Writing 101

Using Dialouges as Effective Flavourings

Learning Objectives

Understand how dialogues play a part in making a story come alive in its characters and plot

Practice with a variety of dialogues, in enhancing one's own composition

Apply the best dialogue in any given storyline, ensuring meaning and development

Introduction Every single modern movie has it, so does

every novel and children's story. It enhances every story that has ever been

conceived much like how food is flavoured to enhance it.

It lets the reader peep into the psyches of your characters, making them very real and alive in the minds of your readers.

Can you guess what this is?

Introduction You have learnt about direct and indirect

speeches before. Recalling, 1) Fran questioned his wife, “Did you eat up all

the tarts last night?”2) Fran asked his wife whether she had eaten up

all the tarts the previous night. Which is which? What is the difference between direct and

indirect speech?

Direct and Indirect Speech• Direct Speech captures all the emotions of the

spoken speech from a character. 1) Fran questioned his wife, 'Did you eat up all the

tarts last night?'2) Fran questioned his wife, 'You ate up all the tarts

last night!'3) Fran questioned his wife, 'You ate up all the tarts

last night...' • Indirect Speech reports what was spoken. To avoid

meaningless dialogues, they are used.

The power of SpeechVersion #1Fran was exasperated. He was famished after a day of

hard labour. He had a huge appetite, not surprising for a man his size. Turning around, Fran questioned his wife, “Did you eat up all the tarts last night?”

Version #2Fran was exasperated. He was famished after a day of

hard labour. He had a huge appetite, not surprising for a man his size. Turning around, Fran asked his wife whether he had eaten up all the tarts the previous night.

The power of Speech

Direct Speeches or Dialogues perform two main functions:

1) To develop the story, especially, in key stages2) To show characterA story filled with lines after lines of descriptions

is simply plain vanilla, which you have seen.Use dialogues to enhance your story’s appeal and

sustain your reader’s interest.

Some examples of effective dialoguesStory #1 – to develop the story's key stages“Would you like, O my fair lady, to spare a thought

for this old woman to buy but one apple from me?” pleaded the haggard-looking woman.

Story #2 – to reveal character“What is that useless creature doing in the best

room?” asked the stepmother. “Away to the kitchen with her! And is she wants to

eat, then she must earn it. She can be our maid.”

The art of Speech-making It is important to note the following when

creating dialogues: 1) The dialogues must be meaningful. It must either serve to reveal character or to

develop the story's key points. 2) It cannot be excessively used. A long list of dialogues soon lose its intended

effect and the word 'said' repeated many times will bore the reader quickly.

Using a Variety of Speeches Some speeches can be a monologue. 1) “Ouch!” shrieked Alan as he was pushed rudely

to the ground by the bully.2) “Alan Tan!” shouted Mrs Lee. Some, not verbalised, can be a thought.1) It is useless to fight, David thought, as he

underwent yet another round of chemotherapy.2) Why is Dad not home yet? David wondered as

he looked at the time.

In summary

Direct Speeches are valuable in enhancing the composition in revealing character and developing a story's key stages.

The principles when using dialogues, monologues or thoughts are meaning and development.

When used correctly, direct speeches can make the characters believable and the story come alive.