The Magic of Voice
By Marisa D'Vari
Congratulations! You finished your mystery novel, but before you send it off to
your agent or publisher, consider voice.
Each character should have their own "tag" - a way of speaking that
identifies them as the speaker before a reader even reads his or her name. When
you think about it, people speak within the reference of these parameters:
Geographical location (i.e. "valley girl/guy way of speaking")
Educational level
Personal way of expressing themselves
Slang (especially revealing if used post teen-age years)
Occupation
Occupation! Does that surprise you? In a seminar I led today, a writer spoke
about his character, who was in the military. As such, he'd have a rather unique
way of viewing the world. Instead of saying "I'd go for that," this
particular character would probably say, "I'll shoot for that." This
character's reference point would be the world of guns and defense, and he'd
think in these terms.
Mystery writers are often so caught up in the whodunit aspect of their story
they forget the importance dialogue plays in your story. It's the reader's
only real clue as to the personality and characteristics of your protagonist and
other characters.
Think of it this way: when you see an actor speak on screen, you hear the
words as the author intended them, albeit through the actor's and director's
interpretation of who that character is. But when you read words on the page,
they have to be sharp and powerful enough to achieve that same impact to capture
the reader's attention. Washed out, wimpy exchanges will have the reader or
executive tossing the script before the tenth page.
So, then, how do you make your character's words sparkle on the page? By
making them real.
When I read mysteries, I use dialogue as one of the first barometers to gage
a writer's level of professionalism.
What is great dialogue?
When a character says something in a fresh, clever way;
When characters express a unique sense of humor;
When the words are so crisply suited to each individual character in the story
one can tell who's speaking without looking at the character's name.
Now that you see the need to polish your dialogue, how do you get started?
By observation!
Characters need to sound real, but real people do not speak in complete,
formal sentences. Go to a public place, such as a mall or outdoor café, and
listen to the way that people actually converse. More important, notice the
differences in the way people talk.
Listen to:
A teen-age couple madly in love;
Construction workers as they shoot the breeze and eat their sandwiches;
Teenage girls at their favorite cosmetics store;
A tired mother with her children;
Tourists marveling at sites you've seen since childhood;
An couple who seem miserable with each other;
A pack of skateboarding boys.
While you should take note of the cadence of their speech, their slang, and
their unstructured, informal tone, do not pay attention to content.
You're a writer.
You're the "god" that gives your characters not only life, but
direction.
Every word that your characters say needs to fit a specific purpose. Simply
moving the story forward isn't enough. It must also reveal nuances of their
character, reveal a tiny bit of their backstory, and suggest their relationship
to the character they're speaking with.
In every relationship, there's someone who leads and who follows. When two
contemporaries of either sex are speaking, one always has it slightly over the
other.
The next time you see two such individuals conversing, take careful note: Who
has the upper hand? How is it articulated?
Through tone of voice or through something they seem to exude? And, if this is
the case, imagine how you'd describe it on paper.
Believable dialogue is crucial to the success of your mystery.
Your fans need to know how to "type" your characters, and you need to
convey this information through your characters dialogue as much as their
actions! The adage, it's not "what you say" but "how you say
it" has never been more true!
For other great articles by Marisa D'Vari and information on her new book for
writers, Media Magic: Profit and Promote with a Talk Show Host's
Secrets, go to http://www.GetBookedNow.com
or contact Marisa at marisa@deg.com.
© 2001 DEG International. All Rights Reserved.
