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pommie42
Dragon’s emissary
Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 1706
Location: Flying free, free before the thunderstorm
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 Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 9:00 pm Post subject: Speech |
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Speech is a very vital role in novels, yet it is remarkable how many authors get it wrong, even the well know, established authors.
In my opinion, there is just ONE Golden Rule that you MUST follow. And it is a simple one. Make it sound real.
Take this quote from Chris Paolini's Eragon:
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| "...else they would have shattered into a thousand pieces and killed you" |
This just doesn't sound right, no-one speaks like that, to be quite so literal.
Why not instead write: "...else they would have shattered, most likely killing you."
Does that not sound more fluent, more realistic. Never fall into the trap of writing in a way a charcater would not speak in.
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Shaye
Superior Figment
Joined: 01 Mar 2007
Posts: 2785
Location: 3rd rock from the sun.
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| Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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Oh! I so know what you're talking about! Like I can stand it if it's set in like the 19th century, because they spoke differently, but when you read things that are set in like the 90s and people say "Oh! How horrid! That's absurd!" when it's a 19-year-old teenager who smokes pot...you're like, "Wtf?!"
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~Shaye
Look. I don't understand half the things I say either. |
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Hawkins
Superior Figment
Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 3887
Location: I live in a '66 VW on Kirby Pond so...Vermont.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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I know...but I never have 19-year-old pot smokers anyway...I rarely have 'fancy' characters. However...I sometimes speak fancy. Just to annoy the crap out of my siblings/family/nonexistant peers.
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butterflii
Story Teller
Joined: 24 Feb 2007
Posts: 1612
Location: (rock) ME (hard place)
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| Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 1:21 am Post subject: |
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I totally agree. The speech has to suit the character. Like, I love it in dumbledore's speech in the HP books. He always speeks very literately using quite long words, with a touch of humour about the way he talks.
Ron in the HP books is always speaking sarcastically, occasionally he'll say the word 'git' or 'twat' and he talks with his mouth full in the funniest way!!
JKR knows how to portray speech 
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