tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post2391233433206198498..comments2024-03-18T06:16:18.802-05:00Comments on A Newbie's Guide to Publishing: Guest Post by Brandilyn CollinsJA Konrathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-67104606850690676212013-07-14T00:44:03.349-05:002013-07-14T00:44:03.349-05:00From the POV of a reader, good subtext turns good ...From the POV of a reader, good subtext turns good to great. Especially in romance, when you can see the heat building in the subtext without having to resort to cheesy lines like '"Kiss me," Joe purred seductively'. Iolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17199141868703826943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-69561319738943116852013-07-10T12:45:17.327-05:002013-07-10T12:45:17.327-05:00Brandilyn: From experience, I know your book GETTI...Brandilyn: From experience, I know your book GETTING INTO CHARACTER works. It helped me breathe more life into my own characters. Great to see you here on this blog.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-64784432215066981932013-07-10T07:39:58.484-05:002013-07-10T07:39:58.484-05:00George V. Higgins - The Friends of Eddie Coyle is ...George V. Higgins - The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a classic.Merrill Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00164361657325279390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-50702277870013457562013-07-10T03:31:58.161-05:002013-07-10T03:31:58.161-05:00Update: It took an extra one and one-half hours, b...Update: It took an extra one and one-half hours, but it is now up at its free price. Very frustrating. Now I have to get back to work.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04370431402701294825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-16808785700720143252013-07-10T02:32:55.748-05:002013-07-10T02:32:55.748-05:00I don't know if this is the place, but many of...I don't know if this is the place, but many of you have had dealings with KDP Select Giveaways. I am scheduled to give away LOVE THUG for three days starting midnight, Pacific time, tonight. Right now it's 3:28 EDT and the free price has not shown up. I have promised at least 300 people it would be free today. Of course, KDP select has no phone connection, only email. Has anyone else gone through this before? I am waiting because I need to fill out several forms the second the books becomes free.<br /><br />Any help would be appreciated. Thanking you in advance. (My status at the sign up for the free promotion (via my Bookshelf) says my free giveaway is "in progress." Well, no, isn't.<br /><br />'nuff said. Thanks for any help.<br /><br />DanielDanielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04370431402701294825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-17837058024804975742013-07-10T02:24:48.494-05:002013-07-10T02:24:48.494-05:00Two of my favorites: George V. Higgins who wrote C...Two of my favorites: George V. Higgins who wrote Cogan's Way (made into Killing Them Softly with Brad Pitt) and The Friends of Eddie Coyle (I believe Mitchum was in that movie version).<br /><br />Also, The Pope of Greenwich Village.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04370431402701294825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-90622204855311416082013-07-10T01:21:56.243-05:002013-07-10T01:21:56.243-05:00Fine.
You're not mad?
No, I'm fine.
Fin...Fine.<br /><br />You're not mad?<br /><br />No, I'm fine.<br /><br />Fine.Walter Knighthttp://www.waltknight.yolasite.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-17749028353235656602013-07-09T23:40:18.140-05:002013-07-09T23:40:18.140-05:00After reading Joe's tips at the end, I went th...After reading Joe's tips at the end, I went through my latest offering and found a few stellar examples of what not to do.<br /><br />Thanks for the reminder. It's so easy to slip into telling the reader what someone sounds like, instead of taking the extra step to show what someone sounds like.Alistair McIntyrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08549555602692910018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-46325805350515526282013-07-09T22:40:40.253-05:002013-07-09T22:40:40.253-05:00Two of my favorites for dialgue are Donald Westlak...Two of my favorites for dialgue are Donald Westlake's Dortmunder series, and McBain's 87th Precinct novels. Lots of characters, dozens of different speech patterns, and all distinct. And they aren't just plot fuel. Character development, motivations, humor, tone of a scene...the dialogue runs almost all of it. Aside from how McBain had the city as a character, and then his author voice was very nearly a speech pattern, too.J. Fields Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05689451611198358131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-61546649643295494162013-07-09T17:49:36.276-05:002013-07-09T17:49:36.276-05:00One of my favorite writer's of dialogue was th...One of my favorite writer's of dialogue was the late Gregory Mcdonald, who wrote the Fletch series. The first paperback in the series used a passage of dialogue as its cover. Stopped me cold and hooked me right there.Joe Flynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17862186143599173970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-1288646392321941562013-07-09T16:52:25.576-05:002013-07-09T16:52:25.576-05:00Great dialogue tips. Eavesdropping...um, research ...Great dialogue tips. Eavesdropping...um, research listening is very important. Try for different dynamics; all male, all female, mixed or young vs. older. Doing that research listening in Starbuck's is awesome. Coffee and overheard conversations.Jill Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10754506629717417267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-69653145189008248512013-07-09T15:20:01.396-05:002013-07-09T15:20:01.396-05:00I once wrote a story entirely in dialog. No attrib...<i>I once wrote a story entirely in dialog. No attribution, no narrative.</i><br /><br />If I remember correctly, it was a pain in the ass.<br /><br />;)Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-51430245793358929582013-07-09T15:11:29.147-05:002013-07-09T15:11:29.147-05:00I remember Dennis Lehane stressing that it's b...I remember Dennis Lehane stressing that it's best for characters not to refer to each other by name when engaged in dialogue.<br /><br /><i>"I don't know, Jim. Are you sure?"<br /><br />"I'm telling you, Fred. It's true."</i><br /><br />It's one way to avoid dialogue tags, but it doesn't sound natural.<br /><br />And that's one of the keys to good dialogue in fiction, I think. Sounding natural without trying to mimic the way people actually talk.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-9704065048696059312013-07-09T15:09:40.681-05:002013-07-09T15:09:40.681-05:00I love writing dialogue, and it was wonderful to s...I love writing dialogue, and it was wonderful to see this glimpse of dialogue mechanics. Thanks! :)Hollis Shilohhttp://www.amazon.com/Hollis-Shiloh/e/B00BPXIMWOnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-63867352652053605832013-07-09T14:23:46.793-05:002013-07-09T14:23:46.793-05:00The above post was in reference to Robert B. Parke...The above post was in reference to Robert B. Parker's dialog. I'm not sure what's going on with my posts today. One got deleted entirely and the other only posted half of what I said.Merrill Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00164361657325279390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-61222040622399594482013-07-09T14:22:20.436-05:002013-07-09T14:22:20.436-05:00That's why I like it - it's how people lik...<br /><br />That's why I like it - it's how people like his characters actually talk. The same for Elmore Leonard. I also like the humor they both inject into their scenes through dialog.Merrill Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00164361657325279390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-31305340533565051382013-07-09T14:20:23.888-05:002013-07-09T14:20:23.888-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Merrill Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00164361657325279390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-21821923345161866232013-07-09T14:09:04.657-05:002013-07-09T14:09:04.657-05:00I once wrote a story entirely in dialog. No attrib...I once wrote a story entirely in dialog. No attribution, no narrative.<br /><br />People hated it for being too disturbing. What is left unsaid is often more powerful than what is said.<br /><br />Story is THE CONFESSION in my HORROR STORIES collection.<br /><br />Beware! It's a rough one.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Horror-Stories-ebook/dp/B003AOA6BG" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Horror-Stories-ebook/dp/B003AOA6BG</a>JA Konrathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08778324558755151986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-87854158728311711652013-07-09T13:58:20.864-05:002013-07-09T13:58:20.864-05:00I cannot abide Robert B. Parker's dialogue. Mu...I cannot abide Robert B. Parker's dialogue. Much of it is utterly banal. Though that is probably how people like his characters actually talk.<br /><br />My thought would be to use the subtext sparingly. No need to hit the reader over the head with the message that he's an abusive husband (and she's a wimp). Sorry. :) I may, of course, be wrong. Subtlety isn't always in the author's best interest.I.J.Parkerhttp://www.ijparker.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-71884875668943974842013-07-09T13:01:28.370-05:002013-07-09T13:01:28.370-05:00Thanks for this great post. We all like to think ...Thanks for this great post. We all like to think we do this naturally, but I suspect if I went through my draft with this specifically in mind I'll make a few edits.<br />Argh! More work!<br /><br />(Thanks though.)<br /><br />If this keeps up this website will be a better go-to source than any others in terms of how to improve your writing.<br /><br />On a side note: How often do you, as a reader, go to a new author's website to decide if you want to buy the book. (Subtext here: Do I really really need to get off my butt and finish mine?) <br /><br />See, I can learn and apply.J.E. Mullanyhttp://www.amazon.com/In-Shadow-Idols-ebook/dp/B00787MZMYnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-83917451642627144592013-07-09T11:06:32.242-05:002013-07-09T11:06:32.242-05:00Reposting. Blogger ate this the first time I poste...Reposting. Blogger ate this the first time I posted it.<br /><br />My list of authors to study for dialog: John O'Hara, Eudora Welty, Ernest Hemingway, Scott Turrow, Elmore Leonard, Robert B. Parker.<br /><br />These offer a broad spectrum of styles, but they all do a great job of writing dialog.Merrill Heathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00164361657325279390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-10103859706162261112013-07-09T10:47:07.684-05:002013-07-09T10:47:07.684-05:00Try to sound like people really talk. That means i...<i>Try to sound like people really talk. That means improper grammar when needed, speech hesitations (um, uh, elipses, em dashes), fragments. Listen to people having a real conversation. It's eye opening how incorrect it is compared to the written word.</i><br /><br />Best to use all that sparingly, I think. A transcription of an actual conversation wouldn't work very well in the context of a novel, precisely because of all the speech hesitations, vernacular pronunciations, non sequitur statements, ramblings, etc.<br /><br />My advice for a newbie trying to develop an ear for dialogue would be to read some authors great at it. Hemingway and Robert B. Parker come to mind.Jude Hardinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09994813046526310594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11291165.post-26431711323737367242013-07-09T10:27:31.286-05:002013-07-09T10:27:31.286-05:00What a wonderful blog post! I'm working on the...What a wonderful blog post! I'm working on the opening chapters of a new novel, and I was having trouble with my dialogue. These tips are perfect. Thank you!<br /><br />BrandieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com