Comments on: A tip for writing dialogue

By: The Essential Writer’s Reading List - Unmemorable Title

The Essential Writer’s Reading List - Unmemorable Title — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:00:13 +0000

[...] My favourite article: Tips For Dialogue Writing [...]

By: Ms Baroque

Ms Baroque — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:27:15 +0000

Actually, put me off chocolate cake a bit, there… well done!

By: Ms Baroque

Ms Baroque — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:17:06 +0000

Oh I SAY – this is a thing of wonder and loveliness! No wonder you have been far too busy to come have a fry-up at Leo’s! Now, I must read your post.

By: Ben Locker

Ben Locker — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:13:03 +0000

I was a bit naughty with that chocolate reference, it’s true…

Couldnt agree more with making the setup believable. I’ve just done jury service, and one remark by the defence lawyer stuck in my mind.

“You don’t just turn up at your mother’s house, your face battered and bruised, and say ‘Hi Mum. It’s 9.30am and I’m home.’”

By: Amod Munga

Amod Munga — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:07:59 +0000

“Mary licked her lips, savouring the chocolate that would soon rim them.” Dude. You made me spew milk from my nose with that one.

Anyway…

Speaking from an advertising point of view, if you’re gonna write dialogue for a spot, please make it believable in the context. Yes,the client wants to say a whole bunch of stuff that no-one but his shareholders care about, but no-one in the real world cares about “the synergy of best practices leveraged with tried-and-tested methodologies…”

Jesus wept.

And if you can’t get away with assassinating the corporate line, at least try to make the setup believable. I have yet to hear of a real-esate agent who walks into a house and says, “Hi. Welcome to your new clean home.” Moreover, I have yet to hear a real person respond thus, “Thanks. It may look clean but there may be hidden germs and bacteria.” And yes, that’s an extract from an actual commercial.

Great blog-post. I have to go now and drip-dry my keyboard and monitor.

By: Ben Locker

Ben Locker — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:56:56 +0000

I know. I prefer the second one too. Completely shot myself in the foot…

By: Essex Gourmet

Essex Gourmet — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:55:04 +0000

Hmm… I can see that the top ‘correct’ version represents ‘good dialogue’ although the second is far more interesting and dramatic. I know which I would rather read, good or not. I also have a hankering for chocolate cake now… she said wantonly!