Effective dialogue:
1. Don't have the characters speak directly to each other.
2. Don't need to say says, said, mumbled, etc each time.
3. Have a conflict the dialogue seeks to reveal. Such as the pro-vegetarian/anti-vegetarian diet in our example today.
4. Be descriptive (use ideas from the stories we have read this year). Use place names, people's names, things (big-Daddy-bison burger), action-the character taps the car for luck, locks his girlfriend in the car, the mug has "My mom's from Sweden, whey do you ask?" etc
Sample dialogue:
Suzie says, "Please pass the tofurkey."
Dad bites into his big-Daddy-bison burger. The Smiths have been eating burgers on Friday nights as long as Susie can remember.
Mom says, "There was another article in Macleans this week, honey. It really upset me."
"I said, pass the tofurkey."
A little sauce dribble out of Dad's mouth and curled on his chin like a sleepy snake about to unfurl. "What the hell is tofurkey?" Dad mumbled.
FIRST PAGE OR 200 WORDS IS DUE MONDAY. TYPED AND PRINTED OUT FOR PEER EDITING PLEASE.
