Writing Great Fiction

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conversation, but in the second version, we are participating in it, at
least from Kevin’s point of view. We feel that he starts to feel smaller
under Eileen’s icy gaze, and we feel him vibrating with repressed rage
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dialogue with visual cues, physical sensations, and access to at least one
character’s thoughts.


Faulkner, 7KH6RXQGDQGWKH)XU.


Hynes, Next.


McCarthy, %ORRG0HULGLDQ.


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  1. Write out a dialogue, perhaps half a page or a page, between two people
    who are at cross purposes to each other: one is in love and the other
    isn’t, for example, or one wants something that the other doesn’t want
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    dialogue tags or even the names of the characters—just the dialogue
    itself. Then, add layers to that initial dialogue. Try a version with basic
    dialogue tags, then a version with slightly more descriptive dialogue
    tags, then a version with some action and physical description, then a
    version with access to the characters’ thoughts, and so on. Each version
    will likely have a very different effect. Depending on what effect you
    prefer, choose the version that you think is best.


Suggested Reading

Writing Exercise
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