Re: On the dictation of fiction

On Mar 29, 12:47 am, Amandla <aman...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm wondering if dictation might be best for conversations.

Long ago, I had a secretary who didn't mind using a dictaphone. I'd
dictate a letter, she'd type up a draft, and I'd correct it. Then
she'd retype it and bring it in for my signature. At first, it was
clunky and awkward, but I got used to it. I imagine it would be the
same with dictation.

The Warrior Queen can only write longhand, and I long ago realized
that I write too slowly longhand, and often forget the end of a
sentence before I get to write it all down.

In other words, the mode of writing is something you learn with
practice. If dictation is your thing, you'll probably get good at it.

Dialog is best learned by both reading novels and listening to real
conversations. When you do both, and compare the two, you'll probably
notice that real dialog is full of digressions, allusions,
inflections, as well as grunts, farts, burps, 'uh's, and 'mmmm's. When
written down directly, it's nearly incomprehensible. (read a court or
police interrogation transcript sometime)

The trick, which is easier to learn than teach, is to make dialog that
sounds natural but is easy to read and comprehend. You can do a lot
with dialog beside simply convey information. When you're done, read
it aloud, preferably to someone else.

Here's your homework assignment: Find Lawrence Block's 'Dance at the
Slaughterhouse' and read Chapter 3. See how Matt Scudder and the
detective develop a theory as to how a suicide could really have been
a murder, with almost nothing but dialog, and only a few tags.

Dangerous Bill



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