Writing a story, how do you do the conversations?

[Threeinchdick]

I'm going to sit down and write out my own life story, well the bad sex parts anyway. Mainly to help me be honest about all that I went through as a 17-20 year old prior to my accident.

So I can write, type that isn't an issue and yes I can remember what happened so that's not an issue. My spelling and punctuation isn't 100% accurate so having it edited will be a must. Whether anyone reads it later who knows.

The real issue comes when I want to write speech or conversations. I cant remember then in detail. Can you write a story without speech when its so personal and keep a reader interested? So what do you writers in LIT land do for speech? Make it up or is it more a feel for the development of the characters?

Be grateful for any tips or suggestions as to how to write this.

 

[RoyceConnors]

Dialogue isn't just writing down what the character is saying. You develop your character's personality through it. It's the way your character says things, their syntax, that allows you another area to do development.

What they say is your choice, but it should reflect your character well and move the story forward. Try to keep the segments of speech short, like a normal convo, unless someone is explaining and takes a long time to finish. In that case, break it up with some movement, action or emotion shown.

Try to keep it real, keep it short, keep it moving forward and keep practising until dialogue comes naturally to your writing.

 

[Threeinchdick]

Dialogue isn't just writing down what the character is saying. You develop your character's personality through it. It's the way your character says things, their syntax, that allows you another area to do development.

What they say is your choice, but it should reflect your character well and move the story forward. Try to keep the segments of speech short, like a normal convo, unless someone is explaining and takes a long time to finish. In that case, break it up with some movement, action or emotion shown.

Try to keep it real, keep it short, keep it moving forward and keep practising until dialogue comes naturally to your writing.

Ah. I've just spotted the flaw. I hadnt thought of developing the characters. I know them so well I'm writing from personal experience so had forgotten that part.

Cheers.

 

[RoyceConnors]

Ah. I've just spotted the flaw. I hadnt thought of developing the characters. I know them so well I'm writing from personal experience so had forgotten that part.

Cheers.

Good luck!!!

 

[TxRad]

Another couple of things.

One, keep your paragraphs short. Large blocks of type are hard to read and focus on on a back lit screen.

Two. Each speaker has their own line or paragraph and the "" go on the outside of punctuation.

Good luck

 

[FlyAwayFromHere]

are you writing it as a memory and personal experience or are you writing it as an impersonal narrator?
(1st/3rd person)

if you are writing it in the past tense as yourself then you dont need speech all that much, as you can say how YOU felt and what YOU thought. I think that speech is more of a must when you are writing as an outsider. but you can also narrate speech, if that makes sense... heres what i mean...

- If you remember what was said:

"Tom you just cant do that! It isn't right! Please don't!" Jamie sobbed.

- If you dont:

Jamie was upset with Tom's actions, and cried at him to change his mind, but he did not listen.


It is doable without the exact words. Sometimes i remember things like my mum told me off about wearing that skirt.. but not what she actually said. It is still possible to carry the story and keep the reader interested, but as a 3rd person narrator speech gives more of an insight into the characters.

My advice is write your first draft in a day. get the key points and scenes down so it is all in your head (this is possible for me with stories up to 20k words). it doesnt have to flow well or anything. just get it down on paper.

Then a couple days later go back and edit it from the beginning. You will have been running the bits you arnt happy with around your head when you wont even realise it, and it will come to you much better. sometimes just getting it down on paper makes things fall into place a little better.

I try not to use too much speech as i feel it ruins the flow in some of my stories, but i am writing a novel and i am including it a lot more as it depends on your focus. on a scene where you want to be enraptured with physical feelings i try not to inlclude it unless it is vital.

these are just my own personal experiences and opinions, so they might not be right for you. dont forget that apart from spelling and grammer, there is no wrong or right way to right. Do what is best for you.

 

[Weird Harold]

The real issue comes when I want to write speech or conversations. I cant remember then in detail. Can you write a story without speech when its so personal and keep a reader interested? So what do you writers in LIT land do for speech? Make it up or is it more a feel for the development of the characters?

Most Lit writers write fiction, so they make up any dialogue -- along with the rest of the story.

Putting words in your memories' mouths, so to speak, is not a big problem; You can probably remember the content, tone, emotion, etc, even if you don't remember the exact wording.

Just reconstruct the conversations to the best of your ability, and don't worry too much about absolute accuracy. The same thing applies to events; too much accuracy in a true story generally reads like a police report. You might also consider that (almost) nobody is going to believe your claim of a true story, anyway. The claim of a "true story" is probably the most misused literary device in history.

 

[i_would]

You might also consider that (almost) nobody is going to believe your claim of a true story, anyway. The claim of a "true story" is probably the most misused literary device in history.

Agreed.

And in most cases, what would I as reader care if it's true or not? I don't know the people involved anyway. It may be (based on) a true story, it may be fiction, that doesn't change whether it's a good/entertaining story or not.

 

[Threeinchdick]

Most Lit writers write fiction, so they make up any dialogue -- along with the rest of the story.

Putting words in your memories' mouths, so to speak, is not a big problem; You can probably remember the content, tone, emotion, etc, even if you don't remember the exact wording.

Just reconstruct the conversations to the best of your ability, and don't worry too much about absolute accuracy. The same thing applies to events; too much accuracy in a true story generally reads like a police report. You might also consider that (almost) nobody is going to believe your claim of a true story, anyway. The claim of a "true story" is probably the most misused literary device in history.

Cheers WH. I hadn't considered a police report for something that happened 25 years ago....

 

[Threeinchdick]

are you writing it as a memory and personal experience or are you writing it as an impersonal narrator?
(1st/3rd person)

if you are writing it in the past tense as yourself then you dont need speech all that much, as you can say how YOU felt and what YOU thought. I think that speech is more of a must when you are writing as an outsider. but you can also narrate speech, if that makes sense... heres what i mean...

- If you remember what was said:

"Tom you just cant do that! It isn't right! Please don't!" Jamie sobbed.

- If you dont:

Jamie was upset with Tom's actions, and cried at him to change his mind, but he did not listen.


It is doable without the exact words. Sometimes i remember things like my mum told me off about wearing that skirt.. but not what she actually said. It is still possible to carry the story and keep the reader interested, but as a 3rd person narrator speech gives more of an insight into the characters.

My advice is write your first draft in a day. get the key points and scenes down so it is all in your head (this is possible for me with stories up to 20k words). it doesnt have to flow well or anything. just get it down on paper.

Then a couple days later go back and edit it from the beginning. You will have been running the bits you arnt happy with around your head when you wont even realise it, and it will come to you much better. sometimes just getting it down on paper makes things fall into place a little better.

I try not to use too much speech as i feel it ruins the flow in some of my stories, but i am writing a novel and i am including it a lot more as it depends on your focus. on a scene where you want to be enraptured with physical feelings i try not to inlclude it unless it is vital.

these are just my own personal experiences and opinions, so they might not be right for you. dont forget that apart from spelling and grammer, there is no wrong or right way to right. Do what is best for you.

Thanks for the advice.

Hadn't though which way to write it down, will have to give it some thought.