With this article, I’d like to
discuss the “Dialogue-Only” writing style. Dialogue between characters can take
place in a short story, novella, novel, or even poetry. It’s simply
conversation between two or more characters with little or no narrative. In
fiction, it can invite you to participate in the storyline; In poetry, it can
take your heart on emotional journeys deeper than the words themselves.
One of the first ebooks (novel) I ever
attempted to write, titled "The Hand She Dealt to Me", actually ended
up being a work of fiction written totally in "dialogue-only" style.
I didn't realize the direction I was going in until I was half way or better,
towards completion of the novel. That's when I stopped and questioned myself as
to what the heck I was doing. With all the work and effort that I had already
invested in this work of fiction, I decided to ride it out and continue on this
path until I reached the end of my story. To my amazement, I was fully
engrossed in the characters, the storyline, the twists and turns in the plot,
the climax, and finally the ending. I surprised myself when I went back and
read/proofread the entire novel. The reason being was that I also felt a much
deeper connection to the characters - who they were, how they spoke, what they
desired. I knew them. I knew them all and I knew them well. I felt their pain,
joy, troubles, love, happiness, sadness, losses and triumphs. I no longer
recognized if they were speaking through me or if I was speaking through them.
Something different was happening here. It was a magical connection and a
magical transformation between writer and characters.
I actually felt a sense of accomplishment
after using this style of writing. As a writer, I soon discovered that a
“dialogue-only” writing style may possibly take a reader deeper into the minds
and personalities of each character. The reader may find themselves seated
inside the story, while the action and conversation happened in front of them,
behind them, to the side of them, or all around them. It would be like reading
a story in 3D. Much similar to reading a play, but more like watching a movie
since this style offers the reader more depth, imagination and interaction.
However, since this was a style I was not
familiar with, both as a reader and as a writer, I decided to research the
style to see if other authors attempted this. To my surprise, I found a bit of
information out there which helped me come to terms with the fact that I had
chosen a unique writing style - and was setting myself up for some serious
criticism. Through internet search, I
came across the following article on “Dialogue-Only” writing style (at The Rumpus.net)
by a young writer named Alexander Kalamaroff, August 9th, 2014, which was quite
interesting:
“The dialogue novel is a unique creature. In
it the conversations among characters are the primary or only means of
narrative advancement—so the initial experience might be similar to reading a play
or movie script, where we’re tasked to mentally dramatize what we’re reading.
But the dialogue novel is intriguing because it is not meant for stage or
screen. And compared to its compatriot, the monologue novel—which has a
substantial history shaped by Dostoevsky, Nabokov, and W.G. Sebald, to name
only three masters of that form—the dialogue novel is quite rare. While they
can be challenging to read, dialogue-dominated narratives create amazing
opportunities for philosophical inquiry, stylistic originality, and stunning
creativity that are surely worth exploring.”
...So, in my opinion, readers either love
the style or hate it. Some of my critics felt confused in keeping up with the
dialogue, the characters, and who was speaking at the time. Others enjoyed it
thoroughly, according to verbal and written reviews. I made it a point to use
the characters' names quite frequently in order to identify the speakers
so readers could follow easily. I also
made an effort to use separate paragraphs for each speaker. It seemed to flow
smoothly for me. However, I was the
creator of this work of fiction. I owned it, I controlled it, I brought it to
life. Of course it would run smoothly for me as I read it. So knowing that this
work of fiction could somehow prove to be challenging to a reader, it's out
there living amongst the many books on the Amazon market, waiting to be
purchased by someone who wants to be challenged. Yes, it reads like a play, but
feels like a movie. You may find yourself in the middle of the action, with a
sudden urge to reach out to the characters. You will want to touch them, talk
with them, laugh with them, cry with them, accompany them on their journeys;
eat with them, drink with them, and whatever else tickles your fancy.
You may be pleasantly surprised by this
writing style, while enjoying a wonderful journey, with twists and turns that
may place you so deep into the story that the only way out is to remain there
until the very end. Ha! So if you are brave enough as a reader to be challenged
by the experience, try a “dialogue-only” novel at some point. I can honestly
say it’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely for someone.
You decide - Here is a sample of that
writing style from my first ebook; a novel titled “The Hand She Dealt to Me”:
Oh Carla.
I didn’t mention a word of this to Steven or Julia last night. Mike was over for dinner also, so I tried to
forget about Amira the Fortune Teller and just be myself. I had a really hard time doing that last
night. Steven thought I wasn’t feeling
well. I convinced him I was just a bit
tired; that I did lots of walking during the day. But I was haunted by her. It all started yesterday while I was sitting
on a park bench. She approached me out
of nowhere and asked me where I got my cappuccino, because she noticed the cup
said “Café Bianca”. She asked to sit
down to chat, and I said sure. She
seemed pleasant enough. I didn’t want to
be rude. She had a very heavy
accent. She’s from the Middle East,
Lebanon I recall her saying, but she was living in Pennsylvania for many years
with her parents. She later married a
gentleman she met in Pennsylvania, who was also from Lebanon. Anyway, after her parents died, she and her
husband divorced, “American-style” as she put it. I got a chuckle out of that. I found it amusing since she’s a
foreigner. It’s so funny how foreigners
look at the “American” way of life.
They even have a name for everything we do here, good or bad – “American-style”. I don’t know if she was serious or just
being sarcastic, but it was kind of funny to hear, especially with her
accent. Anyway, her husband went back
to Lebanon. She also told me she was
very sad because she learned she couldn’t have children. I felt so bad to hear that, because the pain
on her face really got to me. Anyway, I
guess at that point she fulfilled her desire to come to New York and start a
business. She gave me her card and
invited me to her shop. I noticed on
the card that this shop she was talking about was called “Amira’s Mystic
Fortunes”. I then realized she was a
Fortune Teller. Of all the people to run
into. Anyway, she claimed she was pretty
new to the area and that I was one of the few people she had a chance to sit
and chat with. I was really taken aback
by this. It felt weird, like she
purposely singled me out. She looked me
straight in the eye and said she sees I have some family issues going on and
that I have an aura around me that shows I’m very concerned about my life. She wants me to go see her. She wants to give me a free tarot
reading. She wants to help me. I told her that I don’t believe in that
stuff. I’m Catholic. What’s even more ironic is that she told me
that she’s Catholic too. I thought she
was Muslim, coming from the Middle East and all. But she said there are many Catholics in
Lebanon. So we chatted a bit more about
our families, then - all of a sudden - Gary
appeared out of nowhere. So I used him
as an excuse to get up and get away from her.
But wouldn’t you know it, as I walked home later on, I ran smack into
her shop. She was sitting outside. I tried to avoid her, but she called out to
me. She truly wants me to visit her shop
for a free reading. She said she has
some gifts for me. A good luck crystal,
some scented candles. It’s like she is
drawing me to her… Oh yes please, I’ll have two eggs over well and turkey bacon
on the side. Whole wheat toast, no
butter. Thanks.
I’ll have my eggs scrambled with rye
toast and Canadian bacon, thank you… Okay, so Lia - just avoid her shop. Throw out the card. What’s the big deal? I don’t understand why this is upsetting you
so much that you couldn’t wait to tell me.
You don’t have any serious problems in your family other than the normal
everyday issues we all deal with.
Everybody has family issues. Come
on now. She’s not telling you anything
out of the ordinary. Steven is doing
well at the pharmacy. Julia is pursuing
an acting career. She has a really nice
boyfriend. You and Steven get along so
well. What is the problem here? If anything, I would think you have a pretty
good life Lia. Forget about this “aura”
she sees around you. This is what these
people do. They get you to question
yourself and your family so that you turn to them for guidance, while they take
your money. You know this Lia. I don’t have to explain this. You’ll see, that shop will close up in a few
months and all of this will mean nothing.
That’s always what happens sweetie.
These fortune tellers move on and set up shop in some other place –
after they’ve taken your money and practically your soul.
I know Carla. I realize all of that. Don’t you think I’ve gone over this in my
head. I was up all night playing this
over and over, like a tape recorder.
Don’t you see Lia. She already has you in her grip. She kept you up all night with this! It disrupted your sleep already? That’s a problem waiting to happen.
But Carla, you had to see her. She is strikingly beautiful. She had this strong presence about her. An unusual and very strange magnetism. You just had to be there. You can feel it just being in her presence. There is something about her I can’t
explain. You just had to be there. She had long auburn hair, tied back with a
gold silk scarf. The scarf had sparkling
rhinestones throughout. It was
gorgeous. Her eyes were big and bright
and so alive. They were golden
brown like a lioness,
outlined by very dark lashes.
They were mesmerizing. They were
piercing. She was just absolutely
gorgeous. She had an olive complexion
and she wore a subdued berry color lipstick.
She was about five feet four inches, medium build. Other than that, she wore very little
makeup. In her ears were these very
large gold hoop earrings with an intricate design in them; and she had half her
arm adorned with colorful bracelets that jingled every time she moved. You know how gypsies dress? Well that’s how she looked, if that gives you
a better idea. I think all fortune
tellers dress like that, so I think you get the picture. Anyway, she had on an ankle length dress
which had every color of the rainbow in it; brightly woven into vertical
stripes that shimmered a bit. Very pretty.
Her boots were black with these really pointy toes. Her shawl was a dark red and it was tied in
the front with a big knot near her upper chest.
She just had this air about her.
I loved listening to her speak, with that very pronounced Middle Eastern
accent. She was just very persistent
with me, but pleasant. It seemed as if
she could make a statement by just looking at you without exchanging
words. She had a special power that
could draw you in, lure you in. You
really had to see her in person Carla.
Even her perfume filled the air.
It was like nothing I ever smelled before. It was a mix of herbs and flowers, with a
hint of fruit. There was a bit of
cucumber in the mix. A very strange
aroma.
Lia.
Stop it! You sound hypnotized by this woman.
How much time did you spend with her that you can describe her in such
detail? You studied her to perfection.
From her head to her toes. You’re
not going to see her are you? Give me
that card. I’m going to get rid of
it. This is nonsense sweetie. You know what I really think? You quit your job at the library too soon,
not long after Steven opened up Roma Pharmacy.
I think you need to fill your day with more constructive things. Now I’m happy for you. Steven is doing well with the pharmacy, and
that’s great. You don’t have to work
anymore. Terrific. But maybe all of this free time is not very good for your
well-being. Maybe you need to get back into the workforce. Go back to the
library. It’s only a few hours a day. I think it will be good for you.
