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Writing: Characters and Dialogue
Characters are one of the most important elements in a story, and dialogue is an effective way of conveying character. This category is for questions relating to characterization and the creation of dialogue.
1,049 Questions
What are some good 1800s names for book characters?
Here is a LINK to a chart with most popular names from 1800 all the way to 1999 - just click the years you want!
How would you write a dialogue between a lion and a mouse?
Writing dialogue is not as hard as you're letting it seem. You have dialogue all the time -- it's called talking. If you honestly cannot think of what your characters are going to say to one another, you need to go take a break and go somewhere out in public. Sit somewhere in the middle of a crowd for one to two hours and just listen to people talking. Then, go home and write down some of the things you heard people saying. That's dialogue.
When you need to have your characters talk, just pretend it's you and a friend (or several friends), and have them say something you'd probably say in the same situation. If one of you was a lion and the other was a mouse, that is. And if you could both talk. Then imagine what your friends would say in reply, and go back and forth that way. As you become a better writer, your characters themselves will "tell" you what they want to say, because they become like real people to you.
What is a good name for a loud person?
You need to invent your own names if you're going to be a writer. Don't depend on some anonymous person on the internet to invent your characters for you!
I use online name generators for the names of my secondary characters - the main characters. I take my time and choose special names from baby name books!
Writers who copy ideas from other people can also end up in trouble for plagiarism! If you copy someone's names or ideas, then when you publish your story, they could claim you stole those from them and sue you for part of your money.
Click on the LINK for a character name generator!
How can an author make a character more sympathetic for the reader?
Character. Make the character more sympathetic. An orphaned child, preferably female, crippled, with a suffering pet. A hard working nurse trying to hold something valuable together. Little orphan Annie is considered sympathetic.
Situation. Place the character in a situation that what he does is noble and good. The notorious criminal Jean Val Jean (Les Miserables) became noble when he befriended an little orphaned girl.
Noble Goal. "Noisy" Rhysling sacrifices himself to fatal radiation poisoning to save the other passengers of the ship. Although a deplorable miscreant he is made sympathetic by his actions.
Suffering. Dr. Frankenstein's monster returned a lost little girl to her parent and got shot for his trouble. We sympathize with him.
Can there be antagonists in both books and reality?
An antagonist is anything or anyone who stands in the way of a character attaining their goals - there are certainly antagonists in real life as well as in fiction.
What would be a good name for a story on kangaroos?
Only you can come up with a good name! Titles come from the story, not from some anonymous person on the internet! You're getting this backwards I'm afraid -- you need to write the story first and think of the title last.
Titles are also not as important as some writers think - your title might change many times between your first write and your final draft!
Think about your story - what is going on and who are the people involved? What is something special about the story that might make a good title? Don't sweat it - just write something down and get on with the story!
It was the name of a Persian king, and has good history but... I'm no fan of Miley, so that's up to preference.
What is a good name for a leader-person?
You need to invent your own names if you're going to be a writer. Don't depend on some anonymous person on the internet to invent your characters for you!
I use online name generators for the names of my secondary characters - the main characters. I take my time and choose special names from baby name books!
Writers who copy ideas from other people can also end up in trouble for plagiarism! If you copy someone's names or ideas, then when you publish your story, they could claim you stole those from them and sue you for part of your money.
Click on the LINK for a character name generator!
What was the ending of the book Peeled by Joan Bauer?
in the end the ludlow house cracks in half and Banesville is saved.
What might a strict character do?
A strict character may be the type to follow the rules and expect others to follow them too. They may be the type to stick to a certain schedule, be organized, and not like to waste time. They are happier when others follow these same habits.
Who or what is the antagonist of the story?
The antagonist is the character who, consciously or unconsciously, plays a central role in opposing the main character's goals. In many cases, it's the villain. However, in works where the main character is evil (e.g. Poe's "Tell Tale Heart"), the antagonist might be the good guy.
So, to figure out who the antagonist is, ask, "Who is the main character?" and then "Who is the main character's opponent or foe? Who is preventing the main character from doing what he/she wants to?"
The antagonist is important because conflict fuels most plots.
What should you name your 19th century villain?
You need to invent your own names if you're going to be a writer. Don't depend on some anonymous person on the internet to invent your characters for you!
Writers who copy ideas from other people can also end up in trouble for plagiarism! If you copy someone's names or ideas, then when you publish your story, they could claim you stole those from them and sue you for part of your money.
I use online name generators for the names of my secondary characters - the main characters. I take my time and choose special names from baby name books!
What do you start with when you're writing a character analysis?
Decide he character's objectives. What does the character want? What is he/she willing to do to get it?
How do we write dialogue using elements of communication?
To write effective dialogue, incorporate elements of communication such as tone, body language, and context. Use varied sentence structures and word choices to reflect each character's personality and emotional state. Additionally, consider the subtext—what characters mean versus what they say—to add depth and realism. Lastly, ensure that the dialogue advances the plot or reveals important information about the characters or their relationships.
Does a dynamic character remains the same during the course of the story?
A dynamic character changes at least once. A static character doesn't change at all.
What is a good name for a medieval land?
Answer 1
Fortlaxia
Answer 2 (A writer's perspective)
It is rather easy to invent names of places. The easiest method for a beginner is to think of two or three words of everyday objects or places, then mix them up to form a fictional place.
For example, I used the words "Siberia" and "Tea" to come up with the name "Sibentaea".
Here are some more examples for you, using the same method. You should also try it yourself, then it'll come naturally whenever you need to come up with a name for something or someone:
- Miritano
- Trarnova
- Anglor
- Theonyror
- Chanthum
- Ormietini
- Brundenya
- Corynum
- Arcano
- Rhydannum
- Tyrannea
- Olmand
- Escycias
- Atlor
- Agandia
- Timuanano
- Anglium
- Daluanus
- Ethon
- Minuareos
- Austronton
- Asinthana
- Manchantus
- Tirandul
- Ormerica
- Bythilica
- Osundur
- Sylvontya
- Charctum
- Castrurova
- Nubitrano
- Escantea
- Lithurul
- Peropaia
- Quildor
- Slailial
- Linalni
Who are the main characters in An Acceptable Time?
The main character is Polyhymnia (Polly/Poly) O'Keefe. She is the daughter of Calvin (Cal) O'Keefe and Margaret (Meg) Murry.
A dialogue is any 2-way communication between two persons or within a group.
Creative Writing
The best writing shows rather than tells. Dialogue, in part, can carry the burden of "showing" many of the qualities, traits, faults, and even the physical appearance of each character.
For example:
"You didn't tell me Kathleen had such striking red hair," Colleen remarked backstage.
"She got it from a bottle," Helena whispered, "although she'll tell you she looks 'just like my grandmama from County Downe!". With that, neither could stifle their snickers, despite knowing Kathleen stood only feet away behind the curtain.
"What's she doing out there, anyway?"
"Probably thinks she's the next star on Broadway," Helena answered, as she stuffed her tights and dance clothes into her backpack. "Let's get going."
"No, I want to stay. Maybe Kathleen will 'channel' her 'grandmama'," Colleen replied deviously. Colleen peered around the red heavy curtain backstage, her black hair gleaming under the dim lighting. She expected to see Kathleen, all 100 pounds on her 4'8" frame, lithely moving about the stage.
"What's she doing," Helena asked, edging forward to peer over Colleen's shoulder but Helena wasn't as tall as her dance friend and couldn't see a thing.
Colleen patted the curtain closed and backed away quietly, "Nothing. She's sitting cross-legged in the middle of the stage, crying."
From that short dialogue, we know hair color of two; heights of two; that the setting is a stage; three dancers, two of whom are ready to leave; one who's crying onstage; and that there's some sort of envy, jealousy, or conflict between Kathleen and the other two. As dialogue and narrative continues, we should learn more about "the conflict" and why Kathleen is crying.
What is the basic story of the Trojan War and who are the main characters?
the basic was for Rome to have more land and the people that was in it was a general, Julies sizer and Pompey plus Colosseum.
