tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post8107562757630970121..comments2024-02-10T01:46:32.327-08:00Comments on Reading and Writing are Fattening: HATE DIALOGUE WITH GESTURITIS?Marla Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-65588837071013639362013-07-02T06:44:16.683-07:002013-07-02T06:44:16.683-07:00HI Terry,
I've read that in books, advice to u...HI Terry,<br />I've read that in books, advice to use gestures as a way of making a character unique. I have to agree, though, too much would be annoying. It's a difficult task, finding the right amount!<br />Thanks for visiting and have a great holiday!<br />MarlaMarla Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-90589122098284061842013-07-01T07:31:24.321-07:002013-07-01T07:31:24.321-07:00I recall one author at a workshop saying she'd...I recall one author at a workshop saying she'd given her character a gesture to help identify him. Her editor said she overused it to the point that "it's not a gesture, it's a tic." I recall a popular mystery author's character did a LOT of moustache-smoothing in her series. <br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.com/terrysplace" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br />Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-17708392912915061232013-06-27T05:53:44.177-07:002013-06-27T05:53:44.177-07:00Hi Peter,
Yes, dialogue is such an important part ...Hi Peter,<br />Yes, dialogue is such an important part of a story, that it really pays to get it right. Keep gestures to a minimum and try to use the kind that help describe the character. Editing and re-editing is half the battle!<br />Glad you stopped in. Have a great weekend of writing and fun,<br />MarlaMarla Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-69718964509702108232013-06-26T14:27:10.571-07:002013-06-26T14:27:10.571-07:00Hi Matthew,
Glad to hear you've mastered it! I...Hi Matthew,<br />Glad to hear you've mastered it! I'm still struggling to only put them in where necessary, or only as often as necessary. I don't mind a few "he said's." Prefer that to constant descriptors myself. I have learned to put them after the dialogue too. Before really slows things down!<br />Good to hear from you. Keep up the fine writing.<br />MarlaMarla Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-67669384596944593822013-06-26T09:34:55.446-07:002013-06-26T09:34:55.446-07:00Thank you for giving me something to think about.....Thank you for giving me something to think about...might have to do some rewriting!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425175196112369137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-67948348265247090052013-06-26T08:25:42.082-07:002013-06-26T08:25:42.082-07:00Thanks for this blog, Marla. Stephen King says ver...Thanks for this blog, Marla. Stephen King says very similar things in On Writing. He doesn't refer to the "gesturitis" or fidgeting, but he feels strongly that too many descriptive words after a line of dialogue makes it all slower and denser than it has to be.<br />In my own work, I try very hard to keep who's speaking clear without even saying "he said". It's difficult at times, but I think my dialogue sparkles more for the effort. <br />Thanks again!Matthew Hoffmanhttp://technospiritualist.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-23335925011418838602013-06-25T06:49:50.672-07:002013-06-25T06:49:50.672-07:00Hi,
Hey, you missed being number one this week! Yo...Hi,<br />Hey, you missed being number one this week! You're right about description. I like some, but tend to skip over it if it goes on too much. Hope all is well on your side of the world and that the writing is flowing!<br />MarlaMarla Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-65489472396651731012013-06-24T12:01:38.898-07:002013-06-24T12:01:38.898-07:00Writer Dave Here,
You can never have too much dial...Writer Dave Here,<br />You can never have too much dialogue! I write fast paced stories with loads of dialogue, which never bores the reader. I don't like loads of description paragraph after paragraph. As a reader I would rather read dialogue which tells me about the characters much better than long descriptive sentences! But that's what makes the world go around. We are all unique!Dave Wisehttp://www.writerdave.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-77799493782633590962013-06-20T12:55:12.924-07:002013-06-20T12:55:12.924-07:00Hi Carolina,
Yes, it's easy to do, isn't i...Hi Carolina,<br />Yes, it's easy to do, isn't it? I think most often we do it because we want the reader to be clear about who is speaking, when what we need to do is give our readers credit for figuring it out without annoying gesture descriptions. I'm on my third book now and getting a little better at it.<br />Thanks for visiting and for your comment!<br />MarlaMarla Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-85363368893647152022013-06-20T07:13:08.870-07:002013-06-20T07:13:08.870-07:00Thank you! I catch myself doing this far too often...Thank you! I catch myself doing this far too often and it makes me cringe even as I'm writing. It's something I'll have to work on when I finish and am editing/revising. For me, I think it's a question of insecurity with my writing, thinking I need to add these annoying little bits to fill the gaps. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01005758356338040451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-4081791409080988252013-06-18T19:32:47.314-07:002013-06-18T19:32:47.314-07:00I don't think there is any such thing as too m...I don't think there is any such thing as too much dialogue, Sarah! Just don't put in unnecessary dialogue. Readers will get bored with that. Skip the small talk!<br />Writing dialogue is challenging, so you're ahead of the game. <br />Keep writing and thanks for stopping by,<br />MarlaMarla Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-22164585458134709152013-06-18T17:58:01.812-07:002013-06-18T17:58:01.812-07:00I fall into this habit far too often. I find I usu...I fall into this habit far too often. I find I usually end up doing it if I have line after line of dialogue, so the action breaks it up a bit. So I guess my real problem is writing too much dialogue!Sarah Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09481750127533816819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-47010389082201669352013-06-18T13:03:19.833-07:002013-06-18T13:03:19.833-07:00Hi Kathryn,
You are fast! I just posted this blog....Hi Kathryn,<br />You are fast! I just posted this blog. You are right about some dialogue sections needing no tags at all. Roerden's book inspired me to use this topic and I use it often. She also has another book that is not specifically for mysteries but does advise many of the same principles as the one I discuss in this blog.<br />Use of tags is something an author just gets better at with each piece he or she writes, but getting some good advice, like Roerden's, can hasten the process.<br />Thanks so much for joining me and commenting.<br />Have a great week,<br />MarlaMarla Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04004295584548524776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1438850631282274504.post-41811449645940209992013-06-18T12:34:25.285-07:002013-06-18T12:34:25.285-07:00A very insightful post! Definitely something to lo...A very insightful post! Definitely something to look for while proofing/editing. I might add that sometimes, you don't even need a tag of any kind, just the words in quotes. As long as it's clear that two characters are alternating, with an occasional tag so you don't lose track. This can sometimes pick up the pace in an action-filled scene, short statements back and forth between characters. Kathryn Flatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16715696643958200421noreply@blogger.com