A Few Keys to Writing Effective Dialogue – Writing
A Few Keys to Writing Effective Dialogue
Karyn Follis Cheatham
Every writer expends a great deal of creative energy developing a story line and limning well-balanced prose with evocative sentences. Thats what writing is all about, after all. But fiction writers have an additional aspect to creation--effective dialogue. Very few stories, novellas or novels are without dialogue, and for some writers, this can be a stumbling block.
Listen to How People Talk
If you listen carefully to how people speak, youll notice that people tend to use shorter sentences in times of high emotion: anger, surprise, awe. "I cant take this! Get out!" versus "I find this situation intolerable. I want you to leave right now." They ramble a bit when theyre nervous or confused. "I know this isnt what you wanted, but I wasnt sure which way to make the diagram fit best on the page so I brought both copies with me. I hope you dont mind." Young children tend to get pronouns confused or leave out articles: "Me go to store with Gramma." Youll begin to recognize how different personalities have different word usage and diction. All of these observations can be incorporated in the dialogue you write.
The best grammar isnt always used, either. Even people who write well, dont always speak well. "Ive got to get that new CD of Carlsons," takes precedence in speech over the more correct, "I have to buy Carlsons new CD." Word usage and contractions that you might avoid in narration become quite logical in dialogue: "Theres no more to see, so lets get outta here."
Use Dialogue as Enhancement
To be most effective, use dialogue as an extension of your story line and character development. Lets say you have a character, Jane. Shes late to the airport. She gets in a taxi and tells the driver she has to hurry to the airport. He agrees.
Well, those are the facts, and it could be left strictly to narration: Jane shoved her way into the cab and slammed the door as she told the driver to hurry to the airport. He agreed.
Or dialogue could be used. These examples show how different Jane characters could speak and how the energy of the scene is increased.
Plain Jane: "I have to get to the airport really fast. Can you do that" Cabby: "You betcha."
Jane of the streets: "The airport, bro, and hit it!" Cabby: "Im on it!"
Jane the executive: "Airport. A big tip if you make it quick." Cabby: "Yes, maam!"
Jane the professor: "To the airport, please, and Im in a hurry." Cabby: "Certainly."
You notice the cabbys response was dictated by Janes words, making the scene more believable. Inconsistencies between peoples words and actions should be used for a reason and also noted. For instance, if Jane the professor had said "The airport, bro, and hit it!" The cabby might have jerked to look at her, or the narrator might have commented how Jane chuckled inside at her language--or, both.
Writing effective dialogue is an art all its own and one that should be honed with observation and rewriting. Truly knowing your characters is essential. Reading scenes aloud to yourself or others writing groups are good for this will increase your ability to hear the rhythms of sentences and recognize good not necessarily proper word usage. With diligent practice, this creative aspect of your writing will become second nature and flow evenly with your story and literary style.
c2004 by Karyn Follis Cheatham
About The Author
Karyn Follis Cheatham is the author of nine fiction and nonfiction books, numerous articles and published poems. She has edited for national magazines and publishing houses, and gives presentations at schools and libraries on writing and the American West. Visit her web sites http://www.kaios.com/ KAIOS.com and http://www.awritersaide.com/ A Writers Aide.
The 3 Keys To Business Victories – Mortgage
The 3 Keys To Business Victories
Sopan Greene
No matter what business you are in there is a high chance of failure. Why Because most people dont do the research and keep the right focus needed to succeed.
There are only 3 Keys to pay attention to if you want to thrive in the business world. The beauty of these keys is that when you master them you can always do well. If your current business ends up failing or your industry dies off it wont matter. You are your greatest asset and you can start over and build a new successful business.
Key #1: PROBLEM SOLVING
Business is really just seeing whats needed and providing it. Whether your business is about products, services or both, you are providing a solution to a problem that a lot of people want not necessarily need a solution for.
For example, information or "how to" products give people information they want to be able to do whatever it is that they want to do and dont know "how to" do. Truck drivers provide a solution for how to get products from one place to another.
Teachers provide a solution for how to educate our children. I provide a solution for how to use internet marketing to increase profits of any business.
Its the same in every industry. Find a problem and offer people a valuable solution at a reasonable price.
Key #2: NUMBERS
To run a successful business all you have to do is track how its operating and make sure youre taking in more money than youre spending. When you see which systems work, do more of that and youll make more money.
For example, in direct marketing online and offlineyou always start by researching your product to make sure people actually want to buy it. Then you test and test and test until you have a great headline, great ad copy, and a great sales letter. By great I mean that your sales are skyrocketing.
Once you have those elements tested and proven all you have to do to make more money is to get your ads, headline and sales copy in front of more eyeballs of people who want the solution youre providing. Give em what they want and theyll buy.
Key #3: ADAPTABILITY
This one here is probably the skeleton key you know,the one that unlocks every door to your success. Applied knowledge has been considered the main key to business success in the "information age."
Now were moving into the "adaptability age." No matter how much you know and how much action you take, youre dead in the water if you cant be flexible and change with the times.
What weve seen in the past 60 years of business is that our world continues to change faster and faster each year. Entire industries are replaced by new technologies. The people who dont pay attention to this are left laying by the side of the road wondering what theyll ever do for work again. Lets face it, job security doesnt exist anymore.
Take farming for example. Family farms are an extinct breed now and corporations with smart machines have taken over. If youve been farming for 30 years and you cant afford to farm anymore because of how factory farms have taken over the industry, what are you going to do Farming is a valuable skill, but it only works for farming.
If an unemployed farmer is adaptable he can look at the world today and look for an opportunity. He can find a problem that needs to be solved, provide a solution for it, figure out if the numbers are profitable and if they are hell create a successful business.
Beyond this, I believe in multiple streams of income. Just like you know you shouldnt have all your money invested in one stock, I think its nuts to try to live on one income source in these times.
Why do most folks have one job they dont like and that doesnt pay well and think their lives will ever get better Create a business you love instead so youll be turned on which will make you happy no matter how much money make or dont make.
Why not make front end, back end and residual income from many sources like internet marketing, network marketing, internet auctions, creating new products, real estate, stocks & bonds, govt tax liens, options, trusts, discounted mortgages and even keep your regular job if you love it. Put the extra cash into different solid investments. Just a thought to consider.
Start with using these 3 Keys in your current business with an eye to the future.
© Red To Greene, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.NetMarketingMastery.com
About The Author
Sopan Greene, M.A. is a marketing & life coach & editor of the Net Profits newsletter. Get 2 FREE eBooks & a FREE report: "Million Dollar Emails","How To Start Your Own Traffic Virus" & "The 13 Deadly Internet Marketing Mistakes Almost Every Business Is Making..."
mailto:webmaster87-5956@autocontactor.com
www.NetMarketingMastery.com
5 Keys to Unlock the Waitlist Lock – Writing
5 Keys to Unlock the Waitlist Lock
Linda Abraham
Being wait-listed is tough, and you need the right set of keys to open the door to your dream program. The truth is that even with these keys, its still not guaranteed that the lock will work. But this keychain has the critical pieces of metal youll need to turn that lock.
First, a word of introduction: Realize that receiving a wait-list letter means you qualify for admission. You pass. You are probably on the wait-list and not admitted because they have already admitted applicants with your profile and want diversity in the class. Or they find your qualifications impressive, but find someone elses even more so.
Now lets examine that keychain.
Key 1: Read the letter for any hints of deficiency in your profile and attempt to improve that element in your profile.
Key 2: Give them more reasons to admit you. If the school encouraged contact, inform it of new achievements, initiatives, promotions, and developments in your life. This suggestion implies developing a proactive campaign for contact roughly every 2-3 weeks. The exact particulars will vary depending on your school, specialty, and exactly when you are put on the wait list, but it can include letters, additional visits to the school, an offer to interview, letters of support from others, and occasional phone calls.
Letters should be 1-2 pages. For tips on the letters content, please see "Wait-list Purgatory."
Key 3: Reinforce the idea of a fit between you and the school. Demonstrate how a visit confirmed and deepened your interest in the program. Show how recent activities reveal that your values and the schools are a match made in heaven.
Key 4: Enlist your fan club. Seek additional letters of recommendation from supervisors on and off the job and professors if applying to an academic program. Current students and recent alumni who know you can also write letters of support and emphasize your fit with the program.
Key 5: Ask if there is anything you can do to improve your candidacy. There usually isnt, but if there is you want to know about it and do it. If you have already demonstrated improvement in that aspect of your profile, let them know how you have improved since you applied.
It is much harder to wave the flag when the school doesnt want contact. But even in these cases, you can be proactive, just more indirect. If feasible, visit the school and take a tour. If you know alumni or faculty members, ask them to put in a good word for you at the school. You cant be responsible if your fan club thinks you belong at School X and wants to inform the admissions committee. You will have to be a little more indirect, but you still want someone to show fit and that "new and improved" you. For must-have information on the wait-list process, read "Nine Mistakes You Dont Want to Make on an MBA Waitlist." Accepted.coms editors are available to help you evaluate your application, advise you on your wait-list strategy, and edit wait-list letters. For more information, please visit our catalog.
About The Author
Linda Abraham, Accepted.coms founder and president, has helped thousands of applicants develop successful admissions strategies and craft distinctive essays. In addition to advising clients and managing Accepted.com, she has written and lectured extensively on admissions. The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times, and BusinessWeek are among the publications that have sought Lindas expertise.
Reprint of this article is only permitted when reprinted in its entirety with the above bio.
onlinesupport@accepted.com