tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post2098745427022279982..comments2024-03-27T18:06:04.484-04:00Comments on Murder by 4: 5 Things I Love About You(r book)Marta Stephenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14126647102399666578noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-23795876379251197092009-09-30T07:31:01.942-04:002009-09-30T07:31:01.942-04:00Thanks, guys! Glad you like the list!
And those a...Thanks, guys! Glad you like the list!<br /><br />And those are great points, Aaron! Description and dialogue - two things that are tough to get right. :-)s.w. vaughnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09102544611773720262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-76181880406412407722009-09-30T07:11:03.015-04:002009-09-30T07:11:03.015-04:00Wow. Wonderful list, S.W. And I must say, you do t...Wow. Wonderful list, S.W. And I must say, you do the "shades of gray" better than anyone I've ever read. Your evil characters end up being human and understandable, your heroes are nicely flawed. Yeah, you've got it down. My hero!<br /><br />I might add another few items to the list, if it's okay. How about:<br /><br />6) Take me there. Put me in the cracked vinyl seat in the booth at the Thai Restaurant. Let me smell the ginger and basil in the air, let me taste the galangal in the soup. Let me feel the rough surface of chopsticks in my hand. And the feel of the wind in my hair. LOL. No, scratch that last one, we're inside. And don't overdo it, a few sentences nicely interspersed with good dialogue is sufficient.<br /><br />If you take me out of my armchair and whisk me into your scene, I'll believe it all the more. And I'll love your book! <br /><br />How's that?<br /><br />Oh! And what about:<br /><br />7) Speak to me as if you're human and you've actually had a conversation before. Make your characters talk like everyone else does, in a natural manner. Don't make them sound too erudite or forced. Don't let them go on for hours. And it's okay to put in a little dialect if it's carefully done. Most of all, keep that dialog moving and natural. <br /><br />Make me believe your characters are really talking, and I'll love your book. <br /><br />Does that work?Aaron Paul Lazarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06117814221437165664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-15128289150813657222009-09-29T22:10:42.445-04:002009-09-29T22:10:42.445-04:00I cannot think of a single thing to add that would...I cannot think of a single thing to add that would carry nearly as much impact. thanks for a great list SW!Kim Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13933746166088034102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6001825743960552008.post-39887573592927275872009-09-29T13:12:42.108-04:002009-09-29T13:12:42.108-04:00Oh, wow! All of the above. You've done a gre...Oh, wow! All of the above. You've done a great job of spelling it out.Marta Stephenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14126647102399666578noreply@blogger.com