Debbie Reed Fischer is the author for this Thursday’s Author Tales. Debbie is the author of Braless in Wonderland, which was released in April. You can check out my review of Braless in Wonderland, here! Debbie is also a member of 2k8! Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the Monthly Contest!
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Hi everyone! When people ask me what my favorite part of writing a book is, the answer is simple: dialogue. I love making up conversations. In fact, I often don’t realize I’m talking to myself. When I was first married, I was doing the dishes and writing dialogue in my head, when
I noticed my husband watching me with this horrified look on his face. “What’s wrong?” I asked. He replied in this frightened voice, “Uh . . . who are you talking to?”
It’s a good thing I got published or there would be no way to explain that I enjoy talking to people who aren’t there . . .
The thing is, I’m not always in the mood to write. The best-kept secret for a lot of writers is that we’d rather kick back and read or take a quiz on Facebook rather than buckle down and write. Some days I need a little jumpstart to get my creativity flowing. Basically, I need inspiration.
I get that inspiration from finding lines, and by ‘lines’ I don’t mean lines at the gas station (which is where we’re headed, by the way, hello, 1970’s-Jimmy-Carter-gas-crisis- flashback). I’m talking about lines from a book, screenplay, TV show, or my own life, like when a woman at my son’s school asked, “Braless in Wonderland is a children’s book? Does it have pictures?” Or the model I once represented when I was a model booker, who told me, “I’m a great actress, as long as there’s no dialogue.” I love finding lines that strike me as funny, absurd, profoundly true, brilliant or just plain beautiful, and I find them everywhere.
Here are a few of my favorites:
“How do you explain school to higher intelligence?” —Elliot to E. T. from the film E.T.
“Shut up, fartnozzle!” My six-year-old to his brother
‘When a journey begins badly, it rarely ends well.’ Jules Verne, The Floating Island
“I love South Africa and Africa. They are both great countries.” Paris Hilton. Tee hee.
“You know I love you more than my luggage.” Clarisse, my favorite Steel Magnolia
One line that has stayed with me since I first heard it comes from Stephanie Bond, a romance author, who told me, “The difference between a good story and a great story can often be just a couple of lines.” Wow. So true, right?
I think the same can be said for dialogue. Just a few lines can make the difference between stilted and real, between ‘just OK’ and ‘totally believable.’ Here are a few more ways I find inspiration to make my dialogue pop:
1)I surround myself with friends and acquaintances that are different from me. Try this! Spend time with someone outside of your comfort zone. I realize this can scary if you’re in a small town, or still in high school, which is basically the same thing as a small town, but get out there and connect with people from every walk of life. In the end, you may discover they actually are in your comfort zone; you just didn’t know it. To really understand human behavior and the way humans communicate, you have to get to know all kinds of humans.
2) Having a keen ear for dialogue is a little like having an ear for music, but some days I feel a little ‘off key’ so I try this trick: I base a character’s speech pattern on someone I know in real life. If I’m worried they might recognize themselves, I just change the gender of the character. When Hank Azaria was playing Agador in The Bird Cage, he based his character’s speech on his grandmother. She never figured it out. No one ever sees themselves in the opposite sex.
3) I never stereotype or make generalizations. One character in BRALESS IN WONDERLAND is from rural Georgia, and I was very careful to research the accent and expressions of that region. A southerner from Georgia speaks very differently than a southerner from Kentucky. In SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS, my September YA from Flux, I have characters from West Virginia, another distinct speech pattern.
4) I eavesdrop. Constantly. It helps me develop a memory for speech rhythms and nuances. I highly recommend eavesdropping. Just try not to stare; I’ve noticed that annoys people, for some reason. And be careful with trendy slang, especially if you’re writing for teens. Trendy slang is like fish. It looks good today but it will probably stink tomorrow.
Now . . . what are some of your favorite lines? Write to me and let me know! www.debbiereedfischer.com or my blog http://www.debbierfischer.livejournal.com
Thanks for having me, Story Siren!
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Thanks Debbie for a Great post!! Don’t forget to check out www.debbiereedfischer.com and www.debbiefischer.livejournal.com for more information!!
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What a great interview! Glad to know I’m not the only one who talks to myself at times. I think dialog is probably one of my favorite aspects of writing, too. Good thing, considering that’s what I get complimented on the most from others! This looks like a great book. Good luck with it.
Debbie, we’re alike. I also listen to other peoples accent. My mom hates traveling with me because i’ll pick up their way of speech right away, she says she never knows if she’s gonna talk to me or the girl from whatever place we’re at. Cool, interview I really enjoyed it and i’ll be reading Braless in Wonderland soon especially after that great review you gave it, Story Siren.
Awesome post, Deb and Story Siren. I unfortunately, never remember lines from movies…my husband always does. I’m impressed AND inspired!
Nina
Now whenever I see Bird Cage I’ll be thinking, “He based that on his grandmother.”
I like this post because I’m so picky about accents!
I think the slang that works best for me is when an author just invents it. Most circles of friends have a private slang, so it works to show the intimacy and shared background without going out of style.
Debbie, your dialog in BRALESS is so good I’m taking notes on all your tips! and i love the Jules Verne quote
I love eavesdropping! I have gone to extreme measures to eavesdrop. Although probably not for the right reasons such as dialogue research.
I’m a huge eavesdropper too! Sometimes with a notebook.
One of my kids woke up after wetting bed: “I’m drowning in a sea of pee!”
wow
great guest blog. that sounds like SO MUCH RESEARCH. i dont think i could ever be an author. i dont have the patience!!
Thanks for all your kind comments, everyone, and thanks to Story Siren for having me! Book Adorer, I also pick up other people’s accents as if they were my own. If I moved to England, I’d sound more British than Madonna. It’s embarrassing sometimes! And Liviana, I agree with you. Slang is best when the author makes it up. It’s often funnier, too. Thanks for stopping by, everyone!
Great guest blog. I really want to read Braless in Wonderland. I need to get a copy first. I think dialog is very important in a book.
Great guest blog! I say my dialog out loud too. I’m glad I’m not the only one…
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to warn people about me talking to myself for fear of them calling the authorities.
Your attention to detail really shows, Deb.
I loved Braless in Wonderland and cannot wait for Swimming with the Sharks!
I was talking to myself just last night in a room full of people. They all thought I was crazy, but were laughing their heads off!
~Meredith
rosesaremyfavorite@hotmail.com
How fun, Deb!
-Nancy
Great post! The book cover looks great. My fave line would be “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn”
MY hubs loves quoting movie lines and lyrics!
HAHAHAHA Debbie, this guest blog was hilarious. I loved it. My favorite line is a pick up line (not one used on me, one I came across online, though one used on me was quite similar to it): “Did your mother do a carrot? You’ve got beautiful eyes.”
God, the crap people come up with is so funny. Love the internet. Love this guest blog.
Steph
hahaa. I love this. hilarious.
Mindy
honeygreentea17@gmail.com
oh gosh, i’m always talking in my head…i hope i haven’t ever spoken out loud, but i’m always having conversations in my head between “characters” i suppose. and listening to people talk and then thinking back on random,funny comments is always really really funny. a lot of my friends are quite different from each other, so it provides some good enjoyment…i’ll have to think of some good quotes that i like though. i love quoting things. hmm…i’ll have to think and come back!!!
great guest blog though. good stuff. highly enjoyed the topic!!! :0)
OHH…well, one of my favorite quote quotes is “shoot for the moon. even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” I used to know who said it, but it’s escaping me now. my most favorite quote though.
-Lauren
Such an interesting interview! I enjoy knowing more about the person behind their books. I usually remember great first lines! For example, “All children, except one, grow up.” “It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Please enter me in your delightful book drawing. Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
I want to read this book now… geesh it’s insane how many books I want to read.
Great blog Debbie! I really want to read Braless In Wonderland. It sounds really good. Plus I love the cover.
-Breanna
I just reviewed Swimming with the Sharks on my blog and I loved it. It was amazing. I really want to read Braless in Wonderland!!!!!
I eavesdrop constantly as well. I’m a big people watcher, I could just sit on a park bench for hours, I always wonder what each person is doing or thinking. When I was younger, I would mimic everyone’s accents or speaking styles. For a whole week I was southern after my cousin from South Carolina visited. I loved her drawl.
lovelyluckymegs@yahoo.com
great interview! im dying to read BRALESS IN WONDERLAND but i can’t findit anywhere!
Dialogue is my favorite part of any book. I especially love lines that crack me up. Those are the lines I always remember.
heroesgirl314@gmail.com
I have found that when I am nervous or deep in thought, I talk to myself. I often hope no one else catches me! Great interview.
I love your ideas for working with dialogue. My daughter is a linguist so she notices every single nuance of people’s speech. I feel so analyzed when talking to her.
doot65{at}comcast[dot]net
Elizabeth