Comments on: Writing craft http://evannelorraine.com/2007/04/writing-craft-21/ Dangerously Sexy author blog Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Evanne http://evannelorraine.com/2007/04/writing-craft-21/comment-page-1/#comment-208 Evanne Thu, 05 Apr 2007 16:20:00 +0000 http://evannelorraine.com/index.php/2007/04/writing-craft-21/#comment-208 Avery,<br/><br/>You witty thing! Avery,

You witty thing!

]]> By: Avery Beck http://evannelorraine.com/2007/04/writing-craft-21/comment-page-1/#comment-207 Avery Beck Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:54:00 +0000 http://evannelorraine.com/index.php/2007/04/writing-craft-21/#comment-207 I second T.J. That's exactly what I do, but I never knew it had a name. Backloading sounds like what happens to writers with deadlines and bags of leftover Easter candy... I second T.J. That’s exactly what I do, but I never knew it had a name. Backloading sounds like what happens to writers with deadlines and bags of leftover Easter candy…

]]> By: Evanne http://evannelorraine.com/2007/04/writing-craft-21/comment-page-1/#comment-206 Evanne Thu, 05 Apr 2007 14:51:00 +0000 http://evannelorraine.com/index.php/2007/04/writing-craft-21/#comment-206 T.J.,<br/><br/>Thanks for stopping by - one of the great things about writing is there's always more to learn. <br/><br/>I'm please to be able to give you a tidbit. T.J.,

Thanks for stopping by – one of the great things about writing is there’s always more to learn.

I’m please to be able to give you a tidbit.

]]> By: T.J. Killian http://evannelorraine.com/2007/04/writing-craft-21/comment-page-1/#comment-205 T.J. Killian Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:02:00 +0000 http://evannelorraine.com/index.php/2007/04/writing-craft-21/#comment-205 Actually, I do this when I visualize the scene. If the character in my head pauses in a line of dialogue, I split the dialogue for impact. <br/><br/>Good thing to learn, and a great tool. <br/><br/>T.J. Actually, I do this when I visualize the scene. If the character in my head pauses in a line of dialogue, I split the dialogue for impact.

Good thing to learn, and a great tool.

T.J.

]]> By: Evanne http://evannelorraine.com/2007/04/writing-craft-21/comment-page-1/#comment-204 Evanne Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:11:00 +0000 http://evannelorraine.com/index.php/2007/04/writing-craft-21/#comment-204 Lori,<br/><br/>You're write that many writers do things instinctively. Personally, I analyze things to death. LOL<br/><br/>You're right about the dialogue tags too - description needs to come ahead - makes perfect sense now that you mention it, but one of those things I never considered. . . at least no consciously. Lori,

You’re write that many writers do things instinctively. Personally, I analyze things to death. LOL

You’re right about the dialogue tags too – description needs to come ahead – makes perfect sense now that you mention it, but one of those things I never considered. . . at least no consciously.

]]> By: Lori Borrill http://evannelorraine.com/2007/04/writing-craft-21/comment-page-1/#comment-203 Lori Borrill Wed, 04 Apr 2007 19:19:00 +0000 http://evannelorraine.com/index.php/2007/04/writing-craft-21/#comment-203 Oh god, one more thing to think about? LOL! I'd never heard that term--you taught me something new today. I think many of us do that instinctively, though I'm sure I'll be paying attention from now on.<br/><br/>But your revised sentence also structures the dialogue more appropriately. I remember being taught early on that if you are adding description to indicate the tone with which dialogue is delivered, you should put it before the dialogue, not after. Putting it after causes the reader to mentally have to go back and "fix" the way they read it in the first place.<br/><br/>For example:<br/><br/>"Leave me alone!" she teased.<br/><br/>versus<br/><br/>She giggled and teased, "Leave me alone!"<br/><br/>In the first example, depending on how the scene is carrying out, you may have interpreted the dialogue completely different until reading the word "teased". By then, you're tripped up and have to mentally "re-envision" the dialogue.<br/><br/>I'd learned that ages ago, and you'd be surprised how true it is. I see it done incorrectly in a number of books and yep, they're right, you get tripped up and have to mentally rethink the phrase.<br/><br/>Interesting stuff, which goes back to the notion that non-writers really don't have any idea how much goes into constructing a good novel. On the surface, it can look easy, but peel it all apart and it's immensely complicated. Oh god, one more thing to think about? LOL! I’d never heard that term–you taught me something new today. I think many of us do that instinctively, though I’m sure I’ll be paying attention from now on.

But your revised sentence also structures the dialogue more appropriately. I remember being taught early on that if you are adding description to indicate the tone with which dialogue is delivered, you should put it before the dialogue, not after. Putting it after causes the reader to mentally have to go back and “fix” the way they read it in the first place.

For example:

“Leave me alone!” she teased.

versus

She giggled and teased, “Leave me alone!”

In the first example, depending on how the scene is carrying out, you may have interpreted the dialogue completely different until reading the word “teased”. By then, you’re tripped up and have to mentally “re-envision” the dialogue.

I’d learned that ages ago, and you’d be surprised how true it is. I see it done incorrectly in a number of books and yep, they’re right, you get tripped up and have to mentally rethink the phrase.

Interesting stuff, which goes back to the notion that non-writers really don’t have any idea how much goes into constructing a good novel. On the surface, it can look easy, but peel it all apart and it’s immensely complicated.

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