Janet Fitch Writes

[Brian G Turner]

Some excellent insights into writing published on Janet Fitch's blog - here's a few especially useful posts:


10 Writing Tips

10 Writing Tips That Can Help Almost Anyone Janet Fitch's Blog

Especially like the pointer about paying more attention to writing sentences, not least being careful about structure, being more explorative, and choosing verbs more carefully.


A few thoughts about dialogue

A Few Thoughts About Dialogue Janet Fitch's Blog

This is something I find especially interesting and will sharpen my editing pen with:

I guess the most important tip about dialogue is this:


Dialogue is only for conflict.


It’s like a racehorse, it can’t just carry any old thing, the pots and pans and old tires. You can’t heap all your expository business on it, the meet and greet, all that yack. It’s just for the conflict between one character and another. That’s it.

So if characters agree, you don’t need dialogue! If someone’s just buying a donut, nobody needs to say anything. That’s what narrative is for.

Show not tell

Show Not Tell Janet Fitch's Blog

Basic exposition, still very interesting.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I agree heartily agree with this:

Dialogue is ... like a racehorse, it can’t just carry any old thing, the pots and pans and old tires. You can’t heap all your expository business on it, the meet and greet, all that yack.

But I don't agree with this:

It’s just for the conflict between one character and another. That’s it.

That's as much as saying that every time your characters open their mouths there should be an argument. I have read books where an author follows that rule fairly closely, and the sniping and the stupid disagreements for the sake of conflict become wearisome beyond any words of mine to express.

Sometimes, when characters are in a tight spot they have to discuss what to do next. It doesn't have to be framed as a conflict between them. They can be conflicted within themselves, or anxious about the situation. That is where the drama arises. Sometimes characters who have been in conflict come to an agreement. Sometimes characters have moments where they face a heart-wrenching parting and the dialogue is tender and emotional. Sometimes characters reassure each other. Sometimes they make important revelations. Dialogue can do a lot of things.

 

[Toby Frost]

Yes, I think that has to be interpreted generously. Dialogue, like everything else, builds the world and by extension the characters. Perhaps what she means is that dialogue needs to push the story forward, but this could still happen in the most un-conflicting circumstances. Where Jim tells Joan that he loves her, there is no obvious conflict, but when Joan is kidnapped by Martians there is clearly going to be an effect on Jim that may both deepen the story and push it forward.

A scene where commandos plan a raid may include no immediate conflict at all, since they may all think the plan is perfect. But it sets up conflict to follow and as such must be a good thing in story terms.

It's like "Write what you know" - something of a simplification*. And I definitely agree that books where the characters continuously argue do become very annoying.




*I've heard this many times and always thought it should be "Write what you can write convincingly".

 

[Brian G Turner]

I read the "conflict" element as like setting up conflicting positions, rather than argument.

I remember reading about use of thoughts across different characters should be used to emphasise conflict of position - and reading the first few chapters of Frank Herbert's Dune I always hold as an excellent example of this - Paul's insecurities about the testing, Jessica's uncertainties about the Benegesserit prophecies and their cost, and Dr Yul's sense of betrayal. When all three internalise in a single scene, it makes for very dyanmic reading.

I think what Janet is underlining is that dialogue works best to demonstrate tension, with the opposite end being in general agreement there's little need for internalisation or dialogue - excepting to reveal tensions that may be harboured beneath such agreement.