Fundamentals

Question 1

How do you turn telling into showing?

Answer 1

1. Use the five senses - describe what they can see, hear, smell, taste, sense
2. Use strong verbs - avoid weak and static verbs E.g. to be, there was/were, to have, started to, began to. Weaker verbs are fine if action isn’t important
3. Use concrete nouns - be specific to create the image you want in reader’s minds. The best descriptions reveal something about their personality too
4. Break activities into smaller parts - break generic activities into smaller parts if it reveals character or moves plot forward
5. Use figurative language - a simile compares two things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. A metaphor compares two things more directly.
6. Write in real time - let action unfold in real time, instead of summing up what happened
7. Use dialogue - show action in real time through writing dialogue
8. Use internal monologue - showing what the character is thinking can reveal emotions without naming them
9. Focus on actions & reactions - actions speak louder than words. Let them see how the character acts and reacts to story events

Question 2

How do you describe emotion?

Answer 2

1. Physical, visceral response
2. Body language & actions
3. Facial expressions
4. Dialogue
5. Internal monologue
6. Setting description
7. The five senses
8. Figurative language

Question 3

How do you increase conflict & tension in dialogue?

Answer 3

1. Use agendas - if a scene drags, gets characters into an argument
2. Set up barriers - outer barriers are something interrupting their conversation. Inter barriers are emotional reasons
3. Fear factor - fear is a continuum. At any given time, every character in a scene can be fearful about something

Question 4

What are the functions of dialogue?

Answer 4

1. Revealing story - once you know what you need to reveal, put it into a tense dialogue exchange
2. Reveal character - vocabulary, syntax, regionalism, peer groups
3. Set the tone - the way people talk to each other has a cumulative effect that sets tone
4. Set the scene - the way characters react to their surroundings
5. Reveals theme - thematic dialogue