Approaches And Techniques Flashcards
What makes an active and engaging beginnings?
- opening lines: element of tension
- exposition: establish who, when, doing what?
How to create living characters ?
By knowing as much about them as you can about them
What should you establish about a character before starting ?
- Given qualities: age, name, nationality, family background, religions, accent, way of speaking
- Chosen qualities: profession, destination, secrets, attitude towards love, money
What is the function of dialogue ?
- way for characters to talk to each other
What should you avoid when writing dialogue?
- shouldn’t be used as an exposition tool
- avoid mundane day to day exchanges
Why should one use dialogue?
- reveal characters relationships
- show something happening in scenic time
- move a story forward and show dramatic conflict
- break up exposition
What are the two types of speech?
Induced and Autonomous
Define induced speech
Both speakers are responding to each other in a back and forth
Define autonomous speech
There is a disconnect between speakers
What are the three types of dialogue?
Direct, indirect and Summary
What is direct dialogue?
- in quotes
- characters feel real, we can hear their voice
- sense of drama and tension of scene
What is indirect dialogue ?
- still feels like an exchange between characters
- gives trader proximity to characters consciousness
What is summary dialogue ?
- no direct dialogue in quotes
- way to condense exchanges that aren’t shown in scene
- efficient for handling backstory or moving quickly through a scene
How do you create critical scenes/ tension moments ?
- moments of greatest tension in story
- protagonist decides to act in one way or another
How do you create resonant endings ?
- consider journey taken so far
- what is my story about, what do I want to say
- last line should give reader something to think about