Writing with Jennifer

When I work on a manuscript for a client, the dialogue is almost always something that needs attention. Why is it so hard to write what a character is saying? Why does it rarely sound natural? Here are some dialogue mistakes I see often.  1. Using dialogue as description Save the flowery language and floaty wording for the stuff in between the dialogue. When your characters are speaking, let them speak like regular people. Regular people do not describe the stuff around them out loud. They might use their voices to provide clues about the setting or to foreshadow some fantastical upcoming event, but don't give your characters the burden on having to set the whole stage.  "Look at that adorable dog," said Amy. "He is sitting quietly by the tree with his whispy fur blowing softly around his face. The tree is old if the large circumference of the trunk is any clue. Its leaves are the color of jade. What a nice tree, and what a nice dog." Poor Amy. You can almost fe...

Check out this article from Berkeley News.  It's about a study that showed how conservatives and liberals had emotional reactions when they heard certain "hot button" words.  I love this. Why didn't I get a Ph.D. in rhetoric? (It's because I'm kind of lazy and also I had children) If you've studied persuasive writing at all, you know that there are buzz words you can include to make the reader think, and ultimately do, what you want. Certain words compel people to take action, especially to get out their wallets. In that same way, you can play upon people's natural leanings with your choice of words. That's one reason it's critical to know your audience.  Now there is that overlapping area between compelling and lying (using the words "sale" and "quality" are great ways of getting attention but they might be completely false... words like "quality," "terrific," "best" are particularly useful if ...