Dialogue
I wasn’t looking forward to this month’s session because dialogue can be tricky – how to make it sound realistic without over-filling it with trivia that is plain boring.
The first exercise was a warm up and we had to write something to be placed on a bench after we’ve died. We also had to say where the bench would be placed and why. I wrote: “He came into the world with nothing and made the most of every moment”. He loved, laughed and lived.” I placed my bench in the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall. It is a very tranquil place, at one with nature and epitomised rebirth and regrowth. All things decline slowly and eventually die with the possibility of a legacy being recreated.
Next in pairs we had to produce a dialogue which contained a line of our own choosing. My partner and I chose the line “I can’t believe you just said that”. I don’t have a copy of the item because my partner wrote it in her book. It centred around a husband and wife discussing dinner when the wife mentions the fact that her husband has finished the bottle of wine. The husband delivers the line “I can’t believe you just said that” and the wife says “Cheers” There was a definite subtext of animosity between them.
We then had to write a dialogue from two points of view with different voices in a similar way to people having a phone voice.
Boss and worker:
Hey Tim, were you late for work this morning? Only I saw you parking up just before 10.
Ergh, yes, sorry. There was a massive accident on the A15, cars and lorries everywhere and I couldn’t detour round.
That’s funny, I came in that way and I had a straight run in
Well it must have happened after you went through. It’s the first time this month I’ve been late.
That’s as maybe but it’s only the 3rd of the month and you were late several days last week.
Ok, yes. I’ll try to be on time in future
Make sure you are!
The same conversation retold by the worker to his friend in the pub:
Bloody hell! I was late for work again this morning
It isn’t surprising when you’re staying with different people every night
Yeah, well, I need somewhere to crash
So what happened?
Yada Yada! Usual stuff. Blah blah! And I’m thinking all the time as to where he can shove his job and I nearly told him.
So did you?
Nah, but he’ll be watching me like a hawk from now on the old bastard.
Another pint? Oh and before you ask, no! you can’t stay at mine tonight.
And finally we had to write a dialogue that had a subtext. There’s something wrong in the relationship but it isn’t obvious.
So what do you think Harry?
Think? What do you mean think?
About the project – how’s it going? Is it going to plan? On time? On budget? You know the usual stuff.
Oh, sorry I thought you were still talking about the new coffee machine. The project… Well it’s going really well. We’ve met all the milestones so far, we’re a little over budget but I’ll bring that back into line in the next phase.
So, it’s all good?
Yep, it’s all good…
Only I heard from the Director of Resources that things were not going well.
Really?
Yes, really.
I’m not sure why he would say that. Was there anything specific?
Not that I can remember, I’d hoped you would know.
No, sorry, everything’s fine, all’s good.
So I don’t have to worry?
Well, as I said, we have overshot the budget but I’ll make that up in the next phase.
Would you care to be more specific?
Not really, I don’t have exact figures to hand.
How about a ballpark? 200k, 500k, you must have some idea, Harry?
I’d rather email you exact figures tomorrow, if that’s ok.
I suppose it will have to be.
Interestingly I thought this was such an obvious dialogue that there was no subtext but the group seemed to get the tension between the project manager and his manager. For those who know me in a work environment the conversation was based on my life experiences.
At the end of the session I felt a lot happier about writing dialogue but I feel as though my writing is a bit of a blunt instrument, lacking subtlety. It’s work in progress.
