tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3592240343467905804.post7879772376109429092..comments2023-10-17T05:11:36.246-04:00Comments on InSpired Writer: Dialogue and Narrative WritingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3592240343467905804.post-70170859566851145662011-01-06T10:46:30.372-05:002011-01-06T10:46:30.372-05:00Rita, happy new year! Congrats on your manuscript....Rita, happy new year! Congrats on your manuscript.<br /><br />What a helpful and thoughtful post. Dialogue certainly moves the plot along. One rule I try to follow is have the character "never answer the question" --> he takes offense, or changes the subject, or something that keeps the scene and the reader off balance enough to stay interested.Amy Deardonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01360116339457651031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3592240343467905804.post-21074016466199912652011-01-05T07:38:38.773-05:002011-01-05T07:38:38.773-05:00I love Victoria Holt. She used dialogue wonderfull...I love Victoria Holt. She used dialogue wonderfully. In fact, she'd have a whole page of almost nothing but captivating, intense, conflict-filled dialogue. But she also knew how to fill in narrative later.<br />We hear not to use too much narrative, but like Laura said, good narrative really deepens a story, whereas good dialogue intensifies a story. A balance is def. needed.<br />Thanks for sharing your excerpt!Jessica Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12365768876905444157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3592240343467905804.post-76637387860759251702011-01-04T23:39:28.110-05:002011-01-04T23:39:28.110-05:00I think if the narrative is written well and has a...I think if the narrative is written well and has a point to the story, then it is just as important. It's needed to set the mood or for foreshadowing. If the narrative bogs the story down, I do tend to skip and go straight for the dialogue. I think it depends on how well the author balances the two. You do a fine job of that!Melissa K Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10391366406206260079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3592240343467905804.post-78335186560033776232011-01-04T18:50:25.805-05:002011-01-04T18:50:25.805-05:00Hi Rita, Wonderful post. I love narrative and so a...Hi Rita, Wonderful post. I love narrative and so appreciate your skillful use of descriptive passages very, very much. Some of your wording took my breath away! Good narrative is sadly lacking in CBA fiction. I think our culture is so obsessed with the rapid-fire, video game mentality, that our books are being dumbed down to echo that.<br /><br />Since I'm limited to 110k per book I'm finding that I am having to delete or slim down my narrative which makes me sad as that is what I love. Like you, I'm learning more about writing better dialogue. It's quite a workout:)Laura Frantzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07067252948999879024noreply@blogger.com