tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post9103058985709315564..comments2024-02-12T17:59:33.534-06:00Comments on RAZORED ZEN: A Piece of DialogueCharles Gramlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-25016215563764425512007-02-22T18:28:00.000-06:002007-02-22T18:28:00.000-06:00I've never tried reading my dialogue aloud. Maybe ...I've never tried reading my dialogue aloud. Maybe I'll give it a shot.<BR/><BR/>A former cheerleader, Stewart. And a bigger pain in the (insert appropriate rude word) you couldn't find.RK Sterlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01034917381901499281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-50851588009965017502007-02-22T14:32:00.000-06:002007-02-22T14:32:00.000-06:00I never thought to NOT read the dialogue out loud,...I never thought to NOT read the dialogue out loud, but it makes sense not to do it.<BR/><BR/>I won't use an exclamation point if it can be avoided. There are time, though, when I think it can be used in dialogue. Sometimes when I say things, I can hear the exclamation point at the end. So why not include it when a character says something? I think it's okay!<BR/><BR/>(Remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine edited her boyfriend's book manuscript and filled it with exclamation pints? Hilarious.)Rob Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801731504529816056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-47165204626217218592007-02-22T11:23:00.000-06:002007-02-22T11:23:00.000-06:00I see a valid argument about not reading out loud ...I see a valid argument about not reading out loud because the author's tone and inflection may mask what is ultimately weak dialogue. <BR/>However, I would suggest reading out loud also uncovers many more technical issues than simple tone and inflection in dialogue. In the prose as a whole many half thoughts, choppy transitions and over all sloppy writing is easily exposed. If the author simply reads quietly to himself, their eyes have a tendency to gloss over errors. However if you as a writer do take the time to read out loud, it force every word out into the open.<BR/><BR/>As for punctuation, I would suggest that there are rules, and there is a time to break rules. Writer's discretion is necessary. If you want to put in an ! than put it in.miller580https://www.blogger.com/profile/16979491538051373802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-14781243806998676662007-02-22T00:01:00.000-06:002007-02-22T00:01:00.000-06:00I dislike exclamation points and generally write w...I dislike exclamation points and generally write without them. But I constantly have editors inserting them, particularly after things such as "Look out!" or "Run!" They are a lazy way to write, which has led to their overuse (and therefor the disdain with which they are regarded). But they do serve a purpose.cs harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13708705800818667923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-19525112635058124272007-02-21T22:15:00.000-06:002007-02-21T22:15:00.000-06:00Seems to me the minimalist approach is the way to ...Seems to me the minimalist approach is the way to go. I hate to say that I'd never use an exclamation point, though. Why throw out a tool that might come in handy in just the right circumstances.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-63931203355230333202007-02-21T20:24:00.000-06:002007-02-21T20:24:00.000-06:00No. No. No. Kill Exclamation points. Death to them...No. No. No. Kill Exclamation points. Death to them. Exclamation points are for comic books.<BR/><BR/>I agree with the tag advice.<BR/><BR/>One of the things brought up by Michelle is interesting and I think worthy of future consideration in a posting. Maybe I'll do that soon. I am referring to the issue of reading out loud. I'll hold off discussing that here, except to say there is nothing more interesting for me than listening to someone else interpret what I've written. It gives me a sense of how someone might read it and what I may do to accentuate or block that reading.<BR/><BR/>And Kate...you work with an ex cheerleader???? I'm not sure how to even respond to that.Stewart Sternberg (half of L.P. Styles)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00895152179113722902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-90114159855616160212007-02-21T16:53:00.000-06:002007-02-21T16:53:00.000-06:00Once again, I take the minimalist approach--less d...Once again, I take the minimalist approach--less dialogue tags and sparsely used exclamation points. The words, if combined correctly, should have the necessary oomph. On the other hand, I'll readily admit to reading parts of my dialogue outloud to see whether it works. Yet again, more for the sake of whether the combination of words fits the characters dialect, and not so much for the intensity.JR's Thumbprintshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10479324326541901987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-46930901853166067742007-02-21T15:56:00.000-06:002007-02-21T15:56:00.000-06:00All good points, no question. Less usually is more...All good points, no question. Less usually is more with dialogue tags (and much else).Erik Donald Francehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02332500850365598564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-35217604294108748932007-02-21T14:16:00.000-06:002007-02-21T14:16:00.000-06:00Attribution and adverbs, who needs em?And didja se...Attribution and adverbs, who needs em?<BR/><BR/>And didja see the conflict drive that exchange?<BR/><BR/>Spelling, however...Steve Malleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17561234111786788616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-40677559178987295012007-02-21T14:13:00.000-06:002007-02-21T14:13:00.000-06:00"Um, sir? Mr Professor sir?""Fuck off.""It's just,..."Um, sir? Mr Professor sir?"<BR/><BR/>"Fuck off."<BR/><BR/>"It's just, you said we had to use exclamtion points when we curse..."<BR/><BR/>"Oh." The professor ran one hand over the bottom half of his face and turned to face Jimmy.<BR/><BR/>"Fuck off!"Steve Malleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17561234111786788616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-65282211372594665762007-02-21T13:37:00.000-06:002007-02-21T13:37:00.000-06:00Hmm.... Twenty-some years ago, an English professo...Hmm.... Twenty-some years ago, an English professor told me the same thing your English professor told you. <BR/><BR/>However, my humble opinion is that it ultimately depends on the context, the scene, the style, etc. Just don't go overboard with them. I work with an ex-cheerleader, and I have to edit out about 98% of the explanation points in her writing. :)RK Sterlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01034917381901499281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-54238926082413389402007-02-21T10:44:00.000-06:002007-02-21T10:44:00.000-06:00I'd say no exclamation points. Sometimes a bit of ...I'd say no exclamation points. Sometimes a bit of physical description can ehance a statement. "No exclamation points," he said, slamming his fist on the table.Sidneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16284680909152676159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-65393894320254666392007-02-21T09:12:00.000-06:002007-02-21T09:12:00.000-06:00I agree with Morrell, but I guess it's difficult t...I agree with Morrell, but I guess it's difficult to get that intensity sought after, and the exclamation mark often does the job the words were supposed to achieve alone.Danny Tagaloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15899578338574197919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-43104892313591086022007-02-21T09:06:00.000-06:002007-02-21T09:06:00.000-06:00All good advice. I had a teacher that loved excla...All good advice. I had a teacher that loved exclamation points and it worked for him since he was quite a gloomfest as a writer. So now all of us from that school all use too many exclamation points, and I've come to accept that as my fate. But I agree with the tag thing, too -- Dialogue used to be my biggest weakness and eventually became the thing I did best because I was so bad at it for so long. Most of my early dialogue sounded like it was translated from a book written by a non-native speaker of the language who worked with hand puppets. Thank God those days are over! Although I can still produce some howlers. I don't read dialogue out loud, though, because I agree -- it has to work on the page.Michelle's Spellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15769666862403600253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-30660303430509245952007-02-21T04:17:00.000-06:002007-02-21T04:17:00.000-06:00Lovely advice. I think exclamation points get in t...Lovely advice. I think exclamation points get in the way. Punctuation is best left simple, and any tone should be provided in the writing itself.Susan Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05566328070072489203noreply@blogger.com