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When you have finished reading this article, you will have a good idea on how to write believable dialogue and know when you can break the rules.
Using effective dialog is a main part of any story. Good dialog moves the story forward and makes characters come to life. Dialogue will engage your readers as you reveal your characters to them.
This definition comes by way of the Encarta World English Dictionary: "the words spoken by characters in a book... or a section of a work that contains spoken words.
Dialogue has several functions:
? To express through conversations what the reader must know so they can understand the character's actions, motivations and thoughts.
To convey character that will reveal the lives of people in the story.
? To give the reader a sense of time and place through speech patterns, dialect, vocabulary and rhythms of certain kinds of people.
And, lastly, dialog develops conflict.
When you write a natual flowing conversation, you have written good dialog. People don't use good grammar in informal courses of speech; in print, it will make dry reading. Dialog must flow easily, like two friends discussing a problem.
Follow these simple guidelines.
? Spoken words are not always complete sentences.
The majority of people don't always use the best of grammar.
? Use words and word patterns that reveal your character's age, gender, region, ethnicity and/or historical time period.
Give your characters hidden personality through dialog.
Write dialog just the same as what you would hear in real life conversations. Too much description can be very distracting. Keep it simple to over being over zealous.
Let's take a peek at the scene in Gone With the Wind, where Miss Scarlett and Mammy are talking.
Mammy's tone became wheedling.
"Now, Miss Scarlett, you be good an' come eat jes'a lil. Miss Carreen an' Miss Suellen done eat all dey'n."
When you watch this kind of scene in a movie, it is one thing, but when a reader has to wade through pages of it, it's altogether another. For example, just try reading "Brer Rabbit"!
Very seldom should an author try to write this type of dialect. Trying to read an Irish brogue, for example, is a real monster. Using plain dialog will be helpful to the reader.
In real life, people talk for hours at a time and never mention scenery, but that won't work in a story. As a general rule of thumb, you should insert a break that describes scenery or setting every three or four paragraphs of dialogue.
Use good taste when you speak for your characters. Dialog can be overbearing if you have a scene with two people arguing for some time. It takes time to learn to write believable dialog.
If you want to write believable dialog, sit in a restaurant or train station and listen to how people talk. Take notes when you can (but you better not let them see you do it).
 The Help by Kathryn Stockett 2011 Paperback  US $9.97
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 GUIDE TO LANGUAGES OF TOLKIEN’S MIDDLE EARTH R Noel US $5.59
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How I Used The Fresh Papaya (PawPaw):
The fruit was to be consumed ‘As is’ because we always have a small plate of fruit everyday around 5 pm.
I planned on adding a teaspoon of seeds into my Yogurt at lunchtime.
The ‘Coleslaw’ I would add to any Salad (even in a sandwich) as it’s summertime in Oz and we are eating a lot of Salads. Don’t know what I am going to do in the Winter though? If you have any ideas please add them as a comment so everyone can benefit.
I had also planned on five serves per day because I thought it would be better to ‘Drip Feed’ it into me, as my wife thinks I am a ‘Drip’ sometimes anyway – so that should fit.
Now… Continue reading Prostate Cancer Diary - My Papaya Recipe
Monday 6th Feb 2012: My Prostate Cancer Diary.
So here is the problem. I have dismissed Surgery completly and that leads me to Radio Therapy as the only available conventional medical alternative.
My Oncologist want me to have Hormone Treatment to:
- a: Slow the Growth of the Cancer cells by (basically) chemically castrating me. Ouch!
- b: Shrink the Prostate down to a smaller target for his magic Death Ray.
I didn’t want to do that with Hormone treatment, but can appreciate why he wants to do that.
So I’m looking into all types of Natural and Alternative medications.
The best I have come up with is PawPaw (Papaya) as there have been quite a few studies with very promising reasults, PLUS it has been… Continue reading Prostate Cancer Diary - My Natural Alternative
Prostate Treatments and Me.
Long time coming since my last post – but I have been kinda busy…. Tests – tests and more tests 
So this is the latest:
My Urologist sent me to the Radio Oncologist because I decided I do NOT want surgery. Apparently I can’t have Brachyatherapy (my original choice) because my Gleason Score is 8 – too high, so External Beam Therapy is the only option, even though they only found cancer cells in ONE of the TEN Biopsies they took.
HOWEVER: (I am discovering LOTS of ‘Howevers’), the Oncologist wants me to have Hormone Treatment first to bring my enlarged prostate down in size.
An ‘Average’ prostate is about 40mm – about the size of a small Plum -… Continue reading My Personal Prostate Cancer Treatment Options
Great blog. I especially appreciate the tip on interspersing the mention of scenery or setting every three or four paragraphs. It’s something I’ve wondered about because some day would like to write a book. Thanks so much!