I always get excited when I’m talking about my writing.
Due to a well-loved teacher at my high-school, I’ve come across the website of WD (writer’s digest shop), and there was an article talking about dialogue, action and narrative. Here is my take on it:
I don’t use a lot of dialogue, but when I do, it’s because I don’t feel that I have any other way of bringing across a particular character trait (cross, temperamental, curt) to my reader. The character of any person is based on the way she/he reacts, not the way she/he acts. Given a particular situation or someone saying something (be it antagonistic or not), the way a person reacts to that gives an insight – and the opportunity for me – to give the reader a look-see into the workings of a character’s mind.
Now about action: that’s practically my entire story. I sometimes consider narrative and action the same thing, up to an extent.
Inner mind theatre of Maxine: I find it the most boring thing in the world to describe the daily activity of a character. This is narrative truly, for me. To talk about simple things is exhaustive and takes up unnecessary word count. Unless there is something unusual happening when someone is brushing their teeth in the morning – like someone hiding in their shower stall behind them waiting to cut off their head – or walking home from school – like a demented stalker following the character – then I don’t bother doing it.
Well, being an enjoyer of all things Sims, I enjoy describing a character’s features, their clothing styles, their vehicles and personal belongings. I like to describe the layouts of houses, hotels, cabins and shacks. In truth, I don’t usually describe every detailing of a room, such as the intricacies of a specific window type. That is so not me…
Action – now therein lies my true love. There’s not much of anything else I do when I write. I love fast-paced, in-your-face scenes, where characters get into fights, get into arguments, reach a startling conclusion about something. If a novel could be made entirely out of action, I would do it. But an attractive short/long story or novel needs a plot, and that is where planning comes in. Balance is the key.
All three elements have to come together to produce a work someone wants to read. But more important, that I would want to read over. If I don’t like a story, if I can tell the plot is slow, the characters aren’t defined, that the scenes are unrealistic, shouldn’t I expect others to see these things?
On a lighter note, go with God, peace and Vampire Diaries!
P.S. -> If you’d like to see the article yourself, check it out at : http://tinyurl.com/4uzlhmo
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