Dialog.

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Try it or dont, but my recommendation is, THROW AWAY THE HOW TO WRITE DIALOG BOOK AND READ A FEW NOVELS BY GEORGE V. HIGGINS. Especially his early books.

Author Elmore Leonard, a best selling novelist when an agent sent him a copy of Higgin's first book, says that Higgins taught him how to write dialog.

 

[jomar]

Don't think I've read Higgins' books, but have read most of Elmore's and he does write good dialog.

Seems like we had a dialog writers challenge/exercise a few years ago...couldn't find it, though.

 

[serpentwrap]

Very true. Higgins' dialogues are truly brilliant. Perhaps the crime genre (particularly the mob scenarios that he brought out oh-so-brilliantly) helped him craft the dialogue better. I also feel the Irish phraseology lends itself to a brilliant dialogues. I believe Irish turn of phrases has an inexplicable poetry sheen to its verbal usage that helps craft the dialogues well. That Eddie Coyle book is absolutely a charmer.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Very true. Higgins' dialogues are truly brilliant. Perhaps the crime genre (particularly the mob scenarios that he brought out oh-so-brilliantly) helped him craft the dialogue better. I also feel the Irish phraseology lends itself to a brilliant dialogues. I believe Irish turn of phrases has an inexplicable poetry sheen to its verbal usage that helps craft the dialogues well. That Eddie Coyle book is absolutely a charmer.

I'm reading ENEMIES OF CHOICE. Higgins said its his favorite, and its excellent once you get past chapter one. EDDIE COYLE is excellent and COGAN'S TRADE is better! I ordered THE RAT ON FIRE, and its reputed to be the best of all.

http://sites.google.com/site/fivepubs/georgev.higgins
HIGGINS INTERVIEW.

 

[serpentwrap]

I must get hold of The Rat on Fire. I think I've read Cogan's Trade but a long time ago.