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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Developing Dialogue that Speaks Presented by the Center for Writing Excellence 2013 Center for Writing Excellence

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net A bit about Janie Freelance Writer Newspapers Magazines Published book: Do You Call Yourself a Writer? Available at Lulu PressLulu Press Online for multiple sites Trainer Curriculum Specialist Educator Writing online for several years

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Talking Characters Get your characters to talk to each other Good, realistic dialogue Adds reader believability Not always easy to do Adds so much to the story Cant afford to leave it out

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Eavesdrop Carry a notebook and pen everywhere Jot down interesting comments you overhear Note things like graffiti, advertisements Listen to voice inflections and note them Watch body language, write it down Listen to conversations

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Cut the Boring Parts Not everything you hear will be scintillating conversation Use narrative to cover missing, dull conversation Dont need to relate every word, every gesture.

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Stuck? Ask what if? Make up the details Add some interest to the background Change the circumstances Have something happen

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Trust your Characters They will tell you what they want you to know Sometimes they will surprise you Pay attention to them Trust them

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Dialect? Dialect gives a lot of information to the reader Use it carefully Too much and your reader wont understand Use descriptors instead of actual dialect

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Read it Aloud Listen to the words Have someone else read it aloud Listen again

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Listen When listening to conversations, pay attention Hear the words Discover the meaning behind the words Turn what you hear into a story with rich dialogue

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Read Dialogue Scenes in Plays Plays are great resources for finding out about dialogue

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Avoid Deliberate Cruelty If modeling your characters after someone you know Change enough so your reader does not figure it out

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net Read About Dialogue Crafting Realistic Dialogue by Bonnie Way http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/realistic- dialogue.html http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/realistic- dialogue.html Writing Dialogue by Siobhain M Cullen http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art4688.asp http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art4688.asp

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Institute for Instructional Excellence: www.instructionalexcellence.netwww.instructionalexcellence.net 2010 Center for Writing Excellence Keep in Touch Contact information Janie Sullivan: janiewrites1@gmail.comjaniewrites1@gmail.com Twitter: @janiewrites Facebook: Janie Sullivan SKYPE: janie.sullivan1 Center for Writing Excellence: www.janiewrites.com www.janiewrites.com Dialog: Breathing Life Into Writing http://www.janiewrites.com/workshops-2/online- workshops/dialogue/ http://www.janiewrites.com/workshops-2/online- workshops/dialogue/