tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post2321157809142872088..comments2023-10-18T11:39:48.998-04:00Comments on NADJA NOTARIANI : An Author's Adventures: Taking My Time.......Nadja Notarianihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01339595239944177531noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-30763384752103409312011-07-28T18:58:11.443-04:002011-07-28T18:58:11.443-04:00I've definitely found dialogue tricky. I think...I've definitely found dialogue tricky. I think my first urge is to be more formal. I don't use a ton of slang myself. I've been pushing myself to make my dialogue sound more natural though. Clipped sentences or sentences that just trail off. My MIP is fantasy set in a preindustrial world (surprise surprise, right? :D) and I made the speech a little more formal by using no contractions. That being said, I'm still trying to keep it sounding natural by using some of the same techniques I was talking about before. Sentence frags, unfinished thoughts, etc... Except when the circumstances dictate more formal language.<br /><br />Congrats on all your progress!Sonia G Medeiroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11769867586033748973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-36946363882522532752011-07-27T18:33:21.540-04:002011-07-27T18:33:21.540-04:00Love the cover! I tend to throw in slang here and ...Love the cover! I tend to throw in slang here and there that personalizes the character a bit. Gives you a taste of where they are from. Then I have a character that is so uptight, she only speaks formally. I'd love to do southern accent but after reading some books with characters with too much emphasis on the accent, it's too difficult to read. Sounds like you are doing a great job.Robin Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07765229264945106765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-48529559043866423772011-07-27T16:04:13.908-04:002011-07-27T16:04:13.908-04:00That's a great quote, Matt...
And you're...That's a great quote, Matt... <br />And you're right, Jamila makes a good point. One side character in Claiming The Prize, St. Clair Davis, proved easy and fun to write. He doesn't come across as formal at all. After Jamila's comment, I believe it may be because he contrasted nicely with my more formal characters. Something to keep in mind. ~ NadjaNadja Notarianihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01339595239944177531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-44030476833864327462011-07-27T14:51:44.367-04:002011-07-27T14:51:44.367-04:00Thanks for the link, glad I could help.
I like wh...Thanks for the link, glad I could help.<br /><br />I like what you said about writing a "story with romance in it." Great way to put it. <br /><br />There was a quotation I heard/read somewhere (can't remember where): "Dialog should be just like real speech... only not at all." :-) <br /><br />Older times (and fantasy) have a tendency toward formal speech (and I must admit a fondness for "thinking" formally as well), but Jamila makes a good point. Even in those settings, there are ways to add localized slag/informality... even if it's your own made-up informality. (Martin's novels are a great example of this, and something I try to mirror in my own writing.)<br /><br />Keep up the good work, sounds like your'e on a good pace with your novel.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06496367364680009076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-20178123565980389652011-07-27T13:55:17.941-04:002011-07-27T13:55:17.941-04:00In my next novel, I've got to choose a style o...In my next novel, I've got to choose a style of speaking as it's a world of my creating. This is a new realization, and now that I'm getting such great feedback, it may turn out to be an adventure. ......darlin'. Ha! ~ NadjaNadja Notarianihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01339595239944177531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-51854050766319867032011-07-27T13:49:25.331-04:002011-07-27T13:49:25.331-04:00Oh, that cover is absolutely beautiful!
I've ...Oh, that cover is absolutely beautiful!<br /><br />I've also noticed that I tend towards formal dialogue, particularly when I write period pieces and fantasy. I'm in the midst of George R.R. Martin's 5th book in his Song of Ice and Fire series, however, and one thing that he does well is utilize a lot of slang and differences in dialogue based on the personalities and class origins of his characters. This is something I'm going to attempt to do, because I am worried that things might sound stilted and unrealistic.<br /><br />I'm having fun with this steampunk tale if only because people sound like they stepped out of a Wild West film -- lots of 'darlin' and 'ma'am', along with a bit of tame swearing, which is hilarious to write. The wealthy characters will be much more restrained in their expression, so the contrast should prove interesting.<br /><br />Enjoy the rest of the week!jamilajamisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09343161298632681693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-71381381272581063762011-07-27T10:57:59.496-04:002011-07-27T10:57:59.496-04:00Gorgeous cover and congrats on all that you've...Gorgeous cover and congrats on all that you've accomplished :)<br /><br />MarieMarie Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05483640008622878711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-60018200403018597222011-07-27T09:10:32.652-04:002011-07-27T09:10:32.652-04:00I love the cover!
As far as dialogue, I haven'...I love the cover!<br /><br />As far as dialogue, I haven't had a problem with my MC's voice but I do have a problem with everyone else lol. If I try to write slang-y I feel like I overdo it and it just looks awful so I end up having to go in and cut half of the sentences. <br /><br />Good luck with your work!Lisa Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09054151451738617839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-67791150151632427682011-07-27T08:34:26.931-04:002011-07-27T08:34:26.931-04:00I never realized what a hot issue dialogue was! A...I never realized what a hot issue dialogue was! And Gene, thank you for posting the article. I'll have to check it out. <br />L.S. and Deniz......Thanks for the cover love!! I'm really quite pleased with it!<br />And I definately agree, Deniz, I could never write slang-y dialogue! It just sounds so....awful to my ears. ~ NadjaNadja Notarianihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01339595239944177531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-26296807322441440222011-07-27T08:24:56.703-04:002011-07-27T08:24:56.703-04:00Great post Nadja. That's a gorgeous cover!!
I ...Great post Nadja. That's a gorgeous cover!!<br />I agree with you on preferring a formal voice; I think that's why I gravitate towards historicals as well. Doubt I could write a modern slang-y dialogue at all!Deniz Bevanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17134553551048836979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-63636500371182710032011-07-27T08:19:50.457-04:002011-07-27T08:19:50.457-04:00I think we all can relate to the dialogue issue, a...I think we all can relate to the dialogue issue, after all, who else do we speak like then ourselves. Nancy Kress has an interesting suggestion to help with this in Characters, Emotion and Viewpoint. She suggests a blended thinking process where we think as a crafter in one sense, as the character in another and as the reader in the third. Worth the read if you have the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-5649602714969443052011-07-27T08:07:36.019-04:002011-07-27T08:07:36.019-04:00I've been fighting a lot of dialogue issues my...I've been fighting a lot of dialogue issues myself. Usually, my dialogue will start leaning toward the style of whatever book I'm reading at the time, which doesn't always translate into the style of book(s) I'm writing all the time. As you mentioned, though, dialogue can be a fairly easy fix, which is nice. :)<br /><br />You seem to have a lot of good work going on, so congrats and keep it up. I love the cover!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-42139536223053216972011-07-27T08:06:44.098-04:002011-07-27T08:06:44.098-04:00Ohh, movies like they watch in Mystery Science The...Ohh, movies like they watch in Mystery Science Theatre? Too funny. But yes, Rebecca, dialogue, at least for me, is going to be an issue I have to keep my eye on. <br />Gabrielle - thanks!Nadja Notarianihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01339595239944177531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-12257242757707697442011-07-27T07:56:37.362-04:002011-07-27T07:56:37.362-04:00Nothing wrong with taking your time. That's o...Nothing wrong with taking your time. That's one of the joys of indie publishing--you're in the driver's seat. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05512314707998638650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889983057537109989.post-36644186555560096322011-07-27T07:13:26.887-04:002011-07-27T07:13:26.887-04:00I can relate to the speech/dialogue issues. I'...I can relate to the speech/dialogue issues. I'm writing a medieval fantasy, and sometimes it's a struggle to walk the line between not sounding too modern and not sounding too archaic and formal. Plus some of my dialogue sounds like it came out of a bad 80s occult movie hahaDarkWyvernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04055457321532181508noreply@blogger.com