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Exercise #145: Craft
Posted 2/3/06
We’ve done an exercise where we use no dialog at all (#84) and we’ve done an exercise where we’ve taken real-life dialog and translated for a story (#10). Today, by request (thanks, Steven!), we’re going to do a scene using only dialog.
This is where “show, don’t tell” becomes rather harder to do. The characters have to tell us what’s happening, when they talk to each other. Paint the reader a picture using your characters’ voices.
You must have at least two characters for the dialog, and your piece does not need to be a complete story. Remember, you may only use dialog – character’s spoken words – for your piece, except for the one-liner below which gives us the setting. Pick one of these, and tell us which one you picked, either before or after your piece.
* Two (or more) people converse at the weekly Bingo game (or Bunko)
* A doctor and nurse discuss patient care for the person in room 210
* A teacher takes questions from her students about a film they’ve just seen
* A person (or couple) decides which puppy to buy from a breeder (or the animal shelter)
* Two (or more) co-workers decide on lunch plans
* A family decides where to vacation this year
* A person asks where something is located in a store, and finds the clerk recommends something different
* A person (or couple) consider buying a car (or other large investment item)
* A child finds out if their friend can sleep over
* A person answers the phone
Word limit: 1200
Please use the subject line
SUB: Exercise #145/yourname
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