life conversations takes note of the other person’s facial expressions,
gestures, and body language. Dialogue usually works best when it is an
integral part of a scene that combines the thoughts, actions, and speech
of the characters.z Consider a dialogue passage from the novel Next, in which the main
character, Kevin, an academic editor, is meeting with Eileen, the
professor who has just become his new boss. In the following bare bones
version of this passage, with just the speech and no action or description,
it’s obvious that Eileen is being imperious and condescending, while
Kevin is nervous and defensive.
“I’ve seen you at the gym,” Eileen said.“Yes,” Kevin said.“I assume that’s your lunch hour?”“Yeah, I play a pickup game with some guys two, three days
a week.” ³6RWKHJDPHLWVHOIODVWVZKDWIRUW\¿YHPLQXWHV" ́“Maybe a little less.”“So by the time you walk over there, change your clothes,
ZDUPXSSOD\WKHJDPHVKRZHUDQGZDONEDFNWR\RXURI¿FH
that’s what? An hour and a quarter? An hour and a half?”“Come on, Eileen, I see you at the gym all the time.”“I’m not on the clock. May I call you Kevin?”“Of course.”“Kevin, you’re not salaried like I’m salaried. Do we understand
each other?”