tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post3600456925833700318..comments2024-03-10T05:06:25.309-04:00Comments on Livia Blackburne: Dialogue and Point of View Tricks from Garth Nix's SabrielLivia Blackburnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15805379309049803903noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-29502246263246536212010-04-24T18:59:10.476-04:002010-04-24T18:59:10.476-04:00Dialogue also has kick when one speaker had more p...Dialogue also has kick when one speaker had more power over the otherEeleen Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15221723342556515161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-1185267020338930662010-04-13T16:06:28.430-04:002010-04-13T16:06:28.430-04:00I put flashbacks in the first part of a chapter an...I put flashbacks in the first part of a chapter and sometimes they are from the other character's point of view. Lets the reader see how others view the main character. I like the proverbs idea for emotional impact.Raquel Byrneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12870113745683162915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-36516419703238559672010-04-12T04:17:59.589-04:002010-04-12T04:17:59.589-04:00Yes, the interruption works well here. I've re...Yes, the interruption works well here. I've read others that didn't do any favours to the overall showing of the action. <br />I love the use of proverbs at number three. I write mainly non-fiction (apart from when I'm writing short stories) but I do like to learn more about the tools fiction writers use. They can be very handy in non-fiction.Anne Lyken-Garnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01425485414456096031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-78756518133430263472010-04-10T15:22:13.566-04:002010-04-10T15:22:13.566-04:00Nice post. I have this book on my shelf, and haven...Nice post. I have this book on my shelf, and haven't yet read it. I think I will do that right away. As for using the tricks, I did pluck my stories title CHALK HOUSES from a line of narration in my novel. I think it makes both the title and the narration more poignant.Tracy Clarkhttp://www.tracyclark.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-37484698167073285132010-04-10T15:01:23.977-04:002010-04-10T15:01:23.977-04:00Oh, I think I'm going to use interruptions in ...Oh, I think I'm going to use interruptions in my, uh... dialogue from now on to, y'know, create a mood. Thanks!<br /><br />(Love your "learning from Book X" posts, btw.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-31864571518023788682010-04-10T03:22:01.106-04:002010-04-10T03:22:01.106-04:00The dialogue example is a great reminder how littl...The dialogue example is a great reminder how little we need to dress up a conversation when the words themselves can pull the weight of it. I love a good, stripped section of dialogue now and then, when we can tell who's talking and what's happening without being told each time.<br /><br />As for number three, I think it's a good example of the power of repetition. In this case it creates symmetry, which lends resonance to the story. I remember Neil Gaiman did similar in Neverwhere with the opening epigraph, revisited nearer the end. I've also seen authors make good use of it with lines of poetry and the like, building each time to deepen the meaning and impact. I'm working with the same in my WIP, actually, drawing on a section of lyrics until they grow from just a tidbit about the world to a strong (but hopefully subtle) connection to the protagonist's path.Hayley E. Lavikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09896649083961644485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-9152745343312521902010-04-09T22:23:43.535-04:002010-04-09T22:23:43.535-04:00I read Sabriel a few years back and really enjoyed...I read Sabriel a few years back and really enjoyed it - I'll have to reread it with a writer's eye someday soon.Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-43421495799175819962010-04-09T21:10:24.471-04:002010-04-09T21:10:24.471-04:001) I think I'm the king of em-dashes and ellip...1) I think I'm the king of em-dashes and ellipses. I think it's because IRL I interrupt people a lot so my characters tend to do that too.<br />2) In my revision, I've played a couple times now where one character starts a scene, then another character takes the POV and retells part of the scene then goes off on their own. The problem is that I feel I'm wasting word count repeating essentially the same scene.<br />3) I'm also playing with this in my revision, but more as premonitions than sayings.Andrew Rosenberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09215333688753781447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-13648546953284351122010-04-09T16:43:26.468-04:002010-04-09T16:43:26.468-04:00I've never read Nix and need to. I know (hang...I've never read Nix and need to. I know (hanging head in shame)...<br /><br />Great examples & post!*https://www.blogger.com/profile/06484208765656281917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8503889855562099029.post-29971581066662098782010-04-09T14:18:39.281-04:002010-04-09T14:18:39.281-04:00Those were all great examples. I haven't read ...Those were all great examples. I haven't read Sabriel in years, but now I want to reread it. Thanks for pointing out these useful tools.Tricia J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05993110400088806252noreply@blogger.com