And in the end it was easy! -- The Lonely Canadian Writer

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Date Posted: 19:33:50 05/22/08 Thu GMT-5
Author: Liz
Author Host/IP: edtntnt1-port-180.dial.telus.net / 161.184.176.180
Subject: And in the end it was easy!
In reply to: Liz 's message, "Re: Story woes" on 15:19:10 05/22/08 Thu GMT-5

Who knew? All I had to do was substitute I for she and voila! The sentences were dialogue in disguise!
Life should be simple!
Liz

>I think (reluctantly) that our editor fingers are
>hitting a soft spot in my story. If, as in your
>example, the summarized dialogue was of little
>importance (and short)it could be presented as is.
>However it really is of most importance to the story
>line. Perhaps the writer (a distant past self) was
>veering off from writing the drama. Sigh. Thanks for
>your discussion.
>Onward Liz
>
>Well, your example would work, if you really needed to
>>say it, Lori, but I think Liz would be better off to
>>stay in direct quotes in the situation she is
>>describing. Instead of
>>'Then she tells me something that I would never have
>>thought of, how suddenly she finds herself under a
>>miscroscope,' why not:
>>
>>"I feel like I'm suddenly under a microscope."
>>
>>"Why is that, Jean?"
>>
>>which conveys the surprise of the narrator, and
>>advances the conversation.
>>
>>>Hey, Liz:
>>>
>>>Good for you, that's what I've been doing today, too,
>>>revisiting. Easier said than done, often.
>>>
>>>Without actually seeing an example of this, I find
>it
>>>a little hard to picture (that's probably me). Are
>you
>>>saying that the characters are having some dialogue
>>>and then you do some summary and then back to
>>>dialogue? I think that's fairly common. I think I've
>>>seen it done sucessfully with the inddented dash
>>>instead of quotation mark system that Irish authors
>>>like Joyce, Edna O'Brien and Roddy Doyle use.
>>>
>>> - You know, this stuff.
>>> And then she said something else that didn't
>>>really matter. I didn't even hear it, really.
>>> - Hey, are you guys still listening?
>>>
>>>I am getting that right?
>>>
>>>Best,
>>>
>>>Lori
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>I've been editing one of my stories - written quite
>a
>>>>while ago. Tip #1 - leave it until you can approach
>>>>it as a reader, done.
>>>>In this story I have a couple of conversations that
>I
>>>>use quotes and are present time but then I have a
>>>>capsulating paragraph within the scene. eg. Then
>she
>>>>tells me something that I would never have thought
>>of,
>>>>how suddenly she finds herself under a miscroscope
>>>>from everyone....
>>>>I bring it back to real time with a transitionary
>>>>sentence and continue with quote unquote dialogue.
>>>>Any well read writers out there who can say 'that's
>>>>just like the writing of...???' I feel like I'm
>>>>breaking some dialogue rules here but I'm not
>>>>convinced I can tell the story better with he said,
>>>>she said on everything.
>>>>The story is written deeply first person masculine.
>>>>Confessional in tone even.
>>>>Any and all suggestions or comments welcome.
>>>>Liz

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Replies:

Re: And in the end it was easy! Good -- DianeG, 20:42:59 05/22/08 Thu GMT-5
- Re: And in the end it was easy! Good -- Lori, 09:47:22 05/23/08 Fri GMT-5