Write Like A Pro

Description & Dialogue

Dialogue:

Speaker tags such as said, called whispered. Try to avoid showing off your vocabulary, keep it simple. The same when writing the rest of the novel keep vocabulary simple so the reader is able to understand the plot and how the character reacts.

Or you can use beats to make it clear who is speaking instead of using speaker tags. For example Lulu frowned. "I am not sure we should do this." This doesn't tell the reader exactly that Lulu is speaking but, the reader can guess she is.

Dialogue is not exactly like how we talk in real life. Otherwise it would look like this:

"Hi."

"Hi!"

"You okay?"

"I'm well thank you."

"Are you coming with me?"

"I umm don't know."

-Silence-

Conversations in real life are not always important and sometimes have pauses or silence or the topic changes constantly.

Characters should not sound exactly the same, act the same and talk the same as each other. That makes the novel boring. Make the characters slightly different, this will help to develop your characters relationships. For example one friend is energetic and daring while the other is energetic but cautious of danger. This may cause the characters relationship to evolve to the two characters moving apart because one friend is not willing to take risks.

Try to avoid writing in the accent unless it is easy to read, otherwise the reader spends to long trying to understand how to pronounce words and this distracts the reader from the plot.

If you use question and answer make it interesting by adding interruptions, facts, jokes or make it tense. Add some drama to it.

Description:

Use more show than tell. The difference is: Telling is more of a narrative and showing is the scene itself. Novels should use both. There should be enough information to tell the reader some important information but, there should also be enough action to interest the reader. You should show the reader how your character acts rather than just telling them.

Don't keep repeating the same description.

Descriptions should fit your character. Don't write about things that aren't relevant to your character; for example things that your character wouldn't notice or care about. Write as how your character would see things. Such as a gardener would notice all the flowers out and may comment on their beauty. However, a child may not even notice it or may just say that it is a bright colour depending on what age they are.

Only tell the reader what they need to know. If the reader doesn't need to know the sky is blue with white fluffy clouds, than leave it out. It will only disengage the reader.

Don't write whole pages on the characters appearance such as hair or the outfit they are wearing. It is boring; keep it to a paragraph or a few short sentences.

Describing someone's voice:

*Appealing-To show you want approval

*Breathy-Loud breathing noises

*Brittle- Sound as if you are about to break down into tears

*Croaky- Rough, low voice

*Dead- Shows no emotion

*Disembodied- From someone you can't see

*Flat- Someone's voice does not go up or down

*Gravelly-Rough and annoying

*Fruity- Cheerful, deep and strong

*Gruff- Rough low sound

*High-pitched-Very high almost a squeak

*Hoarse- Low, rough voice usually due to a sore throat

*Husky- Rough and low but, is usually used as attractive

*Monotonous- The voice does not change pitch or tone.

*Nasal- Sounds like they are speaking through their nose

*Modulated- Controlled and pleasant to listen to

*Orotund- Loud and clear

*Quietly- In a gentle and soft voice

*Shrill- Loud and unpleasant it is like a cry

*Singsong- The voice rises and falls in a musical way

*Smoky- Sexually attractive in a mysterious way

*Softly spoken- Gentle and quiet

*Plummy- High social class used usually for English accents.

*Thick- Less clear because of emotion

*Taut- nervous or angry

*Tight- Nervous or annoyed

*Wheezy- Difficulty breathing

*Wobbly- Due to being nervous or about to cry or uncertain.

*Booming- Loud and attention grabbing

*Like a foghorn- Loud

Describing clothes:

Be specific but, keep it short. Readers do not want to read pages and pages on what each character is wearing. Describe it how the character would describe it. For example if a fashion designer noticed a woman's outfit and liked the style. They would use imaginative descriptions and pick out key details. But, if a guy is describing how a girl looks then he is more likely to keep it basic such as "She was wearing a pale pink cotton dress that came two inches above her knee".

The outfit says a lot about the character. So make sure the outfit fits in with the character's personality. For example if the character is a tomboy they will not be wearing a satin dress that came to the floor and trailed behind them unless for a particular reason such as impressing a guy.