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Three Writing Quotes That Will Make You Pause…Then Write
“We’re past the age of heroes and hero kings. Most of our lives are basically mundane and dull, and it’s up to the writer to find ways to make them interesting.” —John Updike Let’s begin with John Updike’s quote. How great is that one? When writers read that quote, it should make them realize what’s important in writing—a strong voice, good dialogue, realistic characters, and a nice plot that keeps readers going. We are not reinventing the wheel, we are merely storytellers, here to entertain. Sometimes, when I find I’m being too hard on myself and I reread something I’ve written, I go back and ask these questions: “Was it…
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Elephants…Again. But this time, they’re Hemingway’s.
I’m currently reading The Help and enjoying Kathryn Stockett’s use of dialogue to paint a picture of her characters. Some of Stockett’s characters have a dialect and use slang and incorrect grammar; if she didn’t write them this way, they wouldn’t be authentic. So how can writers get inside their characters’ heads to make them realistic? One way is to use your ears. Listen to how people talk and the way they interact with each other. Studying people is a fascinating business. A showcase example of effective dialogue is Ernest Hemingway’s short story Hills Like White Elephants. Told primarily in dialogue format, it’s absolutely brilliant and is my favorite Hemingway…
