In creative writing, how do I show that something is happening inside the head of the character, while not being overly wordy?
Sometimes it can feel like a chore to figure out the best words to use to describe a feeling or an experience. For example, sometimes it can be difficult to convey the sense of dread that comes with waking up in the morning and knowing that you have to go to work. Or the nervous anticipation that comes with getting onto a plane and wondering if the plane will stay in the air long enough for you to complete your journey. Or how about that feeling of longing that you get when you are separated from someone you love and miss them dearly? It’s not like there is a checklist for these things, and sometimes the best you can do is settle for “this is how I feel” which is perfectly adequate. But it would be nice if there were words in the English language that could capture those fleeting moments of feeling in an instant. For example, there is a word in Latin, “precarium,” which literally means “that which is about to happen” or “that which has just happened.” If you need a Latin word to describe the feeling you are trying to capture, you could use precaria instead of the usual “I feel” or “I’m feeling.”
When you are writing creatively, you are exploring the world through your characters’ eyes and trying to convey their perspectives and feelings. So, it is inevitable that you will come up against the problem of how to show what is going on inside a character’s head. One way to deal with this is to use dialogue. Dialogue can be a very effective tool for showing what is going on inside a character’s head because it is presented as a conversation. Through the use of dialect and appropriate language, you can indicate that the character is thinking about something and is having a conversation with themselves or someone else. This is why dialogue is such a useful tool for creative writing. It can help to show the writer’s perspective on the story, which can enhance the narrative instead of being a stumbling block to it.
Types Of Dialogue
There are different types of dialogue, and it is essential that you understand the difference between them so that you can effectively use each type of dialogue for the type of story that you are attempting to write.
Verbal dialogue between characters is what we usually think of when we think about dialogue. This is usually presented in the form of a conversation between two or more characters, where each character speaks in turn and the listener (the reader) is meant to follow along and understand what is being said. In a novel, this type of dialogue can be found in the form of chapters or scenes, where each character has a say and the reader is expected to listen and understand what is being said. For example, if Jack is talking to Jill, the reader will most likely find out what is being said because they have to listen to both characters to understand what is going on.
In films, television shows, and podcasts, this type of dialogue is often cut up into smaller pieces so that the listener does not have to listen to it in its entirety. This is usually because there is so much going on that the listener cannot keep up with it all if it were all said in one go. This type of dialogue usually plays an important role in a story because it presents the reader with an opportunity to observe and understand the interactions between the characters.
Active And Passive
Another important factor to consider when using dialogue in your creative writing is whether the dialogue should be active or passive. Active dialogue occurs when two or more characters are talking to each other and contributing to the conversation. If a character does not contribute to the conversation, but simply listens, this is considered passive dialogue.
In active dialogue, there is always more than one character speaking, and it is usually the case that one character will have the floor whilst the other listens or comments. If we look at our examples above, Jack is talking whilst Jill listens; therefore, this is active dialogue. As the listener, you do not need to contribute to the conversation in any way; you just need to listen. However, sometimes you might want to contribute with a brief comment or question to show that you are listening and paying attention.
Confidential And Nondisclosed
It is also important to remember that what you say in dialogue can be confidential or non-confidential. Confidential dialogue occurs when two or more characters discuss a secret that they do not intend to share with the listener. This could range from something as private as the character’s sexual preference to something as sensitive as the character’s opinion on the war.
If a character does not want to discuss a certain topic with another character, they can decide not to do so and instead have a private conversation with themselves or with a parent, sibling, or spouse. Nondisclosed dialogue is similar to confidential dialogue, except that it is not a secret that the characters are talking about. Instead, this is information that the listener could use to advance the plot or understanding of the story. This includes things such as the identity of a murderer or the location of a hidden treasure.
Indicative And Proactive
Indicative dialogue occurs when a character is giving a report or comment on something that has just happened. This could be something as simple as a character describing the scene in front of them in great detail, or it could be someone talking about an upcoming event. This type of dialogue can be difficult to write, because you need to make sure that the listener understands what has happened and also understands what it is that the character is saying. In the first example, Jack is giving a report on what happened at the Halloween party. The listener does not need to have been there to understand what has happened, but they must understand what it is that Jack is saying about the party.
Proactive dialogue occurs when a character is speaking about something that they know will happen. For example, if Jack says “It’s going to rain,” the listener knows exactly what is meant because they have just experienced a downpour. This is different to a character just reporting on the scene, regardless of whether or not it is something that the listener has experienced. Therefore, you need to be very careful when using this type of dialogue. If you do use it, make sure that you follow the rule of three: make it brief, make it to the point, and make it relevant to the story. This type of dialogue can also be used to show how a character reacts to a certain situation or event in advance. For example, if Jack gets scared in a haunted house, this could be relevant to the story because it shows how he reacts to being there or it could be used to show how he reacts to being scared.
Narration And Description
Narration can be defined as the telling of a story, either through describing what happens or through showing what happens. It can be done through dialogue or completely as a narration.
In creative writing, narration is usually used to give the reader background information about a story. This could include things such as describing the setting of a story or who the main characters are. Sometimes you might want to use a combination of description and narration, where you will use the former to give the reader a picture of what is going on and the latter to explain it to them. This is not always the case, so you need to decide what you want to do based on the type of story that you are writing. For example, if you are writing a story about a historical figure, you would want to use a combination of description and narration to bring the reader to life and make them believe that they are actually there.
Style
Another thing to consider when using dialogue in your creative writing is the style in which you want to write it. There are different styles of writing, and you need to decide what you will use to write your story. If you are not sure what style to use, then you could use the style of your choice as a guide. For example, if you have decided that you will base your story on a true event, then you could use a journalistic style to structure it.
Uses For Dialogue In Creative Writing
When using dialogue in your creative writing, there are various uses that you can put it to. Some of these are described below.