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Word Works: When to use Dialog and Description

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     Something that is very important for all authors to remember is that both dialog and description are essential to nearly every story, though drabbles can be the exception.  For the rest, it is vital to have a good balance of both to keep the story moving and interesting.  This page will simply tell of the importance of both concepts and how they can be most effectively utilized for your story's coherence and plot.

     Dialog--Dialog is, in a nutshell, the speech between characters.  As they converse with one another problems are solved, problems are created, feelings are suppressed, feelings are expressed and things like humor, romance and angst are added to your story.  The over-usage of dialog can make a story repetitive and hold a story back from moving forward.

     Keeping dialog in context is important, too.  A character that just experienced a car crash is not likely to laugh and talk about the weather in the next minute.  Different characters also use different speech patterns; paying attention to whatever type of person a character is affects how you should write out their dialog.  For example, a doctor will probably speak with long, intelligent words and throw in some medical jargon once in a while.  Likewise, a five year-old child will use only small, simple words.  Accents are also a critical aspect of dialog but I caution beginning writers on using accents.  Experts should tread lightly in this area as well.

     Description--Basically, the paint to the picture your story is trying to create; without description a story is quite dull.  While it may be bothersome to read the pages and pages of J. R. R. Tolkein's Lord of the Rings description--I felt as though I had lived through the Moria Mines chapters along with the characters--using description moderately and at the right moments can add  just the spice you need.  Short stories are bound to have less detail than chapter fics but they are by no means any less detailed.

     I can't instruct much when it comes to when to use description--all stories are different and timing is based heavily on your plot--but I stick to the idea that you should use detail where speech won't work.  If a character is alone you should describe what they see, and not always through the character's thoughts; though, who the character is may define the difference between what they notice and what they ignore.  For example, a average teenage girl is more likely to notice the clothes section or a cute guy while walking through the mall rather than a toy store or bonsai kiosk.  Even if there are other characters in the story at the time a lull in the conversation or a change of scenery can provide time to add description.