Dialogue Writing

 

A Dialogue literally means "talk between two people". Dialogue-writing should introduce students to the colloquial way of talking English, and train him to express his thoughts in easy and natural constructions.

 

The spoken English of the Bangladeshi school-boy is too often rather stilted and bookish, owing to the fact that he has not much chance of talking with English people; and anything that will help him to acquire naturalness and ease in speaking in English is of value.

 

Points to remember

 

To write a dialogue successfully, calls for a little dramatic power; for the writer has not only to see both sides of a question, but has also to put himself, so to speak, inside two imaginary persons so as to make them express their opposite opinions naturally and in keeping with their characters. He has in turn to be each one, and see the point of view of each on the question.

 

A written dialogue should be so composed that it appears to be spontaneous or impromptu. The reader of it should not feel that it is premeditated, stilted and dull.

 

At the same time, careful preparation is necessary for writing a dialogue, though this must not appear.

 

The writer must have the art to conceal his art. It is always advisable to make a plan or outline of the dialogue before beginning to write; otherwise, the dialogue may be rambling and pointless.

 

 

 

How to Write Dialogue

 

1. Carefully think over the subject given, and jot down briefly the arguments or opinions

about it which might reasonably be expressed by the imaginary persons who are

supposed to be talking.

 

2. Arrange these ideas in some logical order, so that one will arise naturally from another

in the course of the conversation. (It is well to write down these points in the form of an

outline, or numbered heads, as a guide to follow in writing the dialogue.)

 

3. Try to imagine what would be the way in which each character in the dialogue would express his views. To do this, you must have in your mind a clear idea of the imaginary persons taking part in the conversation, so as to make them speak in character.

 

4. Keep in mind that your dialogue, when completed, should read like a real, spontaneous conversation. So try to make your imaginary characters talk in an easy, familiar and natural manner. Avoid stilted and bookish phrases. Try to remember how real people talk in friendly conversation, and reproduce that conversational style as well as you can.

 

 

 

 

 

Things to be Careful about

1.  (a) Don't let any of your characters monopolize the conversation, as if he were giving

a public lecture. Give all a chance, and keep the ball rolling. Let the conversation be brisk

and rapid.

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(b) In real conversation, one person sometimes interrupts the other, or breaks in on what

he is saying. A sparing use of such interruptions in written dialogue is quite permissible,

and adds to its naturalness.

For example :-

A -- "I am perfectly certain he would never do such thing. Why, only the other

day he told me --"

B -- "I don't care what he told you ! I know for a fact that he did it."

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(c) In real conversation, a speaker often answers a question by asking another; or

sometimes, seeing what is coming, he answers a question before it is asked. You may

enliven your dialogue by making your characters do the same now and then.

For example :-

(i) A -- "What will you do if he does not answer your letter?"

B -- "Well, what would you do?"

(ii) D -- "I heard something about you the other day, John."

J -- "I know ! You are going to ask me why I was absent from office last Monday. We]], I

will tell you--etc."

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(d) In real conversation, people often use exclamations, surprise (e.g., "My word !"

"Good heavens !" "You don't say so !" "Well" etc.); irritation (e.g., "Bother V "O dear !"

"Confound it'."); pleasure ("How nice !" "Splendid !")-and so on. Such interjections may

be introduced from time to time, sparingly; but the use of them should not be overdone.

(Note.-Slang and profane words should be avoided).

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2. The dialogue should begin in an interesting way, so that the reader's attention may be

arrested from the very first. And the conversation should lead up to some definite

conclusion. It should not end abruptly and in the air, so to speak. Special attention should

be paid to the opening sentences and the conclusion.