T is for Talking

For the next few weeks, I’m going to talk a little about various aspects of writing, and how those pieces fit with writing in general and my upcoming book in particular. The letters will represent an acrostic in the end—which by the way has more to do with the season than the theme of writing!

So, stretching this a bit already, I’m using “t” for talking. If you’re writing a book, that means all the dialogue. (Admittedly s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g to fit the acrostic, I know!)

What a character says is one of the two best ways to reveal what kind of person you’re trying to portray. The other is through action, of course. This is a reflection of reality: what someone says and does represents who they are: their thoughts, they’re goals, dreams, loyalties, loves, etc.

For the heroine in my 2010 release, the dialogue was especially fun. Somewhere along the way of envisioning this lovely (but impetuous) character, Grace Kelly started emerging. I’m probably revealing either my age or penchant for old movies, but I’m pretty much convinced there was no one lovelier, classier, or more heroine-like than a young Grace Kelly. Evidently the Prince of Monaco agreed, who whisked her off to become Princess Grace. But that’s another story…

So here she was, “talking” in my head through the character I envisioned for my book, set in occupied Belgium during the First World War. If I lost the sound, all I had to do was pop in an old movie and there she was—or rather, there was her voice, which I wanted to hear in my head with the words and actions that would match my character.

It helped immensely not only to get the rhythm of my dialogue right, but to keep my character consistent. She isn’t haughty but could be perceived that way, especially by the hero who wants to perceive her that way. Can’t you just see Grace Kelly, protecting herself from insult by hiding behind a lifted chin, a gracefully raised arch in her brow, a confident voice when inside she might be hurting – or petrified?

My hero at first sees her only as a child, and even when he recognizes she’s all grown up, he refuses to cave in to his growing love for her. She might not depend on her beauty to get her way, especially with someone as purposely distant as this hero, but how can she separate herself from it? It’s part of who she is, and her voice represents that beauty.

Every once in a while someone in a writer’s group or loop puts out a call for a “plain” heroine. An overweight one, a dowdy one. And while I sincerely believe most of us can relate to someone who isn’t beautiful (and some stories really work with less attractive characters) I think the majority of us use reading as an escape. And who wants to escape into a story with a character just like us? We want to relate to greater emotions, we want to experience life through their eyes, but most readers I’ve talked to want to escape into someone who’s a little bigger than life. More beautiful than they are; more glamorous; more intelligent. More…something.

Perhaps that’s why Grace Kelly came to mind. And her voice.

Rhythm is such a key element in on-the-page talking. If the rhythm is right, the reader glides right along, “hearing” it in her head. Whether the character is someone you know personally or an actor or actress, if you picture them saying the words you’re providing, it might help in getting that rhythm down.

The only danger in imagining a real-life person for their voice as your character is the possibility you might let them limit what you want to give them. This is probably a greater danger if you actually know the person who is inspiring your character. That’s where you have to let your imagination go wild, or at the very least keep your inspiration a secret so you won’t offend anyone if the character they’re inspiring turns out to a.) be the villain or b.) do something they regret, even stupid (as characters often do!).

With an actor, your character is just another role for them and if you’ve seen them in any variety of roles, that shouldn’t be difficult. Grace Kelly had the same softly cultured voice in High Noon that she had in Dial M For Murder, and yet what each character said was very different.

So from now on, if you aren’t already, be an avid listener. Study those voices that are unique, memorable, especially rhythmic. And see if any of them might inspire the voice of one of your characters.