Dialogue Pitfalls and How to Fix Them

Happy Thursday, everyone! Oh my, tomorrow is FRIDAYYYY! Who's excited? I can't believe it was just a four day workweek. I'm exhausted already. Ha! Today, I'm taking you all through an exercise to help with your dialogue. I'll start by outlining a few pitfalls, then explain how to correct in your first edit. Ready? Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

We'll start with labels to keep it easy.

#1: Group Conversations

A common issue in creating group dialogue is when the author wants everyone to speak at once. Now, this can work if done properly, but line after line of Bob said, Marley said, Jane said, and Duke said gets tiresome.

Here's a tip:
Seek out scenes where folks are talking and examine them. If you have to, put people in a room and assign them all part of your dialogue. Have them read their lines (in character). Make notes of their facial expressions, movements, and tone. Work it in.

Example #1:

"I didn't think I had anything to be worried about," Bob said.
"Seriously? What didn't you see there?" Marley said.
"Right? I could've picked up on the subtle clues if I were blind," Jane said.
"Bob, your wife hasn't touched you in months. Wasn't that clue number one?" Duke said.
"But it's always been like that," Bob said. "Ever since we were first married."
"Really?" Jane said.
"Yes, really," Bob said.
"Well, why did you stay married ten years then?" Marley said.

Fix #1:

Mouth turned down, hand clutching a tumbler of bourbon on the rocks, Bob shrugged. "I didn't think I had anything to be worried about." Added action tag.
"Seriously? What didn't you see there?" Marley asked. Changed said to asked.
Jane snorted and curled her lip. "Right? I could've picked up on the subtle clues if I were blind." Another action tag.
"Your wife hasn't touched you in months. Wasn't that clue number one?" Duke asked. Changed said to asked.
Bob sighed and leaned back in the chair, studying his friends. They were all coiled and tensed up, like a snake ready to strike. There was no way they'd understand, but he figured he'd try. "But it's always been like that. Ever since we were first married." Applied exposition and action.
"Really?" Jane's head snapped up. Changed to action tag.
"Yes, really." We know it's Bob. Deleted dialogue tag.
Marley asked. "Well, why did you stay married ten years then?" Moved dialogue tag to front.

If you add a little action and thought in with the dialogue, you show the reader more about the situation, and you avoid overusing said.

#2 Invisible Dialogue Tags

It's a common misconception to believe you have to change up the dialogue tags every time. While "said" gets tiring to read, you've seen one way to avoid having to use it on every line. But what about invisible dialogue tags? How many are there? Why should you use them?

Here's a tip:
Seek out those scenes where you're using something other than said to denote dialogue. Ask yourself why. Is it an action tag? That's a good thing unless it's pulling the reader out of the story. There are a handful of invisible tags you can use; just make sure they're relevant to the tone/situation.

Invisible dialogue tags are words readers don't have to process as they move through the story. They exist to avoid confusion only. They speed up the flow of your story (pacing).

Example #2:

• Asked
• Said
• Answered
• Responded
• Whispered
• Shouted
• Yelled
• Screamed

A common error is to use an action tag as if it were a dialogue tag. More on these here. Unless the word is denoting speech of some kind, it's an action tag. List:

• Ordered
• Commanded
• Howled
• Growled
• Slurred
• Hissed
• And so on.

Use invisible tags whenever possible, but you don't need one every line. Hang on, that's next!

#3: Mixing Action Tags and Dialogue Tags

If you have a person doing something, you don't need a dialogue tag to tell the reader who it is that's speaking.

Here's a tip:
Find those places where you have action and dialogue together, and remove the dialogue tags.

Example #3:

Bob shrugged and panned his eyes over the faded wallpaper. He said, "I never thought Martha was the kind to do something like that."
"She's hitting the prime of her life, Bob. She's also a good looking woman," Jane said.
He slammed the glass on the coffee table, sloshing bourbon over the antique wood. "I know she's good looking. Hell, I'm the one who married her!" He yelled.
"All women go through a phase," Jane said as she shrunk back in the couch.
"Phase! Phase?" Bob screamed. "This is so much more than a phase!"
Jane nodded and said, "I understand."

Fix #3:

Bob shrugged and panned his eyes over the faded wallpaper.  "I never thought Martha was the kind to do something like that." Removed He said.
"She's hitting the prime of her life, Bob. She's also a good looking woman," Jane said. Left alone.
He slammed the glass on the coffee table, sloshing bourbon over the antique wood. "I know she's good looking. Hell, I'm the one who married her!" Removed He yelled.
"All women go through a phase." Jane shrunk back in the couch. Removed said as she.
"Phase! Phase? This is so much more than a phase!" Removed Bob screamed.
Jane nodded. "I understand." Removed and said.

Again, if you know who it is that's speaking, there's no need for a tag. But removing all those tags cleaned up the prose.

#4: Using a Dialogue or Action Tag on Every Line

You don't have to go bananas with action and dialogue tags. When two people are having a conversation, you can delete most of the tags and still be okay.

Here's a tip:
Find places where there are just two folks talking. See how much you can remove without getting confusing.

Example #4:

"My wife has drained my bank accounts, done things behind my back, and she wants to know why I'm upset." Bob dragged his free hand down his face and slurped his drink.
Marley sat forward. "She probably hit her mid-life crisis and didn't want to worry you. You're aware of how she treats her body. It was bound to happen."
Bob snorted. "Yeah, I just didn't think she'd do something this crazy at thirty-one."
"It's that milestone, brother. Hang in there. At least she's not cheating on you," Marley said, putting a hand on Bob's back.
He sighed. "You're right. I guess I should be grateful she wants to look good for me. What's a little face-lift in the grand scheme of things, right?" A choked laugh escaped. "But she lied. Plain and simple. Who knows, she might be cheating, too."
"I doubt that. She loves you." Marley leaned back.
"She loves my money," Bob said.

Fix #4:

"My wife has drained my bank accounts, done things behind my back, and she wants to know why I'm upset." Bob dragged his free hand down his face and slurped his drink. Left alone.
Marley said, "She probably hit her mid-life crisis and didn't want to worry you. You're aware of how she treats her body. It was bound to happen." Changed action tag to dialogue tag.
"Yeah, I just didn't think she'd do something this crazy at thirty-one." Removed all tags.
"It's that milestone, brother. Hang in there. At least she's not cheating on you." Marley put a hand on Bob's back. Removed dialogue tag.
"You're right. I guess I should be grateful she wants to look good for me. What's a little face-lift in the grand scheme of things, right?" A choked laugh escaped. "But she lied. Plain and simple. Who knows, she might be cheating, too." Removed action tag.
"I doubt that. She loves you." Removed action tag.
"She loves my money." Removed dialogue tag.

And, you still know who it is that's speaking! Amazing, right?

These are some of the most common dialogue errors I come across. If you do your homework, you'll come out the other side a better writer. For another trap post, check out this one.

I hope this helps in some small way.

What are the things that annoy you most in dialogue? Discuss!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Dialogue - Keeping it Fresh

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I'm talking with you about dialogue again. I started writing this post yesterday, but life took over and killed it. Ha! Great how that works, isn't it? But! The kids go back to school soon, so things around the blog will settle down as they were before. Anyway, today we're gonna talk about keeping your dialogue fresh for readability and comprehension. I'll also give you a little exercise to do afterward. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Let's start with things you shouldn't do.

• Make every line of dialogue begin the same way.
• Break several lines of dialogue in a row with an action.
• Confuse your dialogue tags with action tags.
• Make everyone sound the same.

In keeping your writing fresh, you want to use dialogue, action, and dialect in a way that keeps them harmonious.

Example time!

Shouldn't do:
Pat elbowed her way through the crowd. "Can you believe how many people are here?"
I grabbed her hand before leaning toward her ear. "It's always like this on Friday night!"
Lucy made her way to us and joined the circle. "I'm so excited to be here! I can't believe our parents let us come."
I put my free hand on her shoulder. "This is once in a lifetime, kid."
Music pumped through the speakers, and my insides rattled.

Better:
Pat elbowed her way through the crowd. "Can you believe how many people are here?"
"It's always—" someone jostled me, and I grabbed Pat's hand to lean toward her ear "—like this on Friday night!"
Lucy made her way to us. "I'm so excited to be here, y'all! I can't believe our parents let us come." Her eyes sparkled.
"This is once in a lifetime, kid," I said.
Music pumped through the speakers, and my insides rattled.

Frequent name restatement is often necessary when there are several people in a discussion. Watch your pronouns. Let's look at one more example; then I'll turn you loose with an exercise.

Shouldn't do:
"I wanted to go to the store with Mommy," Lisa whined.
Her father's mouth turned down. He said, "You didn't want to stay with me?"
She crossed her arms and shook her head.
"I thought maybe we could play your favorite," he said, pulling out Chutes and Ladders.
She clapped her hands and said, "Yay! Yes, Daddy. I want to play."
"But you wanted to go to the store with Mommy," he teased.
"I was just kidding," she said.
He roared with laughter.

Better:
"I wanted to go to the store with Mommy." Lisa threw her tiny figure face-down on the couch.
Her father frowned. "You don't want to stay with me?"
She rolled over, crossed her arms, and shook her head.
"I thought maybe we could play your favorite," he said.
When Lisa saw the Chutes and Ladders game in his hands, she clapped. "Yay! Yes, Daddy. I wanna play."
"But you wanted to go to the store with Mommy."
"I was just kidding."
He roared with laughter.

Not only is the second passage easier to read, it's correctly punctuated. Remember to ditch the dialogue tag when giving the character an action. If you use a dialogue tag, there should be no action. Change it up so it doesn't get stale. No one wants to read: he said, she said, he said, he said, she said over and over again.

Time for your exercises!

#1:
Write a few quick paragraphs of dialogue with four characters: Paul, Mike, Anna, and Frank. Start each sentence the same way, pay no attention to punctuation, and no attention to pronoun usage.

Use the tips above and this post to correct your writing. Feel free to send it to me if you want someone to check it.

#2:
Using the ideas above, craft one line of dialogue for each of the following:

1. Starts with an action, ends with dialogue.
2. Uses a dialogue tag at the beginning.
3. Uses a dialogue tag at the end.
4. Break the dialogue with an action.
5. Stars with dialogue, ends with action.
6. No dialogue tag; no action tag.
7. Interrupted speech (remember your em-dash!)
8. Trailing off of speech (don't forget the ellipsis!)
9. Starts with action, then has dialogue, then another action

You may feel free to post your attempts in the comments below.

What do you think? Helpful?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Dialogue Traps to Avoid and How to Fix Them

Happy Monday, everyone! I do hope you all had a fabulous weekend and are raring to go for the week ahead. Today, I'd like to talk a little bit about dialogue traps many authors fall into and how you can pull yourself from the quagmire of quicksand that's sucking you down. These are things I find in many of the books I edit, and the author usually does a little head slap once I point out what's going wrong. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going! Be sure and check out the link to some dialogue exercises near the end of this post.

One of my most popular posts, He Said, She Said, Who Said What?, goes into ways to keep the local vernacular true to the characters. It uses extremes, but I did it to make a point.

Let's expand upon that and talk about how to keep the speech true to humans.

In I, Zombie, I used dialogue to help pull the reader into the culture. Some people enjoyed it, some didn't. However, it's true to the location and that's what I was after. Bronya, book one of the Mystic series, is also set in Southern Louisiana, but I chose not to use the local dialect. I both loved and hated that aspect of the book, but it's a choice an author has to make.

Note what I said there: Choice. It's up to you how your characters will speak, but the key to doing anything well is consistency. I know, there's that word yet again! Remember when I talked about creating a style guide for your novel? If your characters are gonna talk a certain way, be sure you're consistent. Your style guide will help you (and your editor) do that.

Now, a few things to keep in mind when characters are speaking to one another:

• You don't always have to use a dialogue tag (said, mumbled, asked, answered, etc...), an action tag (Sabrina put her feet up on the couch, Luke took a long drink of his coffee, Pig plopped his big, round bottom down, etc...) will work as well.
• There's no need to name the character the one speaking is talking to unless: There are more than two characters in the room and he/she is speaking to someone out of the group specifically, or there's no action tag like: Pig looked at Sabrina.
• When a character uses another character's name in speech, it sounds like a lecture or like one is lording their superiority over the other. Think about how you speak and when you use someone's name.
• We speak in contractions unless we're speaking formally (old English, Historically, etc...). Use them. It'll help. Remember to practice writing in contractions everywhere, not just in your novels. If a character doesn't use contractions, be consistent and don't ever use them. One day, you'll thank me. *wink*
• Watching the rename will help with pronouns. Time for an example! 

If we know Pig and Luke are having a discussion, it might go like this: 
Pig looked at Luke. "So, you're saying I didn't need to sit?"
He answered, "That's exactly what I'm saying."
His tail uncurled and his ears drooped. "I thought I was being good."
This is wrong, wrong, wrong. It creates a pronoun problem. Either you have to rename Pig (which gets irritating to readers if it's done too often) or remove Luke. We know who Pig is talking to because the scene has been set.

How about: 
Pig looked up. "So, you're saying I didn't need to sit?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
His tail uncurled and his ears drooped. "I thought I was being good."
Note that Pig was the last male named so the pronoun his is used correctly. There was no need to rename Pig or worry that we couldn't use the pronoun his after we named Luke.

Please, know your action tags and your dialogue tags. Here's a post that will help with that. Some get commas and others get periods. Be sure you're varying what you use. Dingle said, Pig said, Sabrina said, Luke said, Howey said, Dog said, gets redundant and boring after a while. If it's obvious who said it, leave it alone. If you must give a name, use an action tag now and then.

Are you ready to practice flexing your dialogue muscles? Here's the fifth post in a series with links to the previous four: Dialogue Exercises. There are fifteen practice scenarios for you to use. Have some fun, okay?

Did you know these loose rules? Do the examples above help at all?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Enneagram Types - Conclusion

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today is the tenth and final post in my series on Enneagram Personality types. Rather than just have you typing your characters and following the Enneagram model, I'm going to give you food for thought today. You've been (hopefully) working through the dialogue exercises and have a pretty good grasp of how specific character types will react in certain situations. You can combine these types with an understanding of Human Nature and really dream up characters that make an impact. I'll show you how. So grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Here's a recap of all the posts from the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer
Type #8 - The Leader
Type #9 - The Peacemaker

I used definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

So, if you've been following along, you now know what drives each type of person to do the things they do. You'll also have a pretty good grasp of how these characters interact if you've been doing the exercises at the bottom of the posts.

Let's talk about how to bring these characters to their knees, shall we?

Ones are perfectionists. This means they're a little on the OCD side and they try to push their perfectionism onto others. They enjoy dotting the I's and crossing the T's. Think for a moment about what would drive a One up the wall.  If you're using a One as a main character, consider putting them up against something they can't control or can't change the outcome of; no matter how much they want to.

Fives are watchers. Rarely do they get into the thick of things. They prefer to read about things to learn how to do them rather than learning by trying. These folks usually have the right answer. But what would drive them batty? Being wrong all the time, never knowing what's really going on, or even being forced to take control of a situation.

When you study the Enneagram, you're looking for a deeper sense of self. It will tell you what your pitfalls are and how to avoid them. Character insight goes from surface understanding to truly knowing what your character feels, thinks, and how they'll react in any given situation.

What else does understanding give you?

The ability to know just how to hit them where it hurts, make them sublimely happy, or change them in some profound way. Wait, change them? Why would you want to change a great character?

Every character is on a journey. They must change in some profound way from page one to the end of the book. Without the journey, you have no story. If you have no change, your character will seem like one that can't learn from their mistakes. They come off flat. Using the Enneagram will prevent unbelievable change. Know what they tend to when stressed or happy. Put it to good use.

You should think about what kind of character you're writing before you ever put down the first word. Now, there's a caveat to this! Maybe you have a great character and don't know yet what their personality type is. My suggestion is to use free-writing via dialogue. Sit down and have a conversation with that character. Let them show you just who they really are. Once you have that down, you're golden.

As writers, we tend to base our characters on people we know well. We don't even realize we're doing it half the time. But we're familiar with their personality so we're in our comfort zone. Keep this in mind. There's nothing wrong with doing it that way, just make sure you have the greatest understanding possible.

I hope this series has helped you in some way. Character driven stories are pretty popular. Think: Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, or the Percy Jackson series.

How will you use the Enneagram? For personal or writing purposes?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Peacemaker - Enneagram Type #9

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I give you the last of the Enneagram types: The Peacemaker. Tomorrow, we'll go into how you can use these personality types in a different way. So far we've been delving into the human mind and extracting what makes people tick. I'm gonna show you how to use that knowledge to create lots and lots of drama. So be sure you come on back tomorrow for the final installment of the series! Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going.

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer
Type #8 - The Leader

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #9 - The Peacemaker.
Definition: Peacemakers are motivated by the need to keep the peace, merge with others, and avoid conflict. Since they, especially, take on qualities of the other eight types, peacemakers have many variations in their personalities, from gentle and mild mannered to independent and forceful.

Nines are usually pretty easy to spot. They tend to try and diffuse a situation by offering some excuse for the other person or entities' behavior. Some of the more aggressive types might the Peacemaker as taking sides with those who behave badly. It will probably piss the other type off.

At their best, Peacemakers are some of the most pleasant people to be around. They always fit in with a group of people and are seen as the most understanding of the nine types. However, when they're stressed or having a bad day, you'll be face-to-face with one of the strangest people you'll ever meet. It's like a total personality change. Where you've had this calm, nice, understanding person before, you'll be faced with a roaring lion that can't seem to focus on anything and passive-aggressively attacks you.

Never will a Nine ask for what they want. They'll be so focused on you and your needs, they'll overlook themselves. But the dam breaks eventually and the Nine will begin to act a lot like a Four; bringing drama to the table you may not be able to handle. After their meltdown, they'll feel bad and try to patch things up.

Peacemakers don't make good antagonists because they desire peace at any cost.

This leads us to the exercise for today!

You have a Peacemaker that just broke up an argument between a Reformer and an Artist. Show how the Peacemaker acts when under duress. Use a lot of action. Have both the One and the Four yell at the Nine. Make them throw things. Create a hurricane your character must traverse. It's up to you how it all ends, but remember to have some fun with it.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for the final post!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Leader - Enneagram Type #8

Happy Wednesday, good people of the blogosphere! Wednesdays always make me think of weddings. You got wed on a Wednesday. How charming. Okay, enough drivel. We're continuing with our Enneagram personality types today! The Leader (also can be called The Asserter) is a fun type of character for an action novel or as comic relief for a lighter read like chick-lit. Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner
Type #7 - The Adventurer

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #8 - The Leader.
Definition: Leaders are motivated by the need to be self-reliant and strong and to avoid feeling weak or independent.

Leaders are assertive and often end up getting themselves into trouble with their constant fight for what's right. They can be martyrs, sacrificing themselves for the "greater good." If you use a leader in your novel, do it with caution if they aren't the main character. They'll steal the spotlight every time if you allow them to.

Using an Eight as your protagonist might just be the kick you need to really catapult your story into the next realm of awesomeness. They're assertive, loyal, and fiercely protective of those they love or their own ideals.

When they're bad, you see a control freak that can go overboard with their wants and needs. Leaders make great bad guys; but they can also make a compelling good guy. Remember Peeta in The Hunger Games?

All this leads us to today's exercise!
Create a leader who's angry about deforestation in their area. When the machines show up to cut down the trees, put a Three in the role of foreman. Allow the scene to write itself. What the Eight will do should be based upon their feeling of injustice to the trees. Use action tags with only a few dialogue tags as the two go at it. Remember, you can use a woman and a man, two women, or two men. Do something unexpected. Have fun with it!

Is there someone in your life who's a cut-and-dry Leader? What causes do they fight for?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Adventurer - Enneagram Type #7

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we talk about an exciting personality type: The Adventurer. When you read the book about the different types of people, you'll start typing people in your head. Heck, you may be doing it now, from these blog posts! I urge you to pick up a copy of the book and have your friends or loved ones answer the typing questions at the start of each chapter. You may be surprised. Someone you've nailed down as a Three may end up being a closet One or Eight. It's a lot of fun. Well, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer
Type #6 - The Questioner

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #7 - The Adventurer.
Definition: Adventurers are motivated by the need to be happy and plan enjoyable activities, contribute to the world, and avoid suffering and pain.

This character is fun-loving, enthusiastic, and charming when on their game. They're also clingy, needy, and a wee bit self-destructive when they aren't. Never being happy with what life gives them, they're constantly searching for more.

Your reader may see the character as impulsive and want to slap their face. Or, the reader may wonder why in the hell this character would act they way they do. Especially if your reader is a Five or Six.

Adventurers are reckless and love the element of danger. They sometimes seek it out if life becomes too hum-drum. These actions can cause trouble or a lot of fun! Great characterization can be done if you create a protagonist who's a Seven.

On to today's exercise!
Write two pages of dialogue between a Seven and a Three. Remember, the character types on either side, called wings, also influence the actions of a person (we'll go into this more on Friday). A Three will also have traits of a Two and a Four. Keep your Seven firmly in their type while allowing the Three to lean one way or the other. Your scene? A crowded bar with loud music and lots of dancing. Threes are workaholics so go with the flow and enjoy writing. Don't paint the scene through anything but dialogue. Use no inner-monologue for this exercise.

What was your favorite book with a Seven as the protagonist?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Questioner - Enneagram Type #6

Good morning and happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we'll be talking about more of the Enneagram personality types. If you've been keeping up with these posts, you'll have taken a headlong dive into some of the more interesting personality types. I think Questioners would make very good writers because they're always asking what if. Decide for yourself! Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist
Type #5 - The Observer

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #6 - The Questioner.
Definition: Questioners are motivated by the need for security. Phobic questioners are outwardly fearful and seek approval. Counterphobic questioners confront their fears. Both of these aspects can appear in the same person.

Questioners are constant worriers. They stress over things you'd probably never dream of giving more than a passing thought to. They always look at a situation and try to figure out what's really going on, how it can worsen, and what could make it better.

They make fun characters because you can play with those fears and really show the reader how much deeper the trouble really is. On the flip side, you can also use them as a crux to a One, having the Six constantly make judgments about the decisions being made, or being overly critical of the One's appearance.

Keep in mind flattery rarely works on a Six. They never believe compliments and will always ask themselves why someone is saying those pretty words. Rarely can a Six see it for themselves, even if the person giving the compliment is sincere.

Time for today's exercise!
Use a Two (Giver) and a Six. Put them in a coffee shop and have the Two pick up the tab for the Six. Write one page of inner-monologue and dialogue that shows what the Six is saying and thinking. Remember, your Giver gives freely, with no thought of payback. Now change the POV and write the same scene from the Giver's point of view.

As you've probably realized, many of these personality types can blend a bit into one person. That's because of the way the Enneagram is formed. Folks can jump to the types on the opposite side when in stress or when feeling confident. Know your personality types and use them. If you want to know more, pick up the book. As always, I don't make any money off what I recommend on this blog, I just suggest tools that I believe will help you in your writing endeavors.

Have you read anything lately with a character that fits one of these personality types? What was it?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Observer - Enneagram Type #5

Holy crap, good people of the blogosphere! It's Friday! Do a happy little dance because you get the next two days off work. Know what you should do with all that free time? Write! Try a couple of the exercises from the blog this week and get your dialogue muscles doing those mental push-ups. Continuing with my series on the Enneagram (pronounced any-a-gram) personality types. I give you #5 - The Observer. So, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever
Type #4 - The Artist

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #5 - The Observer.
Definition: Observers are motivated by the need to know and understand everything, to be self-sufficient, and to avoid looking foolish.


Observers, as their name implies, are watchers. They'll never be found at the center of the action, won't ever be the life of the party, and worry about everything, seeking knowledge to make sense of it all. However, when prompted, and reassured their viewpoint matters, it's difficult to shut them up.

They'll annoy the crap out of you with their controlling ways, but often have insight no one else in the room does. Their analytical mind goes crazy with options all the time. If you say yellow, they try to figure out why you said yellow rather than blue.

What's surprising about the observer is, they won't open their mouths until they're sure they're right with their opinion. Once you give them the go-ahead, they'll tell you about everyone in the room. They make interesting characters because you can have them sit by and watch, only to drop the bomb that makes everyone gasp.

Which leads us to today's exercise!
Take an observer and have them watch an artist and a reformer have a conversation. Drop hits that the reformer is wrong in their ever-giving advice but don't let it become obvious until the observer is asked for an opinion. Make it twisty and have some fun.

I know you're all wondering how any of this is going to help you write. I'll get to that next Friday. So keep your pants on!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Artist - Enneagram Type #4

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I know you've all been waiting for this one, being writers and all. Enneagram type #4 - The Artist. Would you believe there's only five more types? Well, believe it. Remember, you can delve into awesome things with my writing class over on INDIE Books Gone Wild. You'll learn so much! Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

As always, I'll begin with links to the first posts of the series:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver
Type #3 - The Achiever

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #4 - The Artist.
Definition: Artists are motivated by the need to experience their feelings and to be understood, to search for the meaning of life and to avoid being ordinary.

Artists are drama queens. They tend to make tsunamis out of every wave life rolls at them. In addition, they have a difficult time understanding how others don't see the tsunami. These people tell everyone they meet  about accomplishments, failures, and confusions in an effort to identify.

When I typed ordinary, above, it almost felt like a dirty word. I can't imagine being just like everyone else. I suppose most people would call that being normal. What the heck is normal, anyway? A house with a white picket fence, two and a half kids, and a golden retriever? I have all that but the golden retriever, and I'm far from normal. But I also don't like confrontation. That very firmly puts me out of the artist category.

Have you been trying to identify yourself as we go along?

Creating a character that's an artist requires you to be overly sensitive to the emotions in the world around you. But they have the potential to bring a whole new level of emotion to a story. Used wisely, these characters are confrontational, fun, and very rounded. They can also piss your reader off with their dramatic ways. Ah well, at least they'll be remembered. After all, that's what we strive for, right?

Time for today's exercise!
Put a character who's an artist into the following situation with a reformer: It's a Friday and both are waiting for an interview for a big job. While sitting in the holding area, these two strike up a conversation. Using what you know of the artist's tendencies to tell everyone everything about themselves, create a scene where the other people sitting nearby want to flee. Have some fun with it.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Achiever - Enneagram Type #3

Happy Hump-day, good people of the blogosphere! I love Wednesdays because I don't have to cook dinner and I get to spend time with The Best Boyfriend in the World. Plus, after today, there are only two days left until the weekend. All good. We're continuing with our Enneagram personality types today. The Achiever is quite the character. But we're gonna put a little spin on that type of character so we end up with more to give our readers. Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

If you'd like to take a peek back to the first two types, here are the links:
Type #1 - The Reformer
Type #2 - The Giver

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #3 - The Achiever.
Definition: Achievers are motivated by the need to be productive, achieve success, and avoid failure.

These types of characters have a lot of energy and a long to-do list. When they're engaging someone in conversation, they're not fully engaged. Their mind is always thinking of what they need to do next.

Having an achiever means they'll be focused and very good at whatever it is they do. Striving for people to like them, they're the ones working the room at parties; networking, introductions, and telling jokes is the order of the day.

On the flip-side, they're also persuasive and can sometimes talk someone into doing something they didn't even realize they were being convinced to do. It'll come out of nowhere. Achievers have a dire need to win every argument, outhink everyone in the room, and be the best of the best of the best. These characters succeed in everything they do.

You can use an achiever to either further your plot by having them convince your main character to do something (or not do something) they've been wavering on.

That leads us to:
The exercise for today!
Your achiever isn't going to be the CEO of a company. They won't be a business owner. Today, your achiever is going to be a serial killer. Engage them in dialogue with someone who they're planning to kill. Have them convince the person to do things that put them in harm's way without realizing it. Have some fun with this one and be devious as hell.

Remember, The Bird is still free until midnight tonight. Go snag a copy and see if you can tell what personality types the characters are!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Giver - Enneagram Type #2

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, we continue with our Enneagram personality types. I do hope you're enjoying all the learning around here. I'm gonna take the time to remind you all, I give a four-week class on these things. You can check it out over on INDIE Books Gone Wild. Now, without further ado, I give you: The Giver.

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself. Type 1 can be found on this post: The Reformer - Enneagram Type #1.

Today, we talk about #2 - The Giver.
Definition: Givers are motivated by the need to be loved and valued and to express their positive feelings toward others. Traditionally society has encouraged #2 qualities in females more than in males.

These characters aren't usually good as protagonists in novels where the lead needs to be aggressive. They're passive, advice-giving people who are always willing to share what they have with others.

Keep in mind that what people say and what they do are oftentimes very different. Givers are the same. From my post on Holding a Grudge, from my Human Nature series, you can see this character would most likely fit into the category of Pretending to Let it Go. Oftentimes, their words and actions don't match their thoughts.

They also love to be martyrs. They'll sacrifice just about anything in the hopes people stand up and say, "Wow. That was really great of them to give the rest of their life to save hers." But even when people don't appreciate those actions, the giver will continue to give. It's what they know.

There's an easy way to let the reader know your character is a giver: inner-monologue.

This leads us to the exercise for today!
Write a page or two of dialogue in first-person interspersing inner-monologue. Have the giver face another character who's always asking for something. This is where you can really make your reader either love or hate the giver. Either way, go for strong emotional reaction to the character by the reader. Make your giver someone your reader won't forget any time soon.

I'm leaving you with a little treat today! Through tomorrow at midnight, my fantasy novel, The Bird, will be free on Amazon. Pop on over and grab a copy!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

The Reformer - Enneagram Type #1

Welcome back to Monday, good people of the blogosphere. Another week is upon us. Good news! For the next ten days, you're going to get a treat from the blog. We'll be going over Enneagram personality types and how you can use this labeling system to create dynamic characters. Not only will you be producing more interesting characters, they'll also have wants and needs. Hopefully, you can bring this out in dialogue with the exercise given at the bottom of each post. So grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

I'll be using definitions of each type from a book titled: The Enneagram Made Easy: Discover the 9 Types of People. That's the link to the Kindle edition, if you choose to check it out for yourself.

Today, we talk about #1 - The Reformer.
Definition: Reformers are motivated by the need to live their lives the right way, including improving themselves and the world around them.

These characters are outspoken and never miss an opportunity to point someone in a direction the reformer believes is right. Now, keep in mind these folks live with a strong point of view that isn't always socially acceptable. They try; but they don't always succeed. Oftentimes, they're called smartasses, jerks, assholes, or know-it-alls behind their backs. But they can come in handy either as a lead character or a secondary character who pushes the lead to do the "right" thing.

Reformers can also be fun. If you have one in your story, you might want to give him or her a snarky attitude. This could be great for the punchlines of jokes or just to annoy the crap out of other characters. Perhaps you can off the reformer just so the reader punches the air and yells, "It's about time!"

You decide what kind of personality to give your character. Why not have a reformer in the slew of cast you pull from your imagination? They're almost guaranteed to give your story the two-punch in the guts it needs.

Time for the day's exercise!
Write a few paragraphs of dialogue where a reformer talks to you. Let them show you where you're going wrong and have them point you in the "right" direction. See what kind of things you learn about the character. Tell them off, agree with them, or just let them rant at you about everything you're doing wrong and how you might be able to fix it.

This is going to be a long two weeks. But if you hang in there, I promise you'll be thanking me by the end.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Dialogue Exercises - #5

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Oh, man, what a week it's been! Busy is always good for a writer though, so I can't complain. Is everyone ready for the weekend? I know I am! Before you take off and grab some R&R, do a dialogue exercise or two and flex your creative brain. You won't be sorry. Today is the last day of pumping brain iron. Next week, and the week after, we'll be going over something that will help you with a final exercise. I'm not gonna ruin it by giving it away now. Come on back Monday and see what's in store! Enough about that, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

If you'd like to check out the first four posts, follow the links below:
Dialogue Exercises - #1
Dialogue Exercises - #2
Dialogue Exercises - #3
Dialogue Exercises - #4

There are fifteen exercises total, three on each day. Remember, each of these workouts calls for at least two pages of dialogue.

Exercise #13: Using dialogue to create sympathy.
Grab a protagonist and antagonist from one of your stories. Throw them into a setting and have them talk about their pasts. Show your reader why they should root for one over the other; or, make your reader feel a little sorry for your antagonist.

Exercise #14: Adding dialogue where you usually wouldn't to amp up the scene.
Put two characters on an island and have them make love. Write what you think they'd say if they were speaking while participating in the act. Use this to garner a deeper understanding of what your characters are feeling as they do something where speech isn't usually the order of the day, to set the scene, or as a surprise to wake your reader up and make them pay attention.

Exercise #15: Revealing obstacles through dialogue.
This time, use yourself. Think of a lofty goal you have and bring someone into the scene who never fails to tell you like it is. Open the scene with that person revealing an obstacle you can't overcome. Focus on your own feelings and how you'd react when you realize your dreams just went down the toilet. Use the rest of the scene to convey the goal to the reader and have them understand why it can't be accomplished no matter what.

I hope these exercises have been useful, and I hope you did at least one of the fifteen. The next ten days are gonna be awesome! Make sure you come on back and check it out. If you'd like these helpful tips delivered to your e-mail inbox every day, subscribe to my blog!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Dialogue Exercises - #4

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend planned. Just two more days to go now. That's two more days of dialogue exercises. If you want to rush the time along, try doing one or more of these today. Before you know it, it'll be Friday! Grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Again, I won't bore you by repeating myself. If you want to check out days one, two, and three, you can find them here:

Dialogue Exercises - #1
Dialogue Exercises - #2
Dialogue Exercises - #3

Remember, each of these exercises require at least two pages of dialogue.

Exercise #10: Remembering your senses when writing dialogue.
Take a place you've visited that's full of activity and bring it to mind. Put two characters in the midst of it all and have them talk about what's going on around them. Use all five senses as you write so your reader gets a good idea what the place is like. Sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Bring the venue to life on the page. Make one of them blind, if that helps.

Exercise #11: Using dialogue to bring about transformation.
Using the confrontation/response method, create dialogue in which one character gives the other a reason to change. Make it so the protagonist has to look deep within and see something they hadn't before. Your antagonist can be cruel or kind in their observations/opinions, but their words should bring about change.

Exercise #12: Setting tone/voice with dialogue.
Something is in the woods. A mom and daughter are camping, alone. Suddenly, mom feels like they're in danger. Using dialogue, set the tone of the scene. Be true to your characters and really bring forward their fear and Mom's protectiveness over her daughter.

I hope you'll give at least one of these a whirl today. You can't get better if you don't practice! Tomorrow is the last day of dialogue exercises. Next week, I'm going to begin a 10 day series on a very important topic relating to dialogue. Come back every day and see what you find!

Which one of these is your favorite?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Dialogue Exercises - #3

Happy Hump-Day, good people of the blogosphere! I hope the first half of your week has exceeded expectations and the second half looks promising! Today, we continue with our dialogue exercises! Three more tools to add to your belt to help you on your journey to greatness. Remember, over on INDIE Books Gone Wild, I give a writing class that goes through this and so much more! Grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

You can find day one here.
And day two here.

Remember, each of these exercises calls for at least two pages of dialogue.

Exercise #7: Writing telephone dialogue.
Take two of your characters and make them interact over the phone. Stay in one POV. Write both sides of the conversation but omit all hellos and goodbyes. Use assumption to infer what the other character is doing while talking. Make it a heated conversation or put something big at stake. Now go back and write it from the other POV.

Exercise #8: Removing all saids from dialogue.
Write a conversation between two of your characters without using the word said. You may only use actions, thoughts, or observations.

Exercise #9: Killing direct addresses in dialogue.
Go through a passage you've written from above and take out all instances of direct address. Make it work through actions instead.

Example:
"John, did you see that UFO just now?" Marsha screamed.
"No, Marsha, I didn't. I was too busy looking at you."
"But, John, we're at an observatory!"
"I know, Marsha. I am observing," said John.

Change to:
"Did you see that UFO just now?" Marsha screamed.
"No, I didn't. I was too busy looking at you." John's face was slack and his eyes bored into her.
She felt her face get hot. "But we're at an observatory!"
"I know. I am observing."

See how much more natural that sounds?

I do hope you take the time to do at least one of the above exercises. Your manuscript will thank you for it later.

Have any of these worked out for you? Are you trying them?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Dialogue Exercises - #2

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today we continue on our journey through dialogue exercises. If you missed post #1, please go back and take a gander here. If not, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

I'm not going to bore you all to tears with a repeat of what I said yesterday. Let's just dive on into the exercises!

Every exercise below calls for at least two pages of dialogue.

Exercise 4: Using dialogue to set mood.
Just like you can use dialogue to set a scene, you can also use it to set a mood. Stick two of your characters in a setting that will enhance the mood and let them discuss what they're seeing or feeling in the moment. For fun, try using a setting you'd never expect to see in your novel and let the dialogue flow. Focus on emotion and try to set the mood with speech rather than scene.

Exercise 5: Adding dialogue to action scenes.
Pull up an action scene you've written where there's little to no dialogue. Read it a couple of times and think about your character as you do. Recall their personality, habits, and opinions. Add no less than sixteen lines of dialogue that convey a few of those habits and opinions. Let their personality shine as you write.

Exercise 6: Increase the suspense with dialogue.
Every character has opinions. Write a scene in which two characters are going head-to-head over action items they believe will garner the desired resolution of the journey. Make it heated but use it to move your story along. Create conflict over something one deems appropriate and the other says will get everyone killed. Decide on an outcome.

Again, I hope you put at least one of these in your pocket and give it a try today. Come on back tomorrow for three more!

What exercises do you use to improve your written dialogue skills?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Dialogue Exercises - #1

Happy Monday, good people of the blogosphere! This week we'll be delving into dialogue. I'll give you a total of fifteen exercises (three per day) you can do to make your dialogue stronger. Nothing ruins a great story quite like stilted dialogue, unnatural sounding dialogue, no dialogue at all, or overabundance of conversation. So, grab your pens and notebooks and let's get going!

There are so many different ways to use dialogue to improve story flow. These exercises will help you overcome some of the things that stilt a story. Again, this series is part of the writing class I give over on INDIE Books Gone Wild.

Every exercise below calls for at least two pages of dialogue.

Exercise 1: Using dialogue to reveal setting.
Take two characters you've used in a past novel and throw them into a scene together. Only using dialogue, reveal to the reader what setting the characters are in. I'm asking you to use two characters you've written before so you have an idea of the types of things they'll notice. You may want to throw in a conflict here and have them argue about where they are. As another option, perhaps it's a place neither have been before and they're exclaiming over things they see. Remember, be gradual. No information dumps. What would they say?

Exercise 2: Using dialogue to reveal or convey feelings.
Write a conflict scene between two characters you've written that love one another. Do it from one person's POV then switch. Betrayed to betrayer. Feel what they're feeling and use it.

Exercise 3: Weaving dialogue, action, and narrative together.
Using one of the reveal scenes from above, go back and add action to the scene. Put in little facial clues or gestures to show the reader more. Try adding a narrator to the scene. Where would they comment on what's going on? Now cut 1/4 of the dialogue and let the action be the revealing element. Read for flow.

There are a number of things you can use dialogue to do. Rather than giving your reader a couple of paragraphs about the setting, give them lines where the character reacts to what he/she is seeing. Avoid the information dump.

I hope you enjoyed this post and did at least one of the exercises. Come on back tomorrow for more!

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo