This week’s #storycraft chat was about dialogue. I missed the chat but I’m all over this week’s challenge on the #Storycraft Blog. It was lots of fun to write.
Challenge: Write us a piece which is a dialogue between at LEAST 3 characters, using ONLY dialogue but for an allowance of 1 tag per character. The challenge is to make your characters’ dialogue distinct enough not to need any more than those tags to: a) know who is speaking and; b) learn something about each character. Don’t forget: conflict builds character in writing, as well as life!
In the end, I didn’t even use a dialogue tag for one of the characters. This was great practice. Thanks again, Storycraft!
Happy Father’s Day
“You have got to be the world’s biggest jerk, do you know that?”
“Oh, and you’re just all sweet and innocent? Whatever, Jenny, whatever.”
“Do you two really have to fight on Father’s Day?” Martha said. “Could you at least, for once, think of someone besides yourselves? Spend time with your father, perhaps?”
“Oh, I’d be happy to, mom. I’m sorry Jimmy’s trying to ruin dad’s day.”
“WHAT? Listen you little…”
“You think dad wants a drink?” Jenny said, “I’ll take him one.”
“Oh, save it you stupid bitch. Quit sucking up. You’re not fooling anyone.”
“Jimmy!”
“Sorry, mom, but seriously, can’t you see what she’d doing? It’s always my fault, isn’t it? Everything’s my fault and she comes away smelling like roses and everyone believes her. Did she tell you what she did to me last weekend? And I got the blame for it?”
“Shut up, you big baby. No one ever believes you because you’re a liar.”
“Jenny, please… .”
“It’s true, you know it is! What about that time in eighth grade… .”
“Eighth grade! God, Jen, do you ever let things go? We’re in fuc… we’re in college for God’s sake and you’re still bringing up crap from eighth grade!”
“Watch your language. I mean it, this conversation is over, it’s a beautiful day and your father’s outside all by himself because you two can’t stop bickering for one day! I’m sick of it!”
“Don’t worry mom, I can ignore his stupidity. He can’t keep up an argument by himself.”
“God, you fuc… .”
“Jimmy!”
“I don’t know why I bother to come home. Really, I don’t. All I get is this sh… this crap.”
“James Neil Anderson, stop this right now. I don’t want to hear that.”
“Whatever. I’m going to go spend time with dad. After all, it’s Father’s Day not Jenny is the Queen Bitch Day and we all have to put up with her shit.. That’s everyday. And I’ll take dad a drink.”
“Get your hands off, jerk.”
“Oh, shit. Sorry, Jen. I sure wasn’t trying to…”
“JERK! You’ve ruined my shirt!”
“Jenny, I’m sure your brother didn’t mean to…”
“Oh my God! I hate you, you little weasel.”
“Feeling’s mutual, sis.”
