HOW DIALOGUE PROPELS ACTION SHERWOOD BROOKS DRIFTWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL 2015

" Blah, blah, blah," she said. "Yup." "Did you hear what I just said?" "Didn't understand it, more like it." "Why you...!" Have you ever experience or witnessed a conversation like that? Read one in your recent books? Did it make you want to throw the book against the wall and yell, "just get to the point!“…..Been there. Dialogue should be about something. It should move the plot forward or it is useless. Dialogue Propels the Story Forward

WHAT IS DIALOGUE? Conversation between/among Characters Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo? How do I love thee, let me count the ways?

DIALOGUE - Helps you get to know the characters At least I have a brain! I am zee strongest man in de wall! Helps to reveal what the characters are thinking, feeling or what is motivating them Gives each character his/her own voice

Creates action by causing things to happen The beginning of a new thing! a change of mind, a change of heart, or a decision made

Enhances important connections between characters that need to develop in order for the plot to move forward ~~~ To create meaningful dialogue, writers must choose words and lines carefully for their characters

DIALOGUE: REVEALS NEW OBSTACLES When considering dialogue, an obstacle to a character's goal works by throwing in a new topic or conversation direction. This creates immediate conflict. The character can express his discomfort verbally, but he's going to have to physically do something to move the story forward. What he is going to do and how he’s going to handle it, can be foreshadowed in dialogue.

A few lines of effective dialogue are often much more productive than a long conversation back and forth. Characters quickly come alive on the page when they have powerful lines to say before, during, and after moments when they're taking action, whether they're whispering to their best friend while crawling through the mud, or admitting they're scared right before jumping out of a plane. PROVIDES THE READER WITH NECESSARY INFORMATION

DIALOGUE: Increases suspense Suspense increases when things look worse for the characters. Authors create suspense with dialogue because the character is already "in the moment" and the reader is "watching" how the character is going to handle the suspense that's been dropped on him. The readers ask questions as he or she tries to predict what’s going to happen.

DIALOGUE: Shows character transformation Writers often change characters, in subtle ways, throughout the story. They want to show how characters can change for better or worse. In order for a transformation, a profound moment has to happen. In dialogue, this happens with words.

SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW QUESTION 1. How does dialogue move the story forward? A.It creates questions in the reader’s mind. B.It provides the reader with necessary information C.It can enhance connections with the reader. D.It shows how a person’s words can motivate another person to act E.All of the above

The answer is E All of the above

What important question should we ask ourselves when analyzing dialogue? A.Is it part of the story? B.What purpose does it serve? C.Is it exciting? D. Is it enough?

The answer is B What purpose does it serve? (Why is it there? Is it doing what it’s supposed to do?)

Why is it important for a writer to choose words and lines of dialogue carefully? A.Long conversations back and forth is better B.A brief dialogue is more effective C. It can establish a strong voice for each character D. It makes the characters seem smarter.

The answer is C. It can establish a strong voice for each character (this helps the reader to understand each character and make connection with them)

What can dialogue reveal about a character? A.Thoughts, feeling and motivations B.Where and when the story takes place C. Rising and falling action D. Resolution of the conflict

The answer is A Dialogue can reveal a character’s thoughts, feelings, and motivation. (Through dialogue, the reader can find out what the characters are thinking and feeling and what makes them do what they do.)

Lines of dialogue can ______ A.Show how characters interact with each other B.Tell how characters look C.Provide text features D. Enhance setting

The answer is A Show how characters interact with each other (Through carefully crafted dialogue, a reader can see how characters interact and relate to each other)

Which of the following is TRUE about dialogue? A.It can reveal the author’s characterization B.It can show how a character affects another C.It can show how a character behaves D.It reveals a character’s motivation E.It can reveal a character’s perspective F.It can move the plot forward G.It can provide foreshadowing H.None of the above I.All of the above

The answer is H So you see, dialogue is very important! Don’t ignore what characters say and how they say it. It makes a story more exciting and suspenseful