How do I stop my writing from turning into a script? I love writing dialogue and while I'm pretty confident in the quality of my dialogue, I alwyas end up with pages looking like:
The man turned to the woman and said, "Dialogue."
"More dialogue" she replied.
"Dialogue."
"More dialogue."
"Dialogue."
"More dialogue."
"Dialogue."
"More dialogue."
"Dialogue."
"More dialogue."
"Dialogue."
"More dialogue."
Any tips on how to stop using extensive dialogue as a crutch?
this is a good question
mine always becomes awkward with describing the character's actions or details during the conversation
i think honestly if you have that much dialogue to write you should maybe just let it go as it is
>>7377293
Write a story about mute people.
>>7377293
Dialogue is essentially exposition, you're telling the reader what you want him to know by having him listen in on characters talking. If possible, try to show rather than tell the reader the same information. If you're using a lot of dialogue to tell the reader that a character is wishy-washy and unable to make a decision, try instead to cut the dialogue down to a minimum and reinforce it with an action - our indecisive protagonist talking while trying to pick between two nearly identical apples, for example.
>>7377293
1. Don't reveal plot info in your dialogue. Dialogue is purely for characterization. You don't want the reader combing the dialogue for the information they need to understand what's going on. Just thoughts and feelings.
2. Realize that, most likely, most of what your characters are saying isn't really that important to your story, or strong enough to be worth keeping.
3. Summarize discussions. "They decided she wasn't going to go to church, after all."
>>7377293
stop worrying about it, get a draft done. You'll then have perspective on your story, the shape, and know how to edit your dialogue/what needs to be cut. Anything that gets you writing, anything that keeps your confidence up, is a good thing. Close thread and continue.
>>7377315
>1. Don't reveal plot info in your dialogue. Dialogue is purely for characterization.
Dumbest thing I've read on 4chan today.
>>7377315
>1. Don't reveal plot info in your dialogue. Dialogue is purely for characterization.
While I don't really agree with this statement, the story I am trying to start writing right now is purely character driven. It's purely the relationship between too people, no real plot. The interactions and conversations between the protagonists feel essential, since they are the story. But every excerpt/mini-scene I've tried writing to get a feel for the story has ended with me being unhappy at how much dialogue is in it.
The majority of this story should be conversations, namely broken up by a fewsex scenes.
>>7377430
And that's why your work sucks anon, lol
>>7377657
God fucking damn it, /lit/. This is why people rarely get published in here, if ever. You look like a novice who has never written anything serious, so much that you're struggling heavily with something as fundamental as dialogue. Do you seriously think you can pull off a story with "no real plot"?
>>7377840
>on /lit/
>talks about plot
Nice one.
>>7377840
Who said I'm trying to get published? Who said I'm writing something serious or struggling heavy?
Also I don't "look like a novice", I am one. I don't write a lot, I'm giving myself a simple project for practice, I'm not very happy with the way I handle dialogue, and I'm looking for some advice from one of my favourite boards.
I'm sorry if me trying to improve my writing offended you so much.
>>7377848
You also fell for the "start with the Greeks" meme, didn't you?
>>7377875
No, that happened when I listened to a Philosophyfag acquaintance. Fuck this guy and Aristoteles.
>>7377859
Good for you. Keep going. Regarding dialogue, just try some exercises that restrict it. Write a story where no one speaks or a story with just one character and "no dialogue" will get comfortable pretty quickly.
As long as the dialogue is good, there's not really anything wrong with that.
When you're writing the dialogue, think of it how a movie would show dialogue between two people. The focus will be on what they are saying, and any actions they are doing. It has to work that way because it's how people follow words on a page: one at a time. Especially if it's just two people talking without any other actions taking place.
>>7377293
If you write three to five bits of dialogue followed by two to three sentences of regular paragraph style text, you usually end up with something passable.
You can also try condensing your dialogue into a few terse sentences and then write about shifts in body posture. It's what people do in real life.
If the script like quality is actually strong then don't hesitate to write that way. Use what works.
also stop watching anime.
>>7380007
Kill yourself my man.
>>7377430
their right about dialogue.
Monologues however
>>7377293
just write it as a script and add the prose in further edits.
Go full JR. Don't fight it, Anon.
>>7377293
Good question. As it is in film, the characters cannot just be standing there shooting words out of their mouth and into the ears of the other.
Action is what is important. Add in details of body language. Have one of the characters fiddle with something.
In fact, you can probably remove half your dialogue and replace it with descriptions of body language. That way, it opens up a whole new level of communication(instead of merely spewing crap out of their mouths, they are communicating).
ex
The man turned to the woman and said: "Dialogue."
"More dialogue" she replied
description, description; body language, body language.
"Dialogue," continued the man, "dialogue."
"Dialogue" she replied
ect ect ect
Hope this helps. Also, this >>7377315 To a certain degree. Basically, write it as it were to flow naturally. Listen to people talk and pay attention to how they act when they talk. Look for the connections between their mood, body language and words.
>>7380025
He's right, though. Anime usually never has a narrative voice (aside from extremely rare occasions) and consists mostly of two characters talking, or one character thinking something in a very dialogue-oriented tone. It would be good if op threw in some of the thoughts of a character or two, but if his style doesn't work that way then he is left with pure dialogue as an influence for his work.
