Dialogue and Monologue

There are many thousands of writers out there, and each one approaches storytelling in a different way. That's a good thing. It means that all readers can find books that appeal to them -- though not every book will appeal to all readers. Some readers love description. They want to know every variety of flower in a garden and every outfit the protagonist wears. Some crave action. For them it's the plot that grabs their attention, and they're likely to skip over the descriptions. Other readers look for characters they can invest in. They want someone to care about and root for. (Those are my kind of readers.) Still others are looking for a big takeaway. When they finish a book, they want to have some message or philosophy to mull over.

Case in point: I recently read a review of one of my books which mentioned I had used a lot of dialogue. The reviewer noted this as though it were a bad thing. And that surprised me, because I intentionally include a lot of dialogue in my novels. Readers and reviewers often comment on its authenticity, and that's something I take pride in. Nevertheless, this one reader's comment caused me to reflect. And this is what I came up with.

Like ants, people are social animals. We survive in communities; we rely on others to fulfill many of our needs. Therefore we must be able to communicate. We do that partly through body language and the written word, but mostly we talk. Our daily lives are parades of conversations. They take us from one encounter to the next. And the quality of those conversations -- the clarity or lack thereof -- forms the basis for life's drama. So for me, realistic dialogue is what propels a story forward. In life, we move from one conversation to the next, and I try to create that same reality in my novels. I move the story along through conversation. That one reader (and, yes, I know there are others) might not have been a fan of dialogue, but I feel it reflects real life.

And then, because one thought leads to another, I started thinking about the other important ways to move a story forward -- aside from direct narration (ie. - and then, and then) -- and I settled on interior monologue. Basically that's a person's thinking -- dialogue within a character's mind but without the quotation marks. Interior monologue establishes the motives for a character's actions. It expresses the character's thoughts, feelings, desires, fears, etc. -- the stuff that doesn't see daylight any other way, but which provides readers with insight and causes them to connect with and react to the character. Reader/character interaction is important. It's what draws readers into a story and allows them to suspend their disbelief.

But, as I said at the start, there are many ways to tell a story, and so it stands to reason that as a writer I favour the methods that appeal to me when I read. You may prefer something else.

And Now ... Something Completely Different

I have 30 published books so far, but I also have a great many others that haven't been published -- not because they're badly written, but because they haven't landed on the right editor's desk. (That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.) Some of them may yet find a home, but some I've pretty much given up on. One that's permanently filed is One Marigold Summer. I wrote that story early on, (c. 2000 -- my third novel attempt). It made it to committee at about 5 different publishing houses, including Harper Collins, but in the end, it was a no go. And now -- in today's social climate, the story is passé. 

As usual, I digress. Ahem. Back to my point.

I periodically post excerpts of stories I'm working on, and readers write back asking when the book will be published so they can buy it. (I wish it were that easy!) For them -- and you -- I have set up a new feature on my website. It's called the scribbler's library and the link to it can be found here or in the dropdown menu under the BOOKS heading at the top of the page.

In it I am posting the complete text of some of the novels I haven't managed to find publishers for. Like Charles Dickens' Pickwick Papers, I'll be posting the novels in installments -- in 5-chapter increments. I shall add each new collection of chapters at the same time as I post the monthly blog. There's no cost. I simply want to share the stories readers have expressed an interest in. Naturally I'd prefer to have them published and make some money for my efforts, but on the other hand, I don't want them languishing on my computer without being read.

All I ask is that you tell your friends, kids, grandkids, teachers, etc, and share the link on social media and your website if you have one. 

First up is Bran. This novel follows a young Druid boy's journey to becoming a powerful sorcerer. It is the prequel to The Seer Trilogy, and like the movie series, Star Wars, the part that should chronologically come first is presented last. If you've read The Seer Trilogy, you'll love exploring Bran's backstory, but if you haven't read the trilogy, it won't affect your enjoyment of Bran in the slightest. The story stands alone and therefore is complete unto itself. There is an advantage to reading it online, since there are components posted on my website that wouldn't be available from a publisher, such as images of the significant characters and a diagram of Llanberis Castle. So be sure to click on all the links you come across in the story.

AND PLEASE ... if you read Bran, let me know what you think. (There's a link to help you do that too.) Your feedback is important.

Thanks for reading. I'll talk at you next month.