A QUICK TIP ON IMPROVING YOUR DIALOGUE
Whenever there is an entrance or an exit (from a scene in your story, no matter the format)…
Relationships change.
In theater, we call this a French scene. It’s not necessarily marked off in a script, but directors or actors might recognize it because every time there’s an entrance or exit, relationships change.
When relationships change, so does the dialogue.
Imagine two teenage girls in one of their bedrooms, talking about Chunk Squarejaw, the hot new high school quarterback. Without giving you any more details, can you hear them? Can you hear how they sound? Can you hear the words they might use? Can you envision how they’re relating to each other in that scenario?
Now, Dad walks in and says, “Did you finish your homework yet?”
The exact tone doesn’t matter for now; just that Dad walks in. Can you hear the slight difference in how the two girls relate now? Notice the change in word choices and the way they talk to Dad and the way Dad talks to them because a new person has entered the scene.
If this were a script or a novel, we might label the two girls’ interaction as “French Scene Number One.” When Dad enters, it becomes “Scene Two.” You wouldn’t delineate this in your manuscript; it’s just a way to think about your dialogue.
Scene Two involves a discussion with Dad. When Dad exits and closes the door, “Scene Three” begins, and the language changes again.
Every time someone enters or exits a scene, the language and relationships shift. This understanding can help you craft more dynamic and realistic dialogue.
If this was helpful, you’ll love my book HOW TO WRITE AWESOME DIALOGUE! FOR FICTION, FILM & THEATRE
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WZWMW5W