Alabama Writers Conclave, an on-line workshop, and my difficulty with internal dialogue

cj Sez:  First, for all my Alabama readers, I’d like to pass along an announcement from the Alabama Writers Conclave:

“We want to reach out to Alabama writers of every stripe, race, ethnicity, age, gender, and background. Our current President, Sue Brannan Walker, is offering an online workshop and an incredible opportunity to hone your writing skills. The deadline for application is October 31st!

Please also note that, as of press time for this blog, Dr. Brennan informed me that November is already filled, but December and January are currently open. Contact them on their Facebook page or at www.alabamawritersconclave.org

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As the year’s end races closer and closer, I find that keeping track of my appointments is getting harder and harder. I could alibi that I have way too many things to do, but the truth is I need to pay attention and keep a better appointment calendar, as in just one. Right now, I have at least two and occasionally three. I’ll note an appointment on the calendar on the kitchen door and forget to write it in my planner or vice versa. That wouldn’t be much of a problem if I would just check both places every morning . . . which, of course, I don’t. The third “occasional calendar” is simply the collection of all those little scraps of paper and back-of-business-card notes that I shove into the bottom of my jeans pockets or purse. Who I’m supposed to meet when and where just disappears.

Out of sight, out of mind is the term.  I’m a visual person (is that a right brain or a left brain thing?), and that shows up in my writing.

Scenes with lots of dialogue are the least complicated for me to write. I enjoy creating the details that permit my readers to visualize where the characters are and what they are seeing. But I generally keep my details sparse and incorporated into the flow of the scene’s action. I don’t tell the reader the office is small and crowded. I’ll let the character do that by having her desk chair bump against the wall when she stands up, or having her dialogue say something about having to share the space with her secretary and their joint collection of computers, printers, and file cabinets. 

Please, please, never do this.

I love writing dialogue. I especially like it when I can create almost an entire scene with dialogue and only one or two dialogue tags. Dealing with personal introspection/ emotions/ internal dialogue is more difficult for me since I “see” the action in my stories, something akin to movies in my head. Narrative doesn’t exist in movies unless there’s a voice-over, so I tend to use very little of it. I’ve been told and I do understand I need more narrative in my novel, so I’m working on expanding my use of internal dialogue.

Okay, I’ve confessed. Your turn. What's your writing strength or weakness?

By the by, I did a guest blog on MotiveMeansOpportunity yesterday, talking about NaNoWriMo. Stop by and check it out if you have a moment, and let me know what you think. You can find the mystery writers site at http://bit.ly/2ei5EPa

That’s all for now. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj  . . . sending ghostly, ghastly Halloween vibes your way and reminding you that Christmas is only two months away. So, here’s a great gift idea: Set aside a buck (less than the cost of a cup of coffee or a glass of tea) and buy “More Than Friends,” a bundle of six novels offered by Crimson Romance on Amazon. For 99 cents, you can buy hours and hours of reading enjoyment for yourself, a BFF, or a grab-bag party gift. Find it at…   http://amzn.to/2dnqnLJ

cjpetterson@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

blog at: www.lyricalpens.com

Amazon Central Author Page:  http://amzn.to/1NIDKC0

Choosing Carter  -- Kindle  /  Nook  /  Kobo   /  iTunes/iBook

Deadly Star --  Kindle  / Nook  / Kobo

Narrative, dialogue, and readers' imaginations

cj Sez:  I find that the busier I get, the harder it is to remember my appointments. That was never the case when I was gainfully employed. I kept several calendars: on my desk, on my computer, and a tickler file in a drawer. I no longer maintain a computer calendar because my crack internet provider is less than dependable. Instead, I rely on at least two and occasionally three calendars. 

I’ll note an appointment on the calendar on the kitchen door and forget to write it

in my planner (I have GOT to remember to buy one for 2016) or vice versa. The third “occasional calendar” is simply the collection of all those little scraps of paper and back-of-business-card notes that I shove into the bottom of my pockets or purse. Who I’m supposed to meet when and where just disappears.

The truth is I’ve become lax and need to pay attention. Out of sight, out of mind.

I’m a visual person (is that a right brain or a left brain thing?), and that also shows up in my writing. Scenes are the least complicated for me to write. I enjoy creating the details that permit my readers to visualize where the characters are and what they are seeing. But I try to keep my details sparse and incorporated into the flow of the action. I believe my readers are smart and have imaginations they love to use or they wouldn’t buy suspense and mystery, right?  The following excerpt from my work-in-progress introduces the protagonist’s client and her circumstances: 

Bodean scratched out a check and pushed it across the desk. “Here’s the retainer. There shouldn’t be any trouble, and it shouldn’t take more’n a couple of weeks if you know how to do your job right.” Her new client heaved his bulk out of the chair and strode out of the office.

“I’ll be in touch,” she called as the door slammed shut. She waved the $1,400 check in the air. “You, dear thing, have just saved my derriere.”

Donnie walked in on her celebration. “What?”

“Ruth’s Chris for steak tonight, Donnie. We’ve got a paying client.”

  

Conversely, dealing with personal introspection/emotions/internal dialogue is difficult for me since I “see” the action in my stories as movies in my head. Narrative doesn’t exist in movies unless there’s a voice-over, so I tend to use very little of it. I’ve been told I need to write more narrative, so I’m working on expanding my use of internal dialogue. It’s a great way, if not THE way to get readers invested in the character which is necessary for a successful story.  The following excerpt from my work-in-progress is the physical introduction of the hero:

 

An inch over six-feet tall with espresso-brown hair, Zander Flemming’s smile showed even, white teeth as he stood to shake hands. In his late thirties, he looked ten years younger despite the tanned complexion of someone who liked to spend his weekends fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Jake ignored the hungry little knot that twisted in her stomach every time she saw him and smiled.  

Okay, I’ve confessed. Your turn. What is your writing strength or weakness?

That’s all for now. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

cjpetterson@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

Choosing Carter  -- Kindle  /  Nook  /  Kobo   /  iTunes/iBook

Deadly Star --  Kindle  / Nook  / Kobo

The Talkies, Part 2

Yellowhammer

Story is all about characters and plot/theme, and a writer has to be intimately knowledgeable about both in order to write good dialogue. As in life, character personas must undergo change as the story moves forward, and dialogue is a great way to give readers insight into those changes. 

I love writing dialogue because it keeps me in the character's head. For dialogue to sound real, I have to know my character well enough to speak as she/he would speak...using words and syntax that fits the character's background. And I do read my dialogue out loud after I've written it, but not right away. I usually wait a day or so and take a fresh look at it. 

Through dialogue, writers can give the reader some sense of the characters' emotions and their attitudes toward each other (anger, sarcasm, humor) without "telling." Here's a brief example using an action clue: "'You're wrong,' he said with a sneer." The action/nonverbal clue, "sneered," helps the reader interpret the emotion and attitude of the character. (By the way, "'You're wrong,' he sneered" is incorrect because "sneered" isn't a verbal tag.)

A quick exchange of dialogue (no dumping backstory) is a great tool for pacing. It breaks up grey blocks of narrative and keeps the reader moving through the story. I personally tend to use shorter exchanges between characters because I happen to love Robert B. Parker's style. The words, the length of the sentences, the punctuation are all excellent tools to intensify danger or sexual tension.  

I also like that because dialogue is written in the present tense, it's an active experience that draws the reader into the scene and into the plot—which is exactly where you want the reader to be.

That's all for now.  You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I'll try to do the same. 

cj

PS:  Stop by my Facebook author page and tell me what you think.  http://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor

PPS:  The bird photo by Jeff Johnston is a Yellowhammer flicker, the Alabama State Bird.