Forcing a Scene

That's normal for new writers. It takes time to learn to write dialogue, you really just have to keep at it and write every day.

I'd suggest basing characters on people you know like friends, family, coworkers/teachers. If you have people in your life who you can write, it'll give you a starting point, and then you can start adding characters that are composites of multiple people and broaden your ability to portray different character types. If you have trouble writing people you know, try exaggerating them.

Welcome to the writing realm!

When you put pen to paper for the first time, it's a totally different world. You can read a hundred books a month, but when you put pen to paper for the first time, well, it's a whole different experience. It's good that you can see your own work with a reader's eyes and tell there's stuff to work on. Great, even! Not everyone can do that.

There are times when I feel like I'm forcing a scene. Usually that's a sign to me that I'm going in the wrong direction. Try rewinding and figuring out another way you can approach what the scene needs to do.

Good luck!

For me at least the key is to be able to put yourself into the characters in the scene and find their voice in your own head. It might sound weird, but you could consider taking some acting classes to learn how to portray a character. Or do what I did and play (preferably DM) pen & paper roleplaying games. I've improv'd as so many different characters over the years that speaking through someone else's voice is second nature to me.

Everyone has their own process, but it takes me dozens and dozens of rewrites before things "feel right." ALL of my first-draft scenes and dialogue feel forced and ridiculous. It usually takes me at least three or four rewrites before I stop cringing as I get to a new part.

First thing is that if rereading the bits you've just written is stopping you moving forward, then stop rereading them. Some people can edit as they go and it works fine. But for some writers it brings them to a halt. If you're one of the latter then you need to resist the urge to do it and just keep on going. If the temptation to scroll up is too strong try starting a new document for each day's words and only pasting it into the main document after you're done for the day. Also keeping on pushing forward will keep up the momentum and may let you develop the characters and their voices without over-thinking it. Try writing the whole thing and coming back to edit later.

Dialogue is tough. That doesn't mean you can't improve on it. Read writing books about it. Do the exercises in them. Study (not just read) the dialogue in a variety of books, but especially in the types of books you're writing. Listen to real conversations and listen to TV and movie dialogue. Notice the difference. The writer has the tough job of making something that sounds as natural as real conversation, without actually being like real conversation.

A good exercise I think is to take a transcript of a real conversation between a couple of real people and try turning it into dialogue between characters. How do you keep it sounding natural without all the hemming and hawing and trailing off and interrupting oneself and not finishing a thought before jumping off to some other subject? How do you make it not boring? How do you give it purpose?

Slow down. Listen to your characters more. Try to figure out what they would say, as opposed to what you want them to say.

Also, if the scene or dialogue feels forced, you may need to back up a little and try something different. Don't be afraid to revise until you get it right, because otherwise you could be laying a false foundation for the scenes that follow.

So don't go back and read the chapters over. Or stay on a page until everything feels right. That's what I do. I don't move on to the next page until the one I'm on is written as well in every way as I can possibly make it.

I definitely agree with what people said above about rewinding a trying a different path. Even if to do a heavy outline or free form write. See what comes out of it. Might lead you on a whole other path that is more suitable to your overall story.

I find that reading out loud helps me with dialogue. I get into the character's head and pretend I am them. Of course, I do this when no one else is around so I don't look completely ridiculous!

I found with the first novel I read I would write a chapter or two and then revise it right away or read it several times.

Perhaps don't try to be the reader of your story until it's complete? Now I usually write and write and write. I don't go back and reread a section unless I thought of an idea to make it better, I need a refresher on what happened (sometimes everything turns to mush in my mind and I need a refresher) or if I get writers block and can't move forward I'll go back to the beginning until an idea hits me again.

Could it be that you just haven't let it run its course yet? I've read dialogue that seems like just casual conversation but plays an important role at some point or another that I often didn't even have planned when I wrote the scene. Sometimes things just fall into place. (I'm a pantser)

If it doesn't fall into place or when the whole first draft is done and it still doesn't feel right to you then you can work to fix it. Sometimes trying to write read and revise all at the same time gets to be too overwhelming. Just write first.

Neegh said:

The aim of dialogue is to, pass information to the reader, reveal character, and move the story forward. Dialogue that does not do that serves no purpose and should be cut.

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Stunted list.

Full list.
Any part of the prose should either:
1. pass information to the reader
2. reveal character
3. move the story forward
4. underline book theme
5. provide mood/atmosphere

To the OP: fictional dialogue is always, in a sense, forced and unnatural. Your job is to provide a context through the rest of the book, so that the fictional dialogue looks just right. Do not judge any detail of the book out of context, judge it in terms of its relation with the rest of the book.

BethS said:

Slow down. Listen to your characters more. Try to figure out what they would say, as opposed to what you want them to say.

Also, if the scene or dialogue feels forced, you may need to back up a little and try something different. Don't be afraid to revise until you get it right, because otherwise you could be laying a false foundation for the scenes that follow.

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QFT.

Something I periodically do (when editing) is imagine all of the dialogue tags have been removed, and check to ensure that each sentence has a clear speaker even without the tags. This forces me to make sure I'm giving each character a unique voice.

Quinn_Inuit said:

QFT.

Something I periodically do (when editing) is imagine all of the dialogue tags have been removed, and check to ensure that each sentence has a clear speaker even without the tags. This forces me to make sure I'm giving each character a unique voice.

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Oh, I like this suggestion. I will do that on the next read of my MS.

The craziest thing I've experienced (and I know I'm not alone) since I started writing, is how I hear my characters speaking to me. Especially when I wake up in the middle of the night. That's when they seem to be the loudest. I started typing out their words onto my phone trying to not lose what they are saying. That messes with my sleep, too. I can't win.

Yeah, it happens to me when I try to write when I'm not in the right mood or mindset.

But, as annoying as it is to rewrite something you've just written, writing down even a mangled, forced or contrived mess can at least get my thoughts in order so I can redo it properly a few days later.

While I agree that for the creation a whole piece of prose the guide lines should be:
1. pass information to the reader
2. Reveal character
3. Move the story forward
4. Underline book theme
5. Provide mood/atmosphere

When comes to dialogue however, only
pass information to the reader
reveal character
move the story forward
…need apply.

dondomat said:

To the OP: fictional dialogue is always, in a sense, forced and unnatural. .

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Okay. But, if you look at it like that then all writing is forced because, it wasn’t there until you put pen to paper. It took effort; it took an act of will to create it: you forced it into reality.


As for dialogue being forced, all I can say is, not for me. But, then perhaps it’s all in the way you look at it. Like:

If a wave is the story moving forward, then the dialogue could be viewed as the surfboard and the personality of the character speaking at that time would be the surfer.

Dialogue is propelled by the story.

Neegh said:

While I agree that for the creation a whole piece of prose the guild lines should be:
1. pass information to the reader
2. Reveal character
3. Move the story forward
4. Underline book theme
5. Provide mood/atmosphere

When comes to dialogue however, only
pass information to the reader
reveal character
move the story forward
…need apply.

.

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For teh way you write, this may be true. It most certainly is not true for teh way I write dialogue, or for teh way most of my favorite writers write dialogue.

All the writing advice I give here is from the point of view of how I write. One might suspect that everyone here is doing the same—though, perhaps not.

And it is not wise to assume that people you admire will automatically agree with your views.

ElleMason said:

Oh, I like this suggestion. I will do that on the next read of my MS.

The craziest thing I've experienced (and I know I'm not alone) since I started writing, is how I hear my characters speaking to me. Especially when I wake up in the middle of the night. That's when they seem to be the loudest. I started typing out their words onto my phone trying to not lose what they are saying. That messes with my sleep, too. I can't win.

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Thanks! I like the challenge.

Hmmm...watch the blue light from the phone. It'll muck up your circadian rhythms. Can you use a notepad and pen instead? Alternatively, try a computer with f.lux installed, which happens to be what I'm using right now.

As far as talking to me, I wouldn't say they do that, but I do run over scenes in my head every night till I fall asleep. They're not super-interested in talking to me, though if they found out I was responsible for the stuff they're going through they'd probably kill me, each in his or her own fashion.

Neegh said:

The aim of dialogue is to, pass information to the reader, reveal character, and move the story forward. Dialogue that does not do that serves no purpose and should be cut.

Click to expand...

Be ye wary of the bolded above. That can very easily drift into "As you know, Bob," kinds of clumsiness. The rest of the comment I agree with, but I'm not real fond of the "pass information to the reader" concept, unless it's done with skill and subtlety.

caw

When I write dialogue, it's always with the question "what would this character say in this situation?" in my head. I can't force dialogue to go in a direction that it doesn't naturally go in, because that would mean one of my characters is saying something out of character.

I don't write a plot/outline, and the idea in my head of where the story is going is very flexible, so I'd be inclined to adapt the plot to follow on naturally from the conversation (i.e. the one that the characters would have) rather than force a conversation to go in a particular direction to fit the plot. This is one of the reasons why I don't bother with writing a plot/outline, because when I start writing the story, issues like this - characters staying in character and the story unfolding naturally - means that I frequently have to make changes in the next part of the story. Keeping a vague and flexible idea of the plot in my head works. Writing an outline would be a waste of time for me because I'd be constantly changing it.

Note: there are many different ways to write a story and outlines work for many writers, and someone who uses an outline may have a different way to solve this issue. But I think you should consider whether the reason it sounds forced/not meant to be, is because the characters are not in character, and consider whether you need to adapt the next bit of the plot rather than keep on trying to force a conversation that doesn't sound right.

blacbird said:

Be ye wary of the bolded above. That can very easily drift into "As you know, Bob," kinds of clumsiness. The rest of the comment I agree with, but I'm not real fond of the "pass information to the reader" concept, unless it's done with skill and subtlety.

caw

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Well...if "pass info" is worrisome for you how about "revealing the story through character interactions" sound?

Tony Hillerman was the best at that: I don't believe I read even once out of all his novels, where you learn anything other than through character interaction. However, he has such a casual voice that you might miss it though.

Hammett too, in The Glass Key and The Maltese Falcon--never dips into anyone's head once, not even the MC. Blew my mind first time I read the The Glass Key.

I learned to write dialog by listening to TV, especially Soap Operas. There were spots where I needed to look up to see how the setting had changed or what one person threw at the other, but I learned dialog this way. I always did homework or jigsaw puzzles while "watching TV." Perhaps the technique will help you.

The opposite technique can be helpful too. Watch with the sound off and figure out what's being said.