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Writing 101

Using Dialouges as Effective
Flavourings

Learning Objectives

Understand how dialogues play a part in
making a story come alive in its characters and
plot

Practice with a variety of dialogues, in
enhancing one's own composition

Apply the best dialogue in any given storyline,
ensuring meaning and development

Introduction

Every single modern movie has it, so does
every novel and children's story.

It enhances every story that has ever been
conceived much like how food is flavoured to
enhance it.

It lets the reader peep into the psyches of your
characters, making them very real and alive in
the minds of your readers.

Can you guess what this is?

Introduction

You have learnt about direct and indirect
speeches before. Recalling,
1) Fran questioned his wife, “Did you eat up all
the tarts last night?”
2) Fran asked his wife whether she had eaten up
all the tarts the previous night.

Which is which?

What is the difference between direct and
indirect speech?

Direct and Indirect Speech
• Direct Speech captures all the emotions of the
spoken speech from a character.
1) Fran questioned his wife, 'Did you eat up all the
tarts last night?'
2) Fran questioned his wife, 'You ate up all the tarts
last night!'
3) Fran questioned his wife, 'You ate up all the tarts
last night...'
• Indirect Speech reports what was spoken. To
avoid meaningless dialogues, they are used.

The power of Speech
Version #1
Fran was exasperated. He was famished after a day of
hard labour. He had a huge appetite, not surprising
for a man his size. Turning around, Fran questioned
his wife, “Did you eat up all the tarts last night?”
Version #2
Fran was exasperated. He was famished after a day of
hard labour. He had a huge appetite, not surprising
for a man his size. Turning around, Fran asked his
wife whether he had eaten up all the tarts the
previous night.

The power of Speech

Direct Speeches or Dialogues perform two
main functions:
1) To develop the story, especially, in key stages
2) To show character
A story filled with lines after lines of descriptions
is simply plain vanilla, which you have seen.
Use dialogues to enhance your story’s appeal and
sustain your reader’s interest.

Some examples of effective dialogues
Story #1 – to develop the story's key stages
“Would you like, O my fair lady, to spare a thought
for this old woman to buy but one apple from
me?” pleaded the haggard-looking woman.
Story #2 – to reveal character
“What is that useless creature doing in the best
room?” asked the stepmother.
“Away to the kitchen with her! And is she wants to
eat, then she must earn it. She can be our maid.”

The art of Speech-making

It is important to note the following when
creating dialogues:
1) The dialogues must be meaningful.
It must either serve to reveal character or to
develop the story's key points.
2) It cannot be excessively used.
A long list of dialogues soon lose its intended
effect and the word 'said' repeated many times
will bore the reader quickly.

Using a Variety of Speeches

Some speeches can be a monologue.
1) “Ouch!” shrieked Alan as he was pushed
rudely to the ground by the bully.
2) “Alan Tan!” shouted Mrs Lee.

Some, not verbalised, can be a thought.
1) It is useless to fight, David thought, as he
underwent yet another round of chemotherapy.
2) Why is Dad not home yet? David wondered as
he looked at the time.

In summary

Direct Speeches are valuable in enhancing the
composition in revealing character and
developing a story's key stages.

The principles when using dialogues,
monologues or thoughts are meaning and
development.

When used correctly, direct speeches can make
the characters believable and the story come
alive.

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