This ditty about dialogue can be
sung to the tune of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “I am the Very Model of a
Modern Major General”, from their comic opera “Pirates of Penzance”. If
you are not familiar with the tune, find it here. I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General Guaranteed to get stuck in your head!
A Ditty About Dialogue
When words are scribed to illustrate a story conversational
they bounce from one to t’other in a manner dialogical.
Inverted commas there to show us that they are quotational
from Tom to Dick to Jane to Sue, in order categorical.
Avoid he said-she said, instead paint pictures anectodical
Avoid he said-she said, instead paint pictures anectodical
of who is saying what in tones so they are recognizable.
Words spoken tell the reader things not spelled out biographical.
In short, if characters are bad or good or egotistical.
Between what’s said use action lines for interest prototypical
Between what’s said use action lines for interest prototypical
to keep the story moving for a reader idealogical.
Have characters speak normally, keep what they say realistical
so when the story ends, the dialogue is commonsensical.
Yes! I laughed out loud for real when I read this to the tune! (And I did know it, and YES, it does get stuck in your head!!!) Awesome post!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tracy! I figured you would know the tune, with your experience in drama. Such a fun song!
DeleteThank you, dear Valerie, for this delightful ditty. It's spot on with wise advice too. I've read that acquiring editors will often turn to a section of dialogue in the proposal sample chapters to see if it's believable. Good dialogue is vital in fiction and memoir.
ReplyDeleteBlessings.
Thanks for your positive comment, Wendy! Writing dialogue can be tricky so I decided to present it in a fun way.
DeleteLOL! Well done Valerie! Sound advice too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, Elizabeth!
DeleteThis is great!! ‘Sang’ it all the way through. Thanks for starting my day off with a smile. Also brought back memories as we did a play in school that was the Pirates of Penzance re-written with a school as the setting. So creative, Valerie. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sharon! No need for you to look up the unforgettable tune. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
DeleteThanks for this creative song that leaves a smile on our faces!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your positive comment, Sandi! I'm glad the post made you smile.
DeleteValerie, this post is so fantastical with a flow such fun and laughable. Your choice of words while giggleable, also shows you are smartable! Thank you for this wonderful post so teachable. Yes, now in my head your rhyme and musical accompaniment is in my head all stuckable.
ReplyDeleteYour comment is giggleable too, Alan! I don't know about being smartable because the tune has been in my head all stuckable too, for weeks now.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I had the right tune but whatever tune I used worked lol. Would be great to memorize this. Thanks for sharing this fun post.
ReplyDelete