WriteSpa – An Oasis for Writers

We talk most of the time – except for when we’re not. The gift of language is part of our existence. We communicate with words far more often and easily than we do through writing or even through an expression like a glare or a smile. And yet much of the time, in conversation as in life, things are not what they seem. Words don’t necessarily mean what you think they do, or what they mean when you’re writing narrative prose. That’s because in dialog the words themselves are colored by the people who are using them. (more…)

Despite what you’ve been told, eavesdropping is a writer’s most valuable resource. For several days in a row write down a conversation that you overhear, without describing the people who are speaking. Use your ears, not your eyes, to imagine the speaker. Practice trying to remember phrases that are used. As you write them down, try to retain the personality in the words, the flow, and the purpose of the conversation, even if you have to make it up.