Dialogue
December 26, 2008
No doubt your novel will include dialogue in which characters speak to one another. Unfortunately, too many beginning writers drag their story into a furrow of tedium by poorly handling dialogue. The problem is that their characters’ dialogue mirrors actual conversations too closely.
Realistic dialogue in a story isn’t a copy of how we really speak in everyday life. Our daily conversations are filled with niceties, formalities, repetition and the mundane. They often are tedious and even banal.
Writers can’t afford to waste a word of their story on such dialogue. Instead, they should keep in mind that dialogue in a story – unlike real life – always must have a conversational goal. Dialogue is a means of characterization, a way for characters to push forward their agenda vital to the plot. Characters engage in competition and verbal combat via their dialogue.
Consider the following dialogue examples. This attempts to mimic real life conversation:
“You know, Upir, I’ve changed. I just can’t help you.”
The alien raised his hands. “But what of Ala and I? It took all three of us to lure the human spacecraft to that asteroid.”
“But two of the humans died when the spacecraft crashed! I was the test subject for us; I volunteered so you would not die if it didn’t work!”
“Well then, why did you leave us there?”
“It was the jump, it made me mad, you know. I did not know what I was doing!”
“You do now, right?”
“Yeah, I do. But I am powerless. You see, once human, you no longer can jump.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“You do? How?”
“The humans sent a rescue craft. Ala was near death, so he jumped.”
“Oh, I see.”
The following example, however, indicates the characters have goals to achieve. They use their conversation to further their personal agendas:
“I’ve changed, Upir. I can’t help you.”
“You know what will happen if you don’t do as I say.”
“I’m not cold anymore, Upir.”
The alien raised his hand like a cat ready to strike. “Yes, Raphaelie, I can see that. You’ve got what you wanted. But what of Ala and I? It took all three of us to lure the human spacecraft to that asteroid. You will make amends for what you did.”
“But two of the humans died when the spacecraft crashed! I was the test subject for us; I volunteered so you would not die if it didn’t work!”
“Then why did you leave us there?”
“It was the jump, it made me mad. I did not know what I was doing!”
“But you do now.”
“I am powerless. Once human, you no longer can jump.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“The humans sent a rescue craft. Ala was near death. He jumped.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because I wanted you.”
Which one was more interesting to read?
Visit my Web site about writing science fiction, Inventing Reality.
(c) 2008 Rob Bignell
Tags:
characters, dialogue, plot
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Getting rid of info dumps
December 19, 2008
Sometimes you do need to include the information provided in the info dump in your story. The best way to accomplish that is to incorporate it into your tale:
n Rewrite so that it’s part of the description or so it’s implied in the dialogue - This is the best way. You are now showing the information rather than telling it.
n Have the characters read or see a news report – If the information can’t be rewritten, use this ploy. Only give the information necessary to the plot, however, not the entire news article or report.
n Provide journal entries or captain’s logs - In 10 seconds, Captain Kirk gets you caught up on the plot. Usually some conflict needs to be noted or implied in the log, however, so that there’s dramatic tension.
Visit my Web site about writing science fiction, Inventing Reality.
(c) 2008 Rob Bignell
Tags:
dialogue, exposition, info dump, setting, show vs. tell
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Info dumps
December 12, 2008
An info dump is a chunk of exposition that is insufficiently integrated into the story being told. It’s also known as an “expository lump” and is a specific kind of exposition.
The info dump usually involves sharing your research notes with the reader, just to prove that you’ve done the research. While it’s sometimes necessary to give such information, make sure it sounds natural in your piece and not like a cut-and-paste from an encyclopedia.
Often an info dump is given by a Stapledon, a character serves no purpose other than to relate exposition, usually at great length and without interruption. As in real life, such characters are dull.
Another kind of info dumping is “maid-and-butler dialogue” in which characters tell each other things that they already should know so that the reader can overhear them. Unfortunately, those characters sound simple minded as the lines they deliver in real life would be inane.
Having said this, even the greatest science fiction writers are guilty of info dumping. Isaac Asimov is notorious for it in “The Foundation”, often regarded as one of the best novels in the genre. Frequently, however, these writers were allowed their transgression because the story the info dump itself was so fantastic (As a child, I had the same reaction to many encyclopedia articles that opened my eyes to the wider world). But with so many science fiction conventions that have appeared time and time again, your info dump probably isn’t all that fantastic. Given this, it’s best to avoid the info dump.
Visit my Web site about writing science fiction, Inventing Reality.
(c) 2008 Rob Bignell
Tags:
exposition, expository lump, info dump, maid-and-butler dialogue, setting, show vs. tell, stapledon
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As You Know syndrome
December 5, 2008
Whatever you do, avoid embedding exposition by having one character say to another, “As you know …” This is commonly given in science fiction stories by a “Stapledon”, which is a character who gives us an info dump, usually one at great length and without interruption (The term is ignominiously pays homage to science fiction writer Olaf Stapledon, who regularly made use of this technique.). It’s an obvious info dump and immediately flags to the reader that the forward movement of plot is about to be slowed, that he is about to be lectured and the viewpoint may be violated. As award-winning science fiction editor Gardner Dozois said of the Stapledon, “That’s probably the most common beginner’s mistake …”
Visit my Web site about writing science fiction, Inventing Reality.
(c) 2008 Rob Bignell
Tags:
exposition, info dump, setting, show vs. tell, stapledon
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