Dialogue

writing-1
1.Dialogue writing
A creative exercise
History:
1. Sicilian Mime: Sophron of Syracuse
2. Plato: 400BC
3. Lucian : 2AD
Post Renaissance
4. Juan de Valdes
5. Vincenzo Carducci
6. Walter Savage Landor
7. Andre Gide
8. George Santayana
Socratic dialogue
1. Conversation
Courage is endurance of the soul
2. strategic discourse
3. Meta-discourse

Socratic method
 WHAT IS HONESTY??

Discussion
of incidents

Coming to
one particular
defining
moment

Application of
the definition to
all other
examples
 6

Screenplay/script vs
Dialogue
Big 7

difference
Plot will be a given. Creativity is in
your court.
WHY DO IT??
• An exercise in story formulation
• How to drive the wagon?
 8

How do we go about it??

• You’ll be given a story- find the plot

• Input dialogues
• You are allowed to be creative

Plot????
How do we figure that
out??
 DIALOGUE WRITING – LESSON 9

MADE EaSY
STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3

ELEMENTARY MISTAKES TO MECHANISM

RULES TO AVOID OF DIALOGUE
FOLLOW WRITING
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Elementary rules:
1. Say it outloud first 2. Get rid of the small talk
• Does it sound real?
• Does it move the plot • Say things that add to the
forward or develop a plot by taking it forward.
character? • Nobody wants to know
• Do you pause in certain what the person you are
areas where you haven’t talking to had for dinner
written commas? last night unless it was
poison!
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Contd…
3. Keep it brief 4. Give each 5. You may use
and impactful . character a world appropriate
unique way of slang
Remember it has to speaking
be more poignant Situate the
than in real life. This aids in language to the ear
character keeping the time
development. your plot is based
in.
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Contd…
6. Be consistent 7. Think about 8. Keep long
with the who they are speech
characters’ voices speaking to. paragraphs to a
minimum.
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The last 2!
9. Cut the hellos 10. Show who
and goodbyes! your character is.

At the end what

impression do
readers get from
the characters.
worth a 14

thousand
words
A complex idea can be
conveyed with just a single
still gesture, making it
possible to convey
messages without stating
them verbally.
 15

Want big
impact?
Use suggestive
imagery
EXAMPLE: 16

Then why do you never come near me?' she said. 'Or kiss me, or
talk to me. Why do you think I can bear it, what reason have you
for treating me like that? Have you any reason?'
'Yes,' I said, 'I have a reason,' and added very softly, 'My God.'
'You are always calling on God,' she said. 'Do you believe in
God?'
'Of course, of course I believe in the power and wisdom of my
creator.'
She raised her eyebrows and the corners of her mouth turned
down in a questioning mocking way.
'And you,' I said. 'Do you believe in God?'
'It doesn't matter,' she answered calmly, 'what I believe or you
 Than
17

ks!

Any questions?