effect you're trying to do... and, really, what play you read from! If you read from A Midsummer Night's Dream as opposed to Othello.... well, it's going to be very different!

If you're trying to create casual dialogue... I'd say the best thing to do is watch people. Listen to the way people talk. Not everyone's going to have perfect lines. For example, in the movie Far from the Madding Crowd, there were some lines that totally bombed! But it reflected back on the character, and it made it so realistic because we don't always say the right thing on the first try. Trying to make dialogue too perfect is the downfall of some... for example, the movie of Gods and Generals... the dialogue all sounded so dramatic and each line was important.... but they didn't sound like real people.

However, Shakespeare is indeed a wonderful inspiration! I'm an avid Shakespeare reader, and I think one of the greatest things abuot him is how open-ended the dialogue is. There is so much room for interpretation, it never gets old!

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Airborneguy

I agree. The books I have read or even the movies I have watched and not liked, usually were because of dialogue that was too "polished". People make mistakes when they speak, they repeat themselves, they get off topic. stuff like that. I like to just have my characters go with it. They are talking about one subject, but who knows how its going to pan out.

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Cora Windover

and some of them do have good lines, ya know =^..^= but not all the time

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Your father may be father to all the boys, but still...
He's not the man who sired you; so marry who ye will.

Proliffick ~.^

Ralizah

Shakespeare is good, very good, but the speech in his plays is way too over-stylized and polished to use in most contemporary-set literature. I agree with the person who said to just listen to people; that may help one gain speech authenticity.

However, the construction of his sentences is unique and artistic; I can see how it would be an inspiration.

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Kermie04

hmmm interesting point. However, I feel as though Shakespeare is too difficult to understand in some stories. I know that when I had to read Shakespeare in high school, I found it to be rather difficult, except Othello, that was excellent and not so bad!

safari invasion

I don't find it to be difficult to understand. So long as you know ahead of time what is going to be happening in the scene and you take your time reading it, it isn't too bad.

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Leapord

In theory, isn't most writing meant to be read without any foreknowledge of what will occur? Seriously. I tend not to read books or anything else if I already know what's going to happen.

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safari invasion

That's true in most cases, but this becomes difficult when reading from Shakespeare. If you know where the plot is going beforehand, it is much easier to follow. At least this is true in my experience. In all other cases, I prefer not to know what happens. It is more exciting this way of course.

Cora Windover

also, easier to understand... it's hella hard if you don't know at least the bare bones of the plot.

Shakespeare isn't meant to be read, anyway. It's meant to be performed.

And besides... it's like opera. It's not about the plot, it's about - well, in opera it's the music and in Shakespeare it's the poetry, so really you're better off knowing the plot beforehand so you don't have to concentrate so hard.

Except for Twelfth Night. I LOVE the plot of Twelfth Night... I love everything about that play.... =^..^=

__________________
Your father may be father to all the boys, but still...
He's not the man who sired you; so marry who ye will.

Proliffick ~.^